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Is it wrong to use different instruments in worship?
Thanks for this important question. As part of this question, you offered a bit more background: “A fellow member and I disagree on whether it’s a good thing to use a variety of instruments in worship. This member grew up in an organ-only church. He says, ‘It’s wrong to change how we worship. I expect to hear guitar on the radio not in church.’ Aren’t we supposed to avoid causing offense?”
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Since God has not commanded how people are to worship him, it is not surprising that Christians will, in freedom, arrive at different decisions on which instruments to use in worship services.
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The Lutheran principles of worship
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Worship preference is an emotional topic for many. To start, I think it’s important to remember that you and this member are seeking to win an agreement not an argument. Remember your goal: “Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace” (Ephesians 4:3). Listen to your fellow member to help you understand where he is coming from. This will help you mutually learn and instruct.
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In worship, we encounter God through the means of grace. We express our praise and thanks to God. We encourage our fellow believers. We evangelize the unbelievers in our midst. Worship is important! We want to get it right. How do we decide what we do in worship?
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Each month Prof. David Scharf answers a question from a reader. Here are some of the topics he's covered:
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Why do you get giddy about the news of a new sneaker drop? How come FOMO (fear of missing out) starts to settle in over a limited-time collaboration between your favorite product and your favorite artist? Was it really an accident that the hush-hush release . . .
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How do you measure success? In business, success is measured by increased sales and rising profits. In sports, success is measured by games won and championships achieved. In war, success is measured by battles won, land conquered, and enemies defeated. . . .
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An AI Jesus? From search engines to self-driving cars, artificial intelligence (AI) is a daily facet of life for many people. But what about AI in church? The oldest Catholic church in Lucerne, Switzerland, St. Peter’s Chapel, recently held an exhibit that gave . . .
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