THE WAY ERROR GAINS ENTRANCE INTO A CONGREGATION

A false teacher will never walk up to a congregation and announce, "I am a heretic, I have come to capture or destroy your church." Paul says that such men use, "Smooth and fair speech" to "beguile the hearts of the innocent" (Rom. 16:18). He speaks of their "cunning craftiness" (Eph.4:14) and their "cunningly devised fables" (II Pet. 1:16).  When false teachers are unable to take a congregation in one fell swoop, they settle for an incremental approach...a little here, a little there until one day that are in full control.

A hundred years ago those brethren who wished to introduce instrumental music into our churches were determined to take all with them. Their strategy, used over and over again, was as follows. At first they pretended to accept our acappella practice.  They would occasionally drop snide remarks about the poor quality of our singing. They would lavishly compliment the worship of those who used instruments and praise the beauty of their worship.  To build a constituency and gain a following, they carefully, promoted their agenda privately to gullible souls who could be easily swayed. They eventually suggested using the instruments for young peoples meetings and classes, always reassuring the congregation that such would never affect their worship assembles.  When that goal was reached they would bide their time and continue their quite promotion in private. When they were confident that they had a majority in their camp, they would raise the question, "Would the congregation prefer to use an instrument in worship?"  By that time the elders and other brethren, content to abide in the apostles' doctrine, were totally outnumbered and out maneuvered. They were faced with the option of accepting the change; objecting and being labeled as trouble makers; or to leave in search of a sound congregation where they could worship "as it is written."

By the time our brethren figured out their strategy and were able to alert fellow-Christians, the loss was devastating.  Those determined to add to the worship prescribed in Scripture swept upwards of 80% of our churches into their camp. Today when you see a Disciples of Christ or Christian Church, remember the strategy their ancestors used to win their victory.  That will help you understand why elders generally said, no to bringing an organ or piano into their church building, for any purpose. That is why property deeds for meeting houses had restrictive deeds that forever forbade the use of a musical instrument in worship conducted there. That is why preachers who thought the question of instrumental music in worship was "not a salvation or faith issue" were not invited to preach for them, even in a revival meeting.  That is why preachers routinely delivered lessons explaining the Biblical basis for our acappella worship.

We are now some 70 years removed from the apostasy described above.  A third generation has now reached the level of leadership.  Most of them are unfamiliar with our past, and many of them not well-grounded in Scripture.

Consequently we see churches dangerously drifting toward a maelstrom of error. Many of our people have never heard a Biblical lesson teaching why we worship as we do.  Others openly state that they see nothing very serious about the use of instruments in worship.  We frequently hear of preachers who now boldly say, that to them "instrumental music is not a salvation issue." 

Some congregations are allowing instruments to be used in youth programs and in "concerts in their meeting places."  One by one, the incremental steps are being taken that will eventuate in them having instruments in their worship.
It is only a matter of time. I plead with all brethren to consider the past and take heed lest ye fall (I Cor. 10:12).