| In a recent conversation with a friend of
mine he said this was an accusation made of him. He had requested
a meeting with the elders of the local church in the Dallas metro area
where he worshiped and asked why they encouraged applause at baptism and
other occasions during the worship assemblies. The local preacher,
who was sitting in on the meeting burst out with the accusation,
"You must have been baptized in pickle juice!"
What an interesting put-down. My friend has preached the gospel
over 35 years (almost as long as the young preacher has been alive), has
had excellent training at various schools and universities, and still
involves himself deeply in missions and soul-winning while earning his
own livelihood in a private business. He objected to the use of
applause and simply went to the elders to see how and why they felt such
to be scriptural.
He was hardly given a chance. He was subjected to intense ridicule by
the local preacher. So, there was little he could say further and
evidently the meeting with the elders closed on that note.
I guess I too was baptized in pickle juice! |
Yes, I object to applause in our worship
assemblies and if that qualifies me as a "pickle-juiced," so
be it.
Applause in our society is given for a good performance. At a
symphony program, a play on stage, a rousing political speech and even
excellent sports performances, applause is the accepted way of showing
appreciation for the skills involved. When one applauds a baptism,
what skill is being appreciated? When one applauds a sermon, what
skill is being appreciated.
Why do we not also applaud a prayer? What about those who pass
the emblems as we partake of the Lord’s Supper? Should we also
applaud the reader of scripture?
Saying "Amen" during a class or a sermon is not
appreciating a skill; it is agreeing with the message or truth being
stated.
Applause is given for performance. To include such as that in
our worship assemblies is to drift away from worship and become an
audience for a performer. That is not God’s instruction for
worship in spirit and truth (John
4:24). Those assembled are not an audience, they are the
active participants. A leader in various actions is not the only
one worshiping. |
Oh yes, I also object to a calculated raising
of hands and arms and swaying in time with the music. I question
the idea of hand-clapping to beat the time of a song. I fear the
idea of quartets and special groups invading the area of our
congregational singing. I am not ready for dances and dramas
instead of serious Bible study. I speak up against our ladies
taking the lead in the assembly worship by leading prayers and
songs. I tremble as some of our congregations have special
festival observances, and I weep over my brethren who fellowship
non-Christians in their denominational rallies and conventions. Is
it possible I too was baptized in pickle juice?!
If I read my Bible correctly, I was baptized for the remission of my
sins (Acts
2:38) in a pool of water (Acts
8:36), in the "name of the Father, and of
the Son, and of the Holy Spirit" (Matt.
28:18), at which time I was able to "put
on Christ" and be "in
Christ" (Gal
3:27), thus was "added to
them" (Acts
2:47) by being "baptized into one
body" (I
Cor 12:13).
This was not done by being rabidly
censorious and
caviling; rather, it was done joyously and enthusiastically to obey my
Lord and to save my soul! |
| Such puerile accusations do not come from
defenders of the truth; they come from those who detest time tested
worship actions, from those who flay the church with every kind of
criticism, and from those who wish to make the church simply another
denomination among the many already established by man. If there is
present any sour or dill pickle juice, I fear it will be among those who
are so rabidly
caviling and
calumniating against the church of my Lord! |
– Roy H. Lanier Jr., February 2001 –
GNFY is published under the oversight of the
Alkire Rd Church of Christ elders, 2779 Alkire Road, Grove City, Ohio, 43123.
Please feel
free to reproduce as is. No changes may be made without permission.
|
Editor:
Mark Bass, Minister, mebass1957@aol.com,
(614) 875-1028
|
Youth
Leader: John Justus, (614) 274-9563
|
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