Family, Fellowship Four and a half ways to and F create harmony BY ALEX NESMITH
As an 18-year-old Adventist, I often find myself in an awkward position within the church.
and is and is to come!” (Rev. 4:8).* Yet while music is important, it does not overtake the need of salvation. Youth pastor Mic Henton of College View Church in Lincoln, Nebraska, said, “Music is used for the purpose to help lead I sometimes feel that my others to the throne of God by church doesn’t listen to my expressing the inexpressible. age group. One of the main But it is not a requirement of areas of disagreement is musalvation.” I would dare say sic. This has sent many of my that salvation is worth more friends skipping merrily away than music choice. from the church. There is a disconnect Can we find any between my generation and common ground? The current church leadership. answer is yes. Music is While some people deny it, and should be a tool of worthe proof is on the paper. Acship. Pastor Henton pointed cording to Christianity Today out that the Bible never truly and Cold Case Christianity, addresses the proper way to about 70 percent of young use music. It is important to adults “drop out” of church remember that just because between the ages of 17 and 20. something is new doesn’t Of this percentage, roughly 30 make it bad. Alternatively, if percent say they leave because something works, it can still of the negative focus on mube improved. sic. This list of four and a half questions may help us. What does the Bible say about this? Great Is this struggle worth our question! The Bible has salvation? Music is immany examples that seem to portant in our walk with counter each other. Miriam Christ. There are seraphim led the women in a dance in heaven singing the eternal with a tambourine. Psalm song “Holy, holy, holy, is the 150 says to praise God “with Lord God Almighty, who was
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something out is to work loud clashing cymbals,” “with strings and pipe,” “with with dignity. tambourine and dance,” “with Put it into trumpet sound.” practice. As However, on the mount, a family in Jesus said, “When you pray, Christ, we go into your room, close the must treat one another door and pray to your Father, the way a healthy family who is unseen. Then your would. God loves us no Father, who sees what is done matter what our preference in secret, will reward you” of music is, just as we must (Matt. 6:6, NIV). If worship is worship, then God will accept love each other. Hymns it. “The true worshipers will and praise music may not sound similar, but they do worship the Father in spirit and truth, for the Father is share an important goal. Praising God should be the seeking such people to worpurpose of songs in worship him” (John 4:23). ship. If the congregation is worshiping, the goal is What has been going met. In praising God, there wrong so far? Lack shouldn’t be “progressive” of communication! or “traditional.” In the end Nothing can be worse than hymns and worship songs when people stop commushould all meet the goal of nicating. Often, if we don’t understand or agree with praising God. something, we dismiss it. Alex Nesmith is a freshman We just don’t know how communication major at Union to address things we don’t College from northwestern understand. Eph. 6:1-4 says, Georgia. “Children, obey your parents * Unless otherwise indicated, Bible in the Lord, for this is right. texts are from the English Standard . . . Fathers, do not exasperVersion. ate your children; instead, bring them up in the training and instruction of the Lord” (NIV). The best way to work
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