What if a musician, whether it be a family or an individual, were to come to your church and performed their music and their music turned out to be something less then what you expected or even if it even just created a stir among some church family members - or even just one family - and you didn't even understand it as being a problem?

And to make matters more complicated, what if this person is a wonderful "King James believing, scripture quoting, home-schooling, saying the right lingo and wearing the right clothes" type of person?

Being a musician myself and knowing what affect a musician can have on a church congregation, I will say that your church members will be struggling with many of these questions to themselves!

1.   Do I need to check out at my own attitude on music?  Why do I suddenly feel like I do and am I wrong in 'feeling' like this?

2.   Are these awful 'gut feelings' that I am experiencing actually a witness from the Holy Spirit?  Is God's Spirit being quenched and grieved over this music?  Is that what this is going on inside me?

3.   Am I wrong with how I am reacting to this music? I mean, the preacher gave this music the OK, so it must just be me.

4. Am I the only one here having this inner battle or are there others?  I don't want to ask, though and be accused of causing trouble and dissension.

5.   Is our  preacher slipping?  Is he giving in to the pressures?  Pastor has enough problems with out me starting a new one over this music.

6.   Do I even belong in this church anymore?  I love these people.  I don't want to cause division?  But I can't worship God with this music.

7.   Why am I not enjoying this music as much as others appear to be?

8.   Is this good for my kids to hear? They sure do like this music and I do want them to enjoy church, but as a parent, I know something is wrong here.

9.   I am not suppose to listen to my 'feelings' - but why do I feel so awful?

10. If I do have to leave, where would I go? There are no other King James churches anywhere!

WHAT SHOULD I DO?

I have experienced all of those questions above and I am sure most Bible believing Christians today have asked or will soon be asking those same questions because of some 'new' music situations that are arising in Bible Believing churches all across the country.

If the Devil can not destroy a church through the brethren themselves, he will go after the preacher.  If he can not destroy the preacher, he will go after the words in the Bible.  If he can not destroy the words in the Bible, he will go after the music!  I know of church after church who were being led by a strong Bible believing pastor whose strong church members have stayed loyal until even beyond the appearance of the 'music issue'... and almost instantly, the church began to see rough times.

This is happening more and more - the musician or musical family comes along; they begin their 'performance' and before you know it, half the congregation likes the music and half the congregation does not like the music.  Instantly, regardless of how the music did sound, trouble is brewing.  It is especially a difficult situation if the musician happens to be a member of that particular church or a members relative.

Pastors, whether or not you want to believe this,
you now have a serious situation within your church!

Solomon's gold shield has now been turned to brass!
(II Chronicles 12:9,10)

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For those who have forgotten... A proper King James Believing church tries to pattern itself after the Philadelphian Church found in Revelation 3:8 by trying to do the following:  1)  Keep his word;  2) Not deny His name, and 3) rely on God's strength, not their own.

As a result of that type of work, God will open the doors for that church.

Through this 'new' music that is flooding the churches, it doesn't take long for that good church to begin that fast and fatal fall to the description of a Laodicean church..  As church members defend their new musical 'position', people will be heard to say, as it says in Revelation 3:17a, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing;  "This new music is fine."  "Look at how involved the people are." "They are enjoying themselves." "This music has really sparked a new attitude here." "We have no problem here - not in my church... not in my home... we are doing fine.  Unto the pure, all things are pure!  etc.  and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked...  Revelation 3:17b

How can that be with your situation?  Easy!

Many of those good King James - Dress & Do-Right - Blood Washed Christians think that the great music that they now have will please God because it pleases themselves.

Even if the pastor has wised up to the situation, he has a problem that will not be solved without some type of damage to his flock.   One of the first things a pastor will do to soften the situation will be to tell people to give each other some grace - a little space. And yes, grace is very important in our lives as growing Christians. Many of us know that very important verse in Hebrews 13:9  Be not carried about with divers and strange doctrines. For it is a good thing that the heart be established with grace; not with meats, which have not profited them that have been occupied therein. Grace certainly does need to be exercised in this situation.

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However, we also do need to remember a few things...

 1)  Satan is an angel of light and his ministers are ministers of righteousness. I Corinthians 11:14,15 And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light. Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their works. We are not saying here that these wonderful families of musicians are of the devil.  We are only reminding ourselves that Satan and his men do know how to trick us by looking good - we should always be on the lookout.

 2)  The church, if it is a King James Preaching, rightly dividing church, is a major target to Satan.  Just because the church has it's 'ducks in order', an ugly duckling can come along and change itself into a more beautiful duck to do the damage it has set out to do.  Music is the element that changed America from a Philadelphian 'country' to a Laodicean 'country' very subtly, so destroying a single church is not a difficult job for Satan.  In some places, he just plants the seed and it seems that Gods people do the rest of the work of destruction.

 3)  Have we not forgotten that most attacks on a church come from within the church itself? Jude 4, "for there are certain men crept in unawares...  The church, in its last day, falls away - it isn't taken away.  (see Voice of the Stranger).

 4)  Grace can backfire.  Your glorying is not good. Know ye not that a little leaven leaveneth the whole lump?  I Corinthians 5:6  If you can admit that there is just a little 'wrong' with the music, then to hold on to the phrase, "give them some grace", etc. is a very dangerous statement - that grace could backfire.  There are time when one must put his foot down, too!

Of course, we always give the people grace.  We are all saved by grace having to be reminded that we are even commanded to grow in grace. II Peter 3:18 But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and for ever.  Grace is to be directed to the musicians themselves; to the people within the church and to the pastor's leadership during this whole 'issue'.

But It should not be directed to the standards of the church.  We give grace to people who have other Bible versions, but we NEVER will accept a quote from any other Bible from the pulpit except King James.  We will give grace to the attire that the church members wear as they grow as Christians, but our preacher and workers must maintain the proper standard of attire.  So why should we give grace and space to music that is not directed to God Almighty?

Remember the purpose of music? Psalms 68:4  Sing unto God, sing praises to his name: extol him that rideth upon the heavens by his name JAH, and rejoice before him.  Music that is sung in the church is to be directed to God, not "to" ourselves or is it "for" ourselves. We are not here to please ourselves, but to please God and must not offer Him polluted offerings. (Malachi 1:6; Jeremiah 7:30)  The Bible is very clear on what God gets when we are walking after our own flesh.  Unless we stop that little leaven that was begun only because of our own enjoyment, that little leaven will eventually leaveneth the whole lump.

5)  Why is there such a movement in these last years to 'bring music' into our churches?  We have returned to pre Reformation times.

In the years before the Great Reformation,
1) people were not allowed to have Bibles, and
2) people were not allowed to sing without being involved with those great
cathedral Gregorian Chant choirs.

Today, people have had their Bibles taken away them by having their personal Bible 'switched" by a different per-version.  Even in many King James churches, if they don't 'know' their Bible from cover to cover, they still don't 'have a Bible!'

Also, as in the pre Reformation days, we are expecting those professionally sounding talented families and performers to come into our churches and perform their praises for us while the congregation just sits and watches - throwing in a few claps and amens.  But then, if ya bring in those hillbilly groups and that gospel guitar and banjo, even then you can get them to clap and have great time!

Either way, people today would rather hear someone else sing God's praises than sing praises themselves.

We need a Reformation again.

1)  The Bible needs to read and enjoyed regardless of scholarship level regarding the King James crowd.  People with other versions need to open their eyes to the fact that they have had their Bible stolen right out from underneath their faces.

2)  We also need to allow our church people the privilege and joy of singing their own music and praises to the Lord without bringing in some people more talented then they are to do it for them. Especially if we realize the damage that may happen.

A prudent man foreseeth the evil, and hideth himself;
but the simple pass on, and are punished.
Proverbs 27:12

And pastor and/or dad, you have to protect and guide your flock and family!

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