my Ecclesiology or in other words, my view of the church - Part 2B

In continuation of yesterday's battle #1 - I want to post an excerpt from a book called New Testament Christianity, Edited by Z.T. Sweeney. It was compiled in 1923 and written by various authors who wrote the articles some as many as 50 years prior to the compilation of the book. I have re-written it to make it more readable, but this section of Vol. 1 Chapt. 1 is exactly what I am trying to communicate in fighting the battle of transitioning generations well. I hope you enjoy it...


In the process of living as a Christian, or in the example of Christianity as a lifestyle or worldview, questions arise about issues that are in and of themselves debatable, but which may have a relative importance. These issues often take on a life of their own and become the dividing lines for various schools of thought. When we look at issues like this as a point of history, these kinds of issues are easily dealt with. But when they are present issues, because of all the preferences and arguments that they give birth to, it requires a lot of wisdom and careful navigation of the issue to deal with these issues well.
Within these types of discussions, there will always be those who want to attach the high value of “essential” to one of these types of issues while the other side could be in danger of treating the same issue flippantly. But however trivial the issue might actually be, it requires a certain amount of importance and becomes a big deal because of the feelings and prejudices that are attached to that issue.
This shows up most in the area of Public worship – church services. Preferences here, left up to a matter of discretion, taste, and judgment are likely to be as they always have been – various. One man will think an full band the best thing possible to improve and perfect the singing of a congregation. Another, who is disgusted by the sound of a congregation that sings poorly, may want only the band and the professionals to sing and thinks that we should have a worship concert, not an involved worship service. Still another regards the instruments of any kind in and of itself an abomination and insists that instruments be ruled out all together or it will rule him out of that particular group. He finds it offensive, his feelings are aroused by it, and 10 to 1 odds that his conscience will somehow become involved in the matter, and he will believe that the introduction of instruments in worship is a sin just like witchcraft. All sides search the scriptures for authority, pro and con, and finding none, as, of course, they do not, because the matter is not the subject if biblical teaching at all, they strain and force different texts into a sort of simulated support of their respective positions, while attacking motives, unkind words, and all manner of evil thoughts grow and multiply until they run their course and die only to be replaced by another argument or issue that will be fueled by the same passions and pass through the same stages.
What we need in this whole line of discussion is a reality check without reservation or qualification concerning the rights and value of others.
No man who has taken a good hard look at the state of various church denominations can fail to notice that various churches gather largely upon the single point of taste. 9/10 of those are Presbyterians are so, not because they appreciate the distinctive doctrines of that sect, or really care anything about them, but because they like the way Presbyterians do things. Others who prefer to be Methodists or Episcopalians do so for the same reason. And it is so through the whole round of churches. It is only a few who are there because of consideration of doctrine or creed; because, whether it is true or false, it is beyond doubt that most people accept that in regards to doctrine, theology, and/or creed, one church is pretty much as good as another. But aside from that, every one has an opinion about church things and takes his position concerning those things as his opinion leads him.
There is a predominant philosophy underlying all this that the capital “C” Church universal needs to recognize and live by. It is a philosophy of not only tolerating, but also providing for, the various tastes and peculiar preferences that come from different people on all these debatable issues. Hold firmly and teach faithfully without any wavering or compromise the essential truth. Make men Christians according to Christ’s law, and develop and perfect their moral and spiritual nature by His word, and in all other things leave them free. If they want a band, let them have it. If they are opposed to it, respect their preference. If they wish to worship like a Presbyterian or a Methodist or an Episcopalian, or a Lutheran, let them do so, not only without censure, but with your blessing and encouragement.
But unfortunately, the human nature is so weak and our heart is so intolerant that we feel like we need uniformity in regards to all these secondary things, even if it puts the success of vital truth at risk. We must accept one another’s tastes, be governed by our preference, worship in our own mode, or have no place and no recognition among us.
For myself, I prefer spontaneous variety on all these non-essential matters instead of stale, dry, dead uniformity. We seldom need two churches just alike in the same town. And it would be a positive blessing if, when there are several, each should be composed of those who find their own particular tastes provided for, and their innocent preferences gratified. Thus without denominations and with perfect agreement in faith and doctrine, we should be able to reach all types of people and save people from all walks of life. Without this, we will address only a fraction of the types of people out there to be reached. And the rest will go about their own way finding their own place and mode of worshipping God – or will not worship at all.


May we be focused the value of people before we demean, trounce, or belittle others. May we see that diversity is the mark of the blessing and work of God and that loving each other above all else will open the door to all of having permission to live out our worship of God without regret.