Sad Sad Day

I promise I will come back to my question about "Grace"! I hate that I am leaving all 5 or 6 of you hanging. :) I have something more urgent on my heart to blog about today, so forgive me for delaying that discussion for another day.

I am sad today......and have been for several days. I guess that I have not fully come to the realization yet that people are going to let you down. I know I let people down, probably daily. But when it is people that you uphold with the UTMOST respect and have full confidence and trust in, then it tends to knock you for a loop. I am still in that loop as I write.

A congregation where I used to attend has decided to pull support from some missionaries in Africa because those missionaries will not quit teaching that it is ok for the African people to use a drum in their assemblies. These are two missionary families.......and each family has a spouse that grew up in this sponsoring congregation. You can imagine how they feel.

I attend a congregation that practices acappella music. I always have. I don't see me ever NOT attending a congregation that uses acappella music. It is my heritage. It is my preference when it comes to singing in the assembly. But, it is NOT the GOSPEL! I would NEVER equate Ephesians 5:19 with Mark 16:16......and especially a misinterpretation of Ephesians 5:19. Jesus talked about "Weightier Matters" in Matthew 23. I didn't find drums in that list of things that are the "more important matters of the Law". He also said earlier in Matthew: "they worship me in vain, their teachings are but rules taught by men". Our fellowship had an early saying when questioned about doctrinal matters..."we speak where the Bible speaks, and we are silent where the Bible is silent". Somewhere along the way we have gotten away from that. When you look for scripture regarding this subject as it pertains to the assembly, it's just not there. Period. So where do we get our motivation for such a heavy emphasis to the level that it is a litmus test? One word..History. History IS on the side of acappella music. Anybody that would argue against that is probably going to lose that argument. But there are two BIG errors in using history as the major deciding factor in this decision. First, look who it puts you in bed with. Proponents of slavery in the 1800's could also point to history, and even a scriptural admonition to a slave owner (Philemon) to be a good slave owner. Does this justify slavery? History is on the side of those who want to continue to treat woman as chattel or something to be owned. Need I go on? If "history" automatically makes something right, then many many things that have gone on for CENTURIES that we disdain and abhor are all of a sudden acceptable.....if not advocated. Secondly, and even more importantly, history now takes precedence OVER scripture! This from a people who hold themselves up as a "Back to the Bible" people. Either scripture is our guide, or it isn't. It erodes our credibility to the world and unbelievers to be inconsistent.

In this particular incident, I couldn't help but think of Paul's words in Phillipians 1 where he talks about people who he knows are preaching Christ with the WRONG motivation. Remember what his response is? "But what does it matter? The important thing is that in every way, whether from false motives or true, Christ is preached. And because of this I rejoice." We know these missionaries are preaching Christ with the RIGHT motive! They are reaching children of God who are lost and bringing them to eternal salvation thru Christ. They are bringing the "Good News" to those who would go to hell for eternity without it. They are spreading the Gospel of Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior. And yet over a drum, some would quit supporting them in this effort. Does it make you sad too? Do you see why I have been in turmoil ever since I got the news? One wonderful side note, these missionaries will still be able to stay. They will just have to find a new source for the amount that this congregation had been providing. Isn't that a blessing!

I love all the men who made the decision to stop support for these missionaries. I have talked to several of them about this decision. Every one of them is going to be in heaven with me. They are all good, Godly men. I don't envy their TREMENDOUS responsibility of leadership. It is not an easy responsibility. I have the utmost respect for ALL of them. But I am still very disappointed, probably because I do respect them so much. And now I am back full circle to where I started.........people are human and they ARE going to let you down. Regardless of their professional position. Regardless of their education. Regardless of their church affiliation. Regardless of their gender. Regardless of their status. They are ALL human, and they are going to let you down.

But there is a lesson to take from all of this. It's a VERY old lesson. One with lots of HISTORY to back it up. And that is this......don't take your eyes off of the Cross. Don't let ANYTHING rise to a level of being more important than the Cross.
The CROSS has the power to SAVE............NOTHING else does!! Priorities matter. When your fruit show you have elevated a tradition to the level of the Gospel, I think you have lost focus of the Cross.

Please pray for these missionaries. Please pray for the men who made this decision.
Please pray for me.....that I will not let my disappointment in men affect the walk that I am on. I pray that I can pour out to others the grace and forgiveness that he has given in GREAT measure to me!