The Weekly Bulletin of the Livingston Church of Christ

Meeting at 639 2nd Street, Livingston, CA 95334

Office: (209) 394-3511 | Preacher: Jovan Payes
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Clapping as an Accompaniment to Singing in Worship | Wayne Jackson January, 16 2011

MANIFESTATIONS OF PRAISE News and Notes

Under the Mosaic economy, many forms of praise were employed –
prayer, singing, dancing, clapping, playing instruments, shouting, offering A Note to Our Visitors:
sacrifices, and burning incense (cf. Psalm 47:1-7; 66:13-15; 150:4, etc.). Welcome! We want you to
Each of the above involves a different action – some solely with the body; know you are our honored
others with the use of humanly-utilized instruments or implements. The Old
guests. Let us know how we
Testament writers made no qualitative distinction between these various
can serve you. We have free
categories.
When one examines the New Testament, however, he finds an entirely biblical literature and offer
different situation. Worship is a spiritual exercise that leaves behind the more free home bible studies.
“carnal” features of the former regime (cf. Hebrews 9:10; 13:15). Tonight | We are continuing
THE MATTER OF AUTHORITY a special evening discussion
When all factors are considered, the issue comes down to this. There is no on church’s ministry. Be here
New Testament authorization for instruments of music in worship; nor for to participate. Bring your
clapping or dancing. As Jack Lewis wrote: “If the primary task in worship is homework.
to make worship conform to Scripture, then clapping and stomping have
exactly the same support in Scripture that instrumental music does – none at Barrios Family | Lucy
all” (26). Barrios passed away on
Hugo McCord declared: January 5. Continue to keep
“Nothing in the New Testament teaching on worship (John 4:24; the family in prayer.
Hebrews 2:12; 13:15; Ephesians 5:19) calls for hand-clapping, body Remember in Prayer: our
movements, or shouted words” (see Sources). Dreams, Rob’s mother Pat
The New Testament authorizes (commands) “singing” as an expression of O’Hara (lung cancer), Fred
musical praise. To import other elements from the Mosaic code, or to (neck), Linda (knees), Gerald
arbitrarily introduce them, is a form of “will-worship” (Colossians 2:23), i.e., (recovery), Hazel (recovery),
a species of worship that either is “forbidden” or “unbidden” (Vine, 881). Rose Mary, Mike (back),
Thayer called it “arbitrary”; a “worship which one devises and prescribes for Shelly (foot tendons),
himself” (168). F.W. Danker, et al., characterized will-worship as a “self-
Connie Payes (dialysis), Elsa
made, do-it-yourself religion” (276).
Avalos (Alzheimer’s), Elsa
Clapping violates the Lord’s instructions regarding worshipping “in
truth” (John 4:24; 17:17); it ignores the prohibition of going “beyond that Padilla, and the
which is written” (1 Corinthians 4:6), and it fails to abide within the teaching Cunningham family losing
of Christ (2 John 9). Clapping, as an accompaniment to singing, has no their son Leonard in a hit
support in the history of genuine Christianity. In his classic work, and run.
Instrumental Music in the Worship, M.C. Kurfees introduced a quotation from a
Jan. 22 | Ladies’ Day with
very early period in church history, formerly thought to issue from Justin
Kathleen Ferrell, at the
Martyr – now generally attributed to Theodoret of Cyrrhus (c. 393-458):
Airport church of Christ in
“Simply singing is not agreeable to children [i.e., the infantile state of South San Francisco.
the Jews under the law of Moses], but singing with lifeless
instruments and with dancing and clapping; on which account the use Jan. 23 | Birthday Fellowship,
of this kind of instruments and of others agreeable to children is and Men’s Meeting.
removed from the songs in the churches, and there is left remaining
simply singing” (193-194).
 Schedule of Services Clapping as an Accompaniment to Singing in Worship | Wayne Jackson

Sunday Services Thirty-five years ago Everett Ferguson, a premier historian of ancient
Bible Class 10 AM Christian history, wrote a small book titled A Capella Music in the Public
(Classes for All Ages) Worship of the Church. In one chapter he addressed the matter of music
worship in the early centuries of the church. Over and over again (more
Morning Worship 11 AM than 75 times) he cites from the writings of the “church fathers” – both
Evening Worship 5 PM ante-Nicene and post-Nicene – concerning how the primitive church
4th Sunday Services worshipped in music.
Bible Class 10 AM I have combed through these citations looking for references to
(Classes for All Ages) “clapping” in connection with Christian worship. I found only two – both
were negative concerning the practice. One was the citation mentioned
Morning Worship 11 AM
just above – Theodoret. The other was Gregory of Nazianzus (329-389),
Birthday Fellowship Meal who wrote:
Afternoon 1:30 PM
“Let us take up hymns instead of timbrels, psalmody instead of
Wednesday Services lewd dances and songs, thankful acclamation instead of theatrical
Bible Classes 7 PM clapping” (Ferguson, 1972, 76).
(Classes for All Ages) Incidentally, in a discussion of the actions involved in Ephesians 5:19
Daily Bible Readings and Colossians 3:16, Ferguson pointed out that: “non-verbal sounds made
1/16 Matthew 21 by the voice or other parts of the body” do not meet the criteria of these
1/17 Matthew 22 texts. Only “words that are rational, intelligible, and spiritual” satisfy the
1/18 Matthew 23 divine demands (2002, 100).
The growing practice of rhythmic clapping as a supplement to
1/19 Matthew 24 congregational singing has the support of neither scripture nor history. It
1/20 Matthew 25 is a relatively recent innovation that is a corruption of Christian worship.
1/21 Matthew 26
NULLIFICATION BY INTIMIDATION
1/22 Matthew 27 Some, who attempt to defend the “clapping” phenomenon, apparently
think that if they marginalize the opponents of the practice by labeling
them as the “radical right,” opposition will cease. Also, it is contended that
this issue must not “disrupt unity.”
Informed people know who the “radical right” are, and men like Hugo
McCord, Jack Lewis, Earl Edwards, and Everett Ferguson are not among
them – nor is this writer.
Moreover, the quibble that if we press this issue we will create
“division,” is the same complaint the Christian Church has made for years,
and now is being echoed by the “liberal left” regarding the instrument.
A SOBERING CONSEQUENCE
Consider this closing thought. If “clapping,” as a worship companion
to singing, is in the category of instrumental music, where does this leave
those who practice, and/or sanction this addition to worship?
When mature leaders begin to argue for the use of instrumental music,
do we ignore them, or do we address the issue and benevolently press
upon them the consequence of their action? This should not be a difficult
Monterey, CA
question to answer.
March 31 to April 2
ARTICLE SOURCE: http://www.christiancourier.com/articles/1530-
JOVAN’S OFFICE HOURS clapping-as-an-accompaniment-to-singing-in-worship.
Tuesday to Friday
9:30 AM to 3:30 PM Should you like to study this topic further, please contact me. - Jovan