From Where I Stand: Worship Assembly

Many have witnessed or participated in various kinds of worship, perhaps in a cathedral, synagogue, or Protestant church building. Although many Protestant churches now boast a choice between traditional and contemporary worship, neither is really much like what happens at a church of Christ. Both usually have some sort of homily and in both, members can be expected to have a chance to give of their means. Instruments of music are almost universally lacking among churches of Christ, however. Some must wonder why this is – Can they not afford a piano? Is no one capable of playing the organ? Are they so traditionalist that they will not allow electric guitars and drums on the stage? Actually, we stand against the introduction of mechanical instruments into our musical worship for another reason altogether – they are wholly absent from any New Testament example or command. Every worshiper is commanded to sing, but the biblical church never played (Ephesians 5:19, Hebrews 13:15). It was six centuries later that an apostate Pope wheeled in the first organ. If we do Bible things in the Bible way, there is no room for any instrument more complex than the human heart and voice (Colossians 3:16-17).