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Q:
My church put together a praise band and we recently started practicing. In a planning meeting a while back, the guy leading the praise band mentioned how it would be great for us to get together with praise bands from other churches in the area and worship together at each others churches from time to time. This suggestion did not sit well with me, so I spoke up that by doing so we would be blurring the doctrine of fellowship. The guy just rolled his eyes and said that I sounded like our pastor with that comment. The other members commented that I didn't understand fellowship correctly. At the time I just let it pass...it was just a suggestion at that point and not being implemented. Now that we have begun to practice, it was brought up again. I stated my two cents again, only this time they didn't respond to it at all and basically ignored me. They now have plans to start rehearsing with another local congregation to join talents and play at one of their mid-week services. Thus, I have since backed out of the band with voicing my reason why I was no longer going to participate. My question is, as our pastor seems to be unaware of the plans of the praise band, would it be proper for me to inform him of them out of concern for the other members of the band? Or should I just let him find out on his own?
A:
The Bible principles governing church fellowship expressions and applications are not to be viewed as something a Christian like you, or your pastor, or a church or a synod arbitrarily made up. They are in the Bible. So they are not to be treated as mere suggestions or possible "rules" to be obeyed or disregarded according to personal preference.
I am assuming from your description of this situation that the "other churches" are those who believe and teach differently than we do on various Bible subjects. If so, we do not share or enjoy unity in the confession of our faith and therefore are not to express unity or pretend we have unity in the faith through joint worship. We are not to give people clinging to error the impression that this is nevertheless OK or that some false teachings are OK in the eyes of the Lord. So what you describe is not something against "church rules" or a "pastor's desires"; it is sin and a disregard of revealed Scripture. Remembering this helps you answer your own questions.
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GJ - AnswerMan's entertainment value never ebbs. As most people know, pop bands in church were promoted decades ago by Pentecostal congregations. Soon all the Church Growth gurus were promoting praise music and pit bands in the chancel. Praise music is just another name for Pentecostal music. Another label is Contemporary Christian Music, CCM, often called Contemporary Charismatic Music.
Luther Parish Resources, Paul Kuske's brain child (liebeskind), promoted an ecumenical and untalented rock group called Soter (Greek for Savior). They had an all WELS rock concert at the Jenera, Ohio congregation, then played badly at the WELS national youth gathering in Columbus. I objected, but that was a waste of breath.
CCM - in all its manifestations - encourages unChristian and anti-Christian attitudes. One might as well arrange altar calls for the service but draw the line at working with other denominations on their altar calls.
AnswerMan is being deceptive in his solemn pronouncement. WELS has been working with, studying under other denominations for decades. Their favorite theologian for now is Rev. Leonard Sweet, a leftist Methodist.
A good way to encourage and promote faith in the Savior would be to use musical talent to learn, for the first time, the great Lutheran hymns of our heritage, to use them in real liturgical services, and to follow the example of those hymn-writers like Gerhardt in marking and avoiding the Reformed.
KJV Romans 16:17 Now I beseech you, brethren, mark them which cause divisions and offences contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned; and avoid them. 18 For they that are such serve not our Lord Jesus Christ, but their own belly; and by good words and fair speeches deceive the hearts of the simple.
