Recently, we spoke with a woman who had visited our English church plant several times with her husband and children. She mentioned to my wife and I that the state of our town was sad because there was no church that her family could attend.
So, I asked, “Ma’am, don’t worry, you won’t offend me. We just want to learn what you and others like you are thinking. But why did your family visit our church years ago, and then stop? My wife and I did not intend to minister in English when we moved to Africa. It was an unusual providence that put us in this town, and further bizarre circumstances that caused us to plant an English church. Yet we had numerous families visit for several weeks, tell us that there was no true church here, and then eventually move away like your family. Can you please tell me what would have made that churchplant appealing to your family? Again, I won’t be bothered if you say my preaching, or the music, or the culture, or the services, or the buildings—we just want to hear what you and your family were thinking.”
Woman: “Well, I will be brutally honest. When my husband heard the preaching. He was amazed. It was the Word. He told me that preaching like that was what we needed. But the music was too old and dull.”
Seth: “So music was a big reason? The only reason? One of several reasons?”
Woman: “My children did not know the songs, and they could not sing along. We love music, and we love to worship, but those songs you chose were too different.”
Seth: “I have a book on my shelf—a famous book—that says the kind of music your church uses will determine whether or not it grows. [Rick Warren, The Purpose Driven Church, 1995, page 280] So I could have guessed that you would say that. I myself wondered throughout our 6 years how many people thought like you.”
Woman: “Yes, we love worship, and when I worship, I feel like falling down and saying, ‘Oh, Jesus, Jesus, Jesus.’ But my husband even reminded me that sometimes people don’t really want to worship, they are really just caught up with the music. It is all emotional for them. For example, we went to hear a famous music group from an American church that visited South Africa. When we heard them people were shouting and screaming, but we thought, ‘You are focused on a man.’ I think many people just want to hear this awesome music, but they don’t really want God.”
Seth: “From our side, we made our decisions based on eternity. We want you and your kids to be in Heaven. We believe very firmly in the Lake of Fire and also in the glory of Heaven. We want you to enjoy Christ for all eternity, and that is why we made the decisions about preaching and music that we made. It is very sad to me that a Venda man with 4 children came to our church and would have joined, but his wife was not comfortable with the music. We have reason to believe that several other families visited and thought the same thing. But thank you for opening up. Your trip is not done yet, so please make your conversion and your children’s conversion the top priority in your life.”
Woman: “Even though we don’t have a church, I feel like I am very close to God.”
The conversation covered a little more ground, but my mind was thinking of the father of three who told me he had visited the churches in the town, and not found one that preached the gospel.
Why did the churchplant in Louis Trichardt fail? Why are there no more Sunday morning meetings? The “why” question can be answered in different ways, but this woman summarized one valid reason. Multiple families only wanted truth if it was accompanied by the kind of music that famous singers offered at popular concerts. Years ago, when we lived in Makhongele, a Tsonga “pastor” told me that building a church was simple: Buy two, 6-foot high speakers and a drum set.
Some would say: “Music? Seriously? Just change your music, Seth! You could save these people and have them in your church if you weren’t so picky. It is your foolish wrangling over mere preferences that will stop the work of the church in this area. These people really want truth, and you could give it to them. It is a small thing. Be a Greek to the Greek and an African to the Africans. Stop being picky. Throw away your petty spirit. Don’t lose souls for your pining over past ages. Honestly, I can’t believe you are even making this post.”
But if music is such a small thing, then why are these people willing to stay at home without attending any church rather than come to a service where a piano accompanies hymns? Would the same rhetoric be used with Elisha? “Elisha, you could heal Naaman! Don’t offend him over bathing in a river!” Or the rich young ruler: “Jesus, by choosing words that are a little more accommodating this young man would be saved.”
You would rather attend a “church” that does not teach Biblical truth; you would rather your children grow up without learning the Bible; you would rather distance yourself from teaching that you admit is lively and Biblical; you will stand in front of God without the help that a faithful Christian ministry could offer; you will live in a town without helping to establish a New Testament kind of church—in your judgment all of these things should rather happen, than attend a service with merely a piano and hymns?
One thing is clear to me: We all think music is important.
