Shepherd the Flock

Over at my other blog, which I rarely have time to post on anymore, I have just posted an article on Drama and the Christmas Season.

The topic of this post is very dear to my heart, and I would greatly appreciate it if my readers would take a look at it. You may comment on it here if you like.

First, however, let me make a few things clear (so as not to offend):

• Although this is an important to me, it is certainly not a hill to die on. I disagree with using drama and other non-biblical methods in worship, but it is certainly not an issue that I would break fellowship over. Many close brothers and sisters in Christ disagree with me on this.
• If you disagree with me, just take my words with a grain of salt, and study the historical foundation for regulating worship. Many people have never heard of regulating worship, despite its firm roots in church history, so I’d encourage you to please consider the scriptural evidence before coming to a firm opinion either way.

But essentially, with the Christmas season upon us, I bring up the issue of public worship and the popularity of Christmas dramas, plays, skits, and special worship services. Obviously, I believe the scriptures instruct us to avoid all methods of public worship that are not contained in scripture, and so I make the case that it is harmful to the Body of Christ for these churches to employ such extra-biblical means of worship (particularly drama).

There is no doubt that this is a divisive issue, and many might look at my position with a critical eye. But let me just stress that this Regulative Principle of Worship is *not* aimed at ‘putting God in a box’, or at trying to make worship as boring and lifeless as possible. Instead, God has given us means so as to obtain grace in time of need by keeping Christ as preeminent in our worship. God, regulating our worship through scripture, is for our good! And I trust that you will consider my arguments.

Below is a small blurb from my post:

We have been given means to which we are to commune with Jesus Christ! Do you not see Christ as Prophet and King in the preaching and proclamation of His Word? Do you not see the broken body of Christ in the bread, and the spilled blood of Christ in the wine? Do you not see the image of Christ stamped upon the saints in their prayers and singing of hymns? Do you not see Christ as our High Priest in the prayers offered up to heaven’s throne and the preaching of the Gospel of grace? Where is Christ in drama? Where is Christ in the skits and the earthly, woefully insufficient representations of His earthly body? Where is Christ in the comedy, the showmanship, and the entertainment?

The plain fact is that we don’t see Jesus Christ in these methods; we see ourselves. And that, my friends, is why this principle is even debated. People want to be entertained, and they will respond in droves if you give that to them. But our hearts are idol factories; the subtleness runs deeper than we can imagine. Let us not look ourselves and what we want in worship, or what we think will best communicate the gospel to those outside of Christ; Christ, by His mercy, has saved us from ourselves, so let us look to Him in the Word.

We have been given Jesus Christ through the given means of worship. Let us ever seek to set Christ as preeminent in all things, especially our worship.