Pilgrim
Puritanboard Commissioner
Here are a few things that come to mind:
1. Ruben asks "How can Leah get out of insistent requests to sing a solo without giving any needless aggravation or appearing to rebuke others?" Perhaps I'm revealing a lack of faith here. (And I am praying for Leah and this situation.) But based on what has been posted, (and I thought this even prior to reading Leah's update of today's developments,) I'd be very surprised if there was any way to say no to singing without causing aggravation or appearing to rebuke others. Those who are more "traditional minded" (meaning they do church the way they do b/c that's how it's always been done, how mama and daddy did it, etc.) will often take dissent and disagreement, however respectful, as a personal rebuke. "What, we're not good enough for her anymore?" etc. Or else it might be seen as some kind of spiritual problem.
2. Let everyone be convinced in his/her own mind, but I would see it at least somewhat encouraging that someone asked Leah to sing "In Christ Alone." Some Semi-Pelagian Baptists would recoil at a song by artists who are coming from a basically Calvinistic perspective (although many are probably not aware of that.) At least it's a Christian song. "Jesus Take the Wheel" isn't. "God Bless America" which is often sung on July 4th, isn't a Christian song. Ironically, some are now blaming "contemporary songs" that kids learn via campus ministries or whatever for playing a big role in the "Reformed" resurgence among young people in the SBC as well as among some IFB's. I find that very interesting because less than 10 years ago I equated contemporary worship with Arminianism, Purpose Drivenism and Charismaticism. But it seems that there are more theologically rich songs now.
3. Silence (and perhaps even equivocation) in these matters is often taken as consent. That's not to say that one should boldly make a stand when one is not fully convinced. But being convinced something is wrong and being pressured into it anyway is a different matter. (Some of us are of such a temperament that it's difficult to make a stand, especially one that doesn't involve a complete denial of the faith, when it seems everyone is against you.) It will signal that the one being pressured has come around to their way of thinking. (And this would be the same way with EP pro and con or any other similar disagreement over worship.) It's certainly a difficult situation when you're battling your family as well as the church. If this is the church that Leah grew up in, the folks are, from their point of view, simply trying to encourage her and do not understand the reason for the objection.
4. In this situation I would think the following is a hypothetical. (I can't remember Leah's particular situation, but I'm assuming that moving out is not an option at this point, short of marriage or going off to school.) But I would like the board's opinion about what point would the 5th Commandment come into play? In particular, just how far must an individual who has reached the age of majority yet remains in the home go in these matters in order to honor her parents? I would think that everyone would agree that a young person in such a situation who has been converted shouldn't attend Mass and shouldn't partake in it even if her parents said so. But what about a liberal church like the PCUSA where the gospel isn't preached and Christ is essentially mocked? Should one continue to attend there and even take some part in the ministry there? This is a more difficult situation because the church formally affirms the basics of Christian orthodoxy and it is a dispute between professing believers. (I'm not a fan of him generally, but Gary North was right when he wrote that Baptists by and large became Arminian instead of apostasizing from the faith, as have many Presbyterians, unfortunately.)
1. Ruben asks "How can Leah get out of insistent requests to sing a solo without giving any needless aggravation or appearing to rebuke others?" Perhaps I'm revealing a lack of faith here. (And I am praying for Leah and this situation.) But based on what has been posted, (and I thought this even prior to reading Leah's update of today's developments,) I'd be very surprised if there was any way to say no to singing without causing aggravation or appearing to rebuke others. Those who are more "traditional minded" (meaning they do church the way they do b/c that's how it's always been done, how mama and daddy did it, etc.) will often take dissent and disagreement, however respectful, as a personal rebuke. "What, we're not good enough for her anymore?" etc. Or else it might be seen as some kind of spiritual problem.
2. Let everyone be convinced in his/her own mind, but I would see it at least somewhat encouraging that someone asked Leah to sing "In Christ Alone." Some Semi-Pelagian Baptists would recoil at a song by artists who are coming from a basically Calvinistic perspective (although many are probably not aware of that.) At least it's a Christian song. "Jesus Take the Wheel" isn't. "God Bless America" which is often sung on July 4th, isn't a Christian song. Ironically, some are now blaming "contemporary songs" that kids learn via campus ministries or whatever for playing a big role in the "Reformed" resurgence among young people in the SBC as well as among some IFB's. I find that very interesting because less than 10 years ago I equated contemporary worship with Arminianism, Purpose Drivenism and Charismaticism. But it seems that there are more theologically rich songs now.
3. Silence (and perhaps even equivocation) in these matters is often taken as consent. That's not to say that one should boldly make a stand when one is not fully convinced. But being convinced something is wrong and being pressured into it anyway is a different matter. (Some of us are of such a temperament that it's difficult to make a stand, especially one that doesn't involve a complete denial of the faith, when it seems everyone is against you.) It will signal that the one being pressured has come around to their way of thinking. (And this would be the same way with EP pro and con or any other similar disagreement over worship.) It's certainly a difficult situation when you're battling your family as well as the church. If this is the church that Leah grew up in, the folks are, from their point of view, simply trying to encourage her and do not understand the reason for the objection.
4. In this situation I would think the following is a hypothetical. (I can't remember Leah's particular situation, but I'm assuming that moving out is not an option at this point, short of marriage or going off to school.) But I would like the board's opinion about what point would the 5th Commandment come into play? In particular, just how far must an individual who has reached the age of majority yet remains in the home go in these matters in order to honor her parents? I would think that everyone would agree that a young person in such a situation who has been converted shouldn't attend Mass and shouldn't partake in it even if her parents said so. But what about a liberal church like the PCUSA where the gospel isn't preached and Christ is essentially mocked? Should one continue to attend there and even take some part in the ministry there? This is a more difficult situation because the church formally affirms the basics of Christian orthodoxy and it is a dispute between professing believers. (I'm not a fan of him generally, but Gary North was right when he wrote that Baptists by and large became Arminian instead of apostasizing from the faith, as have many Presbyterians, unfortunately.)
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