A CAPPELLA

Unless you speak Italian, this title may be meaningless to you.  According to the most reliable dictionaries, it translates to mean: “In the manner of the chapel: without accompaniment,” or “in chapel style, without instrumental accompaniment.”  “It also would exclude the act of striking the palms of hand, or any two surfaces, together,” as “the clap of thunder” or the beating of a drum, etc.

One of the things people most frequently notice about churches of Christ is that the singing is without the use of instrumental music.  Here is the reason: they seek to worship accourding to the instructions of the New Testament.  The N.T. leaves instrumental music out, therefore to use it would be to do so without God’s authority. Here are the 8 verses in the New Testament on the subject of music in worship: Mt 26:30; Acts 16:25; Rom 15:9; I Cor 14:15; Eph 5:18-19; Col 3:16; Heb 2:12; Jas 5:13. One of these passages reads:“…sing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs with thankfulness in your hearts to God” (Col 3:16).

Historically the first appearance of any kind of accompaniment to the singing in worship was not until the sixth century A.D., and there was no general practicing of it until after the eighth century. It was strongly opposed by such religious leaders as John Calvin, John and Charles Wesley. God must be worshiped “in spirit and in truth” (Jn 4:24).

Ask for free booklet on this subject.