Why does the Church of Christ not allow clapping the hands to keep the beat while singing?

Question

Someone who goes to a Church of Christ told me that they had these people come in and sing at the church, and they clapped their hands while singing. As a result, 20 people from the church got so mad that they left the church. Why is that?

Answer 1

Hand clapping is usually associated with entertainment. Self-entertainment is not the purpose of our worship.

Worship is to be directed toward God. God is pleased when we worship Him by doing what He said to do in the way he said to do it. Notice Leviticus 10:1-2 for an example of God’s reaction to unauthorized worship.

When we use worship to entertain each other, this takes to focus away from God and gears it toward the pleasure of men. This type of “worship” is based on emotionalism and not on pleasing God. This cheapens the worship service.

Also, according to Ephesians 5:19 and Colossians 3:16, some of the purposes of music are to speak to one another, to teach and admonish. Background noise makes speaking to be understood more difficult. Clapping takes the emphasis away from the words that a song says and emphasizes the entertainment value. Clapping therefore may interfere with these scriptural purposes of music in the church.

Why not be satisfied to worship in the way God has directed? We are to speak and sing to one another. No other type of music is authorized in the New Testament. No other type of music can do the things these verses say our music is to do.

Colossians 3:16 talks about singing. The very next verse says, “Whatsoever you do in word or deed, DO ALL IN THE NAME OF THE LORD.” The phrase “in the name of the Lord” means “by his authority” or according to His instructions”. Where did the Lord authorize (instruct) that we should clap? If He did not authorize it, then who did?

We cannot add clapping to our worship service by the authority of the Lord because he (nor his inspired apostles) did not instruct it. If added to the worship, it must be authorized by men.

Jesus said he had “all authority” and the apostles were to teach the things He had commanded. (Matthew 28:18-20) If we add things to worship by the authority of men, then Christ no longer has all of the authority. If we are “teaching as doctrine the commandments of men” then our worship is “vain” or useless in God’s eyes. (Matthew 15:9)

Turning our worship into a concert atmosphere takes away from the honor that we should be giving to God.

Answer 2

Mormons never clap during sacrament meetings either. We also dont allow rock type of music because we dont believe it creates a spirit of worship respectfully. Men will be in suits or white shirts and ties and women will be in dresses and skirts. Members actually give the talks, we dont have a preacher that stands and delivers sermons. Most musical acts are done by members and are very solemn songs of worship accompanied by a piano or an organ, occasionally a violin or flute will find its way in, too.
If someone clapped after a song or a talk most people would probably recognize they were not familiar with the quiet way the meetings go, but noone would ever walk out and leave over it. That is just silly.



what is with giving thumbs down for explaining how my church works? Are people so bitter now against others that they cant even let others explain their beliefs or their practices without the need to thumbs down a simple explanation?

Answer 3

You see you get Bible rules and then you get church rules. Now did you know that most people obey church rules.

An act of worship comes from the heart. Sometimes i like to worship with no clapping od hands and just relax. And then I like to praise, with dancing and clapping of hands. And sometimes the Holy Spirit takes over and............. . You can't stop it.

Lately people run after which they feel they are comfortable with. But you had to do what pleases God not men.

Answer 4

Yes! Hand-clapping (applause) is often engaged in to give praise and honor to ungodly performers and entertainers who with their additional and unscriptural worship practices usurp the praise, honor and glory that rightly belongs to our God. They, and those who praise (applaud) them, do not worship in spirit and truth (John 4:24), because they have no authority for that which they do (Revelation 22:18)! Neither is there authority to use the hands to create a rhythmic beat in accompaniment of vocal music when worshipping God. This differs in no way from the use of drums or other rhythm producing instruments! There is no scripture in the New Testament that authorizes the clapping of hands or mechanical instruments in worship to God! In Colossians 3:16, we are told that whatever we do in word (which includes singing) or deed (which includes playing, clapping, and singing), it must be done in the name of (by the authority of) the Lord Jesus. Clearly, from Ephesians 5:19, Colossians 3:16 and I Corinthians14:15, we see that the music authorized by the New Testament is strictly vocal and congregational, which excludes clapping and playing! We cannot, without sinning, take away from God's Word (Revelation 22:18). We cannot, without sinning, add to God's Word (Revelation 22:19). We cannot change His Word in any way (Galatians 1:6-9)!-

Answer 5

Gee. I would have thought that reaction to be very unchristian.

I am an Atheist but I was an Anglican. Anglican came to be because King Henry VIII (i think) wanted a divorce and the Pope wouldn't allow him one. Hank got really annoyed (he was like that) and abolished the Catholic Church in England and created the Anglican Church for England whose head honcho was then the Arch-Bishop of Canterbury who (you guessed it) allowed divorce (doesn't Hollywood just love this?) So, anyway Anglicans are basically Catholics with divorce thrown in to add a bit of spice.

Anyway, I married a Catholic woman and we were married in a Methodist Church by two Baptist ministers. Some of my wife's family refused to come to the church but acknowledged our marriage. We've been married now for 23 years and we've been through some tough times and some good times. We have two great sons who are doing well in so many ways.

Answer 6

At my ortodox church they never clap.and sometimes the music is very sad..there is no need to clap.other times..when the chorus sings..it looks as if we are in heaven..but also it is not the style of music on which you can clap....
generally we ask there forgiveness so we are very quiet because we don't know if we will enter the heaven..who knows ..satan temptates us with a so hard life and bad things,,that we are not to funny in the church

Answer 7

Wow. If those people got soo mad that they left the church then they have issues even God can't fix.

Answer 8

Cause they all found out they got the Clap!!

Answer 9

Because they'd All DROP THEIR (DRINKS) ! ! !