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Will There Be Any Fireworks At The Lord’s Church?

Fireworks always attract a crowd, whether on the Fourth of July or at any other time when they might be displayed. There’s a good reason why. For example, Disneyland puts on a major “spectacular in the sky” (see video). Every summer evening, people will stay in the park to watch the fireworks, and while they’re waiting, will buy more Disney merchandise.

Sometimes people come to the services of the Lord’s church in search of fireworks. Not in the literal sense, but in the sense that they are looking for the same sort of entertainment spectacle that fireworks provide. Without question, there are plenty of churches around offering a spectacle. In fact, there’s a local denominational church that meets about two miles away from this writer’s home, that actually sells fireworks right in their parking lot. Many people stop in and buy them. However, when folks visit the worship service of the churches of Christ, they won’t find anything in the way of fireworks.

The music of the church is simple congregational singing, without mechanical accompaniment. No band, no choir, no soloists, no “praise team” — just the fruit of lips that praise the Lord (Hebrews 13:15) in psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs (Ephesians 5:19; Colossians 3:16).

Christian prayers are simple petitions — just supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgiving (1 Timothy 2:1). The words of a Christian’s prayers aren’t fancy or repeated from books written by men (Matthew 6:7), but they come from sincere hearts, and are offered in the name of Jesus (Ephesians 5:20; Colossians 3:17).

Unlike some denominations, observance of the Lord’s supper is not elaborate — members of the Lord’s church break bread and drink the fruit of the vine on the first day of each week (1 Corinthians 11:23-34; Acts 20:7). No one puts on special clothing or assumes a special title in order to serve at the Lord’s table.

Members of the church support the Lord’s work only through a collection for the saints on the first day of each week (1 Corinthians 16:1-2). The church does not run bingo games, carnivals, car washes, bake sales, or raffles to raise money. There’s not any fireworks on sale in the parking lot.

Members only spend the money given on things the Bible authorizes, such as worship and the means to conduct it, tools for teaching the gospel, supporting preachers locally, missionaries, and helping one another in time of need. Preachers for the churches of Christ aren’t flashy, eloquent, theatrical or well-dressed. They wear no lofty title or unique garments — they are merely ministers or servants of the church (cf. Ephesians 3:6-7; Romans 1:1 KJV).

Jesus often contended with those who came to Him only in search of spectacle (John 6:25-27; Matthew 12:38-40). His miracles were never done for the purpose of providing entertainment for thrill-seekers, but to demonstrate His deity and authority (cf. John 9; John 11).

The power He invested in his apostles was given to confirm their witness of the gospel (Luke 24:48-49; cf. 2 Peter 1:16; 1 John 1:1-2) — not so they could perform parlor tricks. The apostle Paul wrote, “For Jews request a sign, and Greeks seek after wisdom; but we preach Christ crucified, to the Jews a stumbling block and to the Greeks foolishness, but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God” (1 Corinthians 1:22-24). That is all that we have Christ’s permission to offer the world — the gospel of His death, burial, and resurrection (1 Corinthians 15:1-5).

Dear reader, if you come to a congregation of the Lord’s church in search of “fireworks,” this writer is afraid you’ll be disappointed. But you might be surprised to find something infinitely better — the simple, precious truths of God’s holy Word (1 Corinthians 2:1-2).

Related Articles:

• About The Lord’s Church
• The New Testament Church – A Chart
• The Lord’s Church — Built To Last!
• Which Church Will You Look For?
• The One New Testament Church
• Descriptive Titles Of The Church
• Belonging To “A” Church, Or Added To “The” Church?
• “One Body”