{"id":34822,"date":"2012-09-16T20:30:00","date_gmt":"2012-09-17T01:30:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/?p=34822"},"modified":"2021-05-01T20:34:28","modified_gmt":"2021-05-02T01:34:28","slug":"i-like-this-church-but-my-dad-doesnt-because-it-doesnt-have-a-piano-what-do-i-do","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/i-like-this-church-but-my-dad-doesnt-because-it-doesnt-have-a-piano-what-do-i-do\/","title":{"rendered":"I like this church, but my dad doesn’t because it doesn’t have a piano. What do I do?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n\n\t

Question:<\/h2>\n

I’m having some issues right now. We just moved into a new area, and are trying to find a church. There’s one that we went to today that I\u00a0really<\/em>\u00a0like, and feel like I really connect to, but my parents don’t like it. My dad says that\u00a0he doesn’t like it because there isn’t a piano during the singing (it’s all acapella) and the prayers are long. I\u00a0have no problems with these.\u00a0I’m a freshman in high school, so it’s not like I can just drive there myself yet. I have\u00a0some friends that are seniors who go to this\u00a0church as well, but I wouldn’t want to be a burden by asking for a ride.\u00a0What should I do?<\/p>\n\t

Answer:<\/h2>\n

I have problems with people who pick a church to attend based on what they prefer over what is right. Jesus said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me<\/em>” (John 14:6), but it appears many believe they can select whatever pleases them and somehow the Lord will be pleased with their choices. See\u00a0Cafeteria-Style Religion<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Your dad wants a church that has a piano, though instrumental music was not authorized by the Lord in his churches. See\u00a0The Amazing History of Instrumental Music in Christian Worship<\/a>. He doesn’t like long prayers — makes me wonder what he would have said to Jesus when he prayed in the Garden.<\/p>\n

But you are doing something similar. You tell me that you like this particular church because of how you\u00a0feel<\/em>. I would have been happier to hear that you liked this church because of how you\u00a0know<\/em>\u00a0it follows the Lord. “Jesus answered and said to him, “If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word; and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our home with him. He who does not love Me does not keep My words; and the word which you hear is not Mine but the Father’s who sent Me<\/em>” (John 14:23-24). I’m assuming that the church you liked is a church of Christ, I’m glad you really liked worshiping there, and I hope you continue to enjoy it. But remember that worship is about serving God and not ourselves. If this is a church that God is pleased in, then we all ought to be pleased in it as well.<\/p>\n

Selecting a church because it teaches and practices the truth also makes your position stronger. Right now it is your likes versus your dad’s likes. Both are equal preferences. But when we start measuring against what God wants, then the choice becomes clear.<\/p>\n

So what do you do? You call up and ask for rides. You’ll find that the members will be happy to make sure you have a way to church until you are able to provide your own way.<\/p>\n\t

Question:<\/h2>\n

Yes, it is a church of Christ, and I\u00a0love<\/em>\u00a0the way it teaches. A lot of churches use a bunch of random stories to help supplement that day’s sermon, but this church just preaches straight from the Bible, which means I don’t have to pick through everything to find the message.<\/p>\n

I’m just worried that my wanting to go to a different church than the rest of my family is going to push us apart. We get along, but it’s kind of a fragile relationship. I’m hoping that I’ve convinced my mom to let us try going to it one more time, so maybe it’ll be OK. I hope.<\/p>\n

Thank you so much!<\/p>\n\t

Answer:<\/h2>\n

Now you are giving me good reasons! \ud83d\ude42<\/p>\n

“He who loves father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me. And he who loves son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me<\/em>” (Mathew 10:37).<\/p>\n

“If anyone comes to Me and does not hate his father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters, yes, and his own life also, he cannot be My disciple<\/em>” (Luke 14:26).<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

The problem is when you make excuses for not doing what you know is best, the possible excuses are endless. I would suspect that you, finding a good church that you attend regularly and which helps you learn to make good choices in life, will actually improve your relationship with your family in the long run.<\/p>\n

Even in general, it is not a good idea to make decisions on what\u00a0might<\/em>\u00a0be. It is better to focus on what you know to be true.<\/p>\n\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Question: I’m having some issues right now. We just moved into a new area, and are trying to find a church. There’s one that we went to today that I\u00a0really\u00a0like, and feel like I really connect to, but my parents don’t like it. My dad says that\u00a0he doesn’t like it because there isn’t a piano…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"advanced_seo_description":"","jetpack_seo_html_title":"","jetpack_seo_noindex":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[20],"tags":[448,292],"class_list":["post-34822","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-answer","tag-church","tag-instrumental-music"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":43072,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/i-left-the-church-because-i-dont-think-my-baptism-was-right-but-now-my-dad-wont-have-fellowship-with-me-what-do-i-do\/","url_meta":{"origin":34822,"position":0},"title":"I left the church because I don’t think my baptism was right, but now my dad won’t have fellowship with me. What do I do?","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"June 29, 2014","format":false,"excerpt":"Question: Hello, I am in need of some answers. I was raised in the church of Christ. My father quit the church when I was about two years old, but my mother continued to take me. When I was 12 my father returned and repented and is now a member\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Answer"","block_context":{"text":"Answer","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/answer\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":45147,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/my-mother-and-i-are-arguing-over-which-church-to-attend\/","url_meta":{"origin":34822,"position":1},"title":"My mother and I are arguing over which church to attend","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"April 26, 2015","format":false,"excerpt":"Question: I tried searching for advice, and I found this. I have a lot of stuff going on in my life right now. My parents are separated. My dad, who was a preacher, no longer really believes in God. My brother has fallen back into the world. My mom wants\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Answer"","block_context":{"text":"Answer","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/answer\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":49116,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/how-do-i-get-my-dad-to-see-that-his-church-isnt-good-enough\/","url_meta":{"origin":34822,"position":2},"title":"How do I get my dad to see that his church isn’t good enough?","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"September 27, 2016","format":false,"excerpt":"Question: I have a problem I have been dealing with my father, and he simply does not understand. For many years we've been going to this small church. The people are nice. I would describe the church as traditional because it is Baptist. The majority of people who like to\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Answer"","block_context":{"text":"Answer","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/answer\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":36177,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/how-do-i-deal-with-the-fear-that-my-dad-may-never-change\/","url_meta":{"origin":34822,"position":3},"title":"How do I deal with the fear that my dad may never change?","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"June 26, 2021","format":false,"excerpt":"Question: Hello Bro. Hamilton, I just need some clarification about a situation. My parents are not members of the church of Christ, but I am. We went off and on when I was growing up but stopped because my dad didn't take us anymore. However, we went back, and I\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Answer"","block_context":{"text":"Answer","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/answer\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":10905,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/should-i-attend-my-girlfriends-church-if-i-think-it-teaches-false-doctrine\/","url_meta":{"origin":34822,"position":4},"title":"Should I attend my girlfriend’s church if I think it teaches false doctrine?","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"August 2, 2007","format":false,"excerpt":"Question: I'm going to see my girlfriend and I'm kind of in a bad predicament because she wants me to go to worship service with her on Sunday, but she is Pentecostal and they teach false doctrine.\u00a0 Is it ok for me to go so I can show her what\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Answer"","block_context":{"text":"Answer","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/answer\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":7715,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/how-does-a-new-christian-deal-with-problems-in-the-church\/","url_meta":{"origin":34822,"position":5},"title":"How does a new Christian deal with problems in the church?","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"August 18, 2019","format":false,"excerpt":"Question: Dear Jeffrey, I really love and enjoy reading most of your articles and Q&As. It has guided me to answer some of the dilemmas I faced as a young Christian. 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