QUESTION: If the church must be taught a song not known to them, where in the Bible do we read about Christians coming together to learn a song? Where do we read about the use of songbooks?
ANSWER: Any aid or expedient action which provides a scriptural advantage to complying with a direct statement (command), implication, or approved example from God’s Word is scripturally authorized for use. This would include such things as church buildings, church benches, artificial lighting, meeting to learn new songs, songbooks, and tuning forks or pitch pipes. All of these things, being subordinates (not equal to), provide a scriptural advantage to the accomplishment of the primary purpose or duty. Instruments of music, however, do not fall in the category of authorized expedients, because they are not subordinate to the primary duty or action of making vocal music. That is, instrumental music, being totally different in kind, is, in the realm of music, equal to (not subordinate to) vocal music. Therefore, the use of instruments in worship are not authorized as expedients and, when used, are in addition to God’s Word, violating Ephesians 5:19; Colossians 3:16; 1 Corinthians 4:6 and Revelation 22:18-19.