Bobby L. Graham preaches and is an elder for the Old Moulton Road church in Decatur, AL. He is married to Karen (Hodge) Graham and has three children: Richard, Mary Katherine Winland (Darren), and Laura Paschall (Jeremy). bobbylgraham@pclnet.net

QUESTION: Some have said there is no difference, but I wonder if there is a difference between the use of a pitch pipe by a song leader and a piano used with the singing.

ANSWER: I remember a comment made many years later by a visitor in attendance at the Market Street Church of Christ in Athens, Alabama, during his youth in the 1930s and 1940s along this line: "There were no musical instruments, but the song leader did use a tuning fork." I mention this statement made by one who thought the mechanical instrument was acceptable in the worship of God, because it is fairly representative of many, who think there is no difference between the pitch pipe/tuning fork and the piano/organ.

It should be pointed out that a pitch pipe or tuning fork serves only to give an initial pitch for the song, so that the leader and the other singers can make a more united effort in starting the song. It does not continue to be used during the singing, but plays the same part that announcing the name or number of the song plays. Neither is part of worship! The same cannot be said of the use of the piano or organ during the singing; it forms part of the worship of the congregation. The difference between the pitch pipe and the piano is a large one, in that the former has no role in worship but the latter is part of it.

The pitch pipe then can be used, but it does not have to be used. Whether or not it is expedient (helpful) depends on the congregation. Is it truly helpful? Do the people understand how to use the pitch once it is given? Does the leader alone benefit from the pitch given by the pipe? Possibly this is the reason some leaders do not sound the pipe loud enough for the audience to hear.

Can a congregation start a song without a pitch pipe? Certainly such is possible, especially with a competent leader. Can a church worship God scripturally doing only what the Lord appointed for them to do, when the pitch pipe is sounded? Yes, they can. The pitch pipe serves in the same role as the cups and plates employed in the Lord's supper. All of them are simple aids, not additions to worship. Anyone should be able to understand this matter. Proper teaching needs to be done about this matter by men grounded in truth, so that local churches might also be thus grounded. If there are weak Christians who do not understand these matters, in some instances it might be inexpedient to use such an aid until the person can be adequately taught. Not all that is lawful with God is expedient with men (1 Cor. 6:12; 8:1-13; 10:23-33).