Drums and electronic guitars

Drums and electronic guitars are not inherently pagan instruments—this claim conflates the instrument itself with its cultural associations or uses. The objections to contemporary worship music stem from theological and historical arguments rather than the instruments’ origins.

Why Some Churches Reject Instruments

Various religious traditions—including Orthodox Hebrew, Armenian Catholic, and some Baptist, Methodist, and Churches of Christ congregations—reject mechanical instruments in worship[1]. Their reasoning centers on several points: The New Testament contains no record of mechanical instruments being used in Christian worship, with harps in Revelation understood as figurative[1]. Additionally, early Christian communities maintained a ban against mechanical instruments for centuries, making their later introduction too distant from authentic Christian practice[1]. All New Testament references to music in churches use the words “singing,” “sing,” or “songs,” with no mention of mechanical instruments[1].

A More Balanced Perspective

However, this position has significant limitations. Drawing rules from Scripture’s silence is problematic—the absence of drums in the first-century church does not necessarily indicate principled rejection[2]. Early churches met in homes with space restrictions, which may explain the lack of instruments rather than theological opposition[2]. Furthermore, Old Testament Psalms call believers to praise with available instruments, and Miriam led worship using a tambourine, a percussion instrument[2].

The Real Issue

The core concern isn’t the instruments themselves. Drums become problematic when they draw attention to themselves rather than directing focus to God, or when the beat overwhelms the worship experience[2]. Singling out drums as representative of worldly compromise is misguided—drums are no worse or better than other inanimate objects[2]. The question ultimately concerns whether worship remains centered on Christ or becomes distracted by musical presentation.

[1] James B. Coffman, Commentary on Minor Prophets: Joel, Amos, and Jonah, The James Burton Coffman Commentaries (A. C. U. Press, 1986). [See here, here, here, here.]
[2] Got Questions Ministries, Got Questions? Bible Questions Answered (Bellingham, WA: Faithlife, 2014–2021). [See here, here, here, here, here.]