The phrase “preaching to the choir” is used to define someone who is commenting on a subject the hearer already agrees with and accepts. It is the fare of political rallies and happens in some Christian venues where the speakers only orbit around accepted facts and conclusions. There are times when reaffirming our beliefs and opinions can be a positive thing. But, if all we hear is what affirms what we already know, we will miss hearing the new thing the Spirit is saying. It is too easy to prematurely label those new sounds as contrary voices.

I have seen this happen regarding things I have written. The comments made by some let me know what I wrote was not in their current choir binder of understanding. They have tuned their ears to receive only what is known and familiar. Anything that steps out of that comfortable understanding is immediately suspect.

We are living in a moment where the choir in the Church is being disrupted, not by the devil, but by the members of the choir who are hearing the lyrics of a new song. Voices in the choir are beginning to sing out of tune with the prepared sheet music of the past. They have heard something different and no longer want to live under the assumption that what has been handed to them to sing is all there is when it comes to matters of faith.

Before these voices are discounted as being unloving, discordant, or rebellious, we need to make sure our criticism is valid. When the performance is being disrupted by something that sounds different, inquire of the Lord to see if what was is being dismissed as a discordant sound might actually be the sound of a new song announcing a new season.