My precious brothers and sisters in Christ. Unity is something I want too. The motive for unity is spot on, but using the instruments as the carrot seems a little off base. What else are we going to do in the name of unity? Yes, we have to be careful and base everything on scripture. My focus is on what God wants. I'm not going to get my feathers ruffled because some want to use instruments, and I will not judge anyone either. I will continue to worship the best that I can. I personally...through study don't see the scriptural backing. Help me out....I've been back to the Old Testament at the time of David (II Chron. 29:25) and the 150th Psalm. Instruments were authorized/commanded in the Old Testament. "Praise him with stringed instruments..." Did you catch the "with." We just autmatically assume that this meant vocals and instruments together. Apart from that, the old system has been nailed to cross. So we venture to the New Testament..... In the New Testament it shows music confined to singing. We are told the "how" of the singing, the purpose of the singing, the kinds of songs we sing, and it all revolves around singing. Now about instruments....Doesn't show up in the New Testament. Where is a command or an example? We would have to bring in the instruments from the Old Testament which the early church did not do. Hmm.. We know what God thinks of strange fire in Lev. 10:1-2. The wording is rather captivating in that passage..read it slow.."took each of them his censer, and put fire therein...offered strange fire before Jehovah, which had not been commanded." The Lord did not say "Do not use that kind of of incense but He told them WHAT to do." When did it become strange? He called it strange fire when something different was done than what GOD said. I'm sorry He was specific on sing. I don't write this stuff, but God does and I do what He says. He wants singing and He will get the best I can give Him. I pray for all of you leaders out there. I love my brother's and sister's in Christ, and I am very glad that you are out there. I don't love you any less because we all don't see eye to eye on this. I can see how we can get swept into a motive to be one and then apply certain "instruments" to acheive it. Forgive me...I have to go with the Book. Blessings to all