To Hymn Or Not To Hymn...

It really bothers me, this debate about hymns vs. 'modern' songs in the church. Not so much the difference in the music. That's just a matter of taste. Music is neither moral or immoral. It is amoral, so the difference in the music is just a matter of personal preference.

No, the issue for me is when people say that the old hymns are just so spiritual and full of scripture and sanctified and all that. Then they say the new stuff is shallow and they talk as if they are evil or something. Their opinion is based on the music style rather than the message of the song, and since they don't care for the style, it's automatically a bad song. That just kinda pisses me off.

I don't think the hymns need to go away. I like hymns, in moderation. It's no secret that I prefer contemporary music. But I do like some of the hymns. I just wanna see a good blend between the two styles in a church service.

Last night Pastor Craig was talking about the hymns in the hymnal. He was talking about how there are 100 hymns in the hymnal about consecration (being dedicated to a sacred purpose ). As he was listing some of them, this lady says, "So why don't we sing those songs anymore? We didn't sing any hymns this morning, the songs that we grew up with!"

Ok, well, first of all, our church sings MOSTLY hymns, so she really has no valid point to make there. And to assume that everyone grew up on those songs is pretty vain.

(We are starting to bring in some of the more contemporary stuff, but in my opinion it's watered down, cause instead of singing them the way they were intended to be sung, they are slowed down. But at least it's a little progress.)

Pastor had invited a bunch of college kids to the service and to a special lunch after church. Considering that demographic, if we had sung just hymns, do you think it would grab their interest and make them want to come back to our church? Probably not. Most kids that age are into the contemporary worship music. I think the song selection yesterday was very wise in one aspect. It was geared more toward those kids. But my problem with it is, if any of them come back, they may feel somewhat decieved when the music is reverted back to what is normally done and hymns are dominant.

Our church has stated that one of our primary target demographics is younger people, especially young couples with children. We're not going to attract that demographic if we continue to do things like it's 1955. The church has to change with the times. NOT compromising the gospel message or the integrity of what we are doing, but it must incorporate new things if it wants to attract the people of this day and age. People in 1500 were not singing the same songs that the disciples sang, and the church has endured. People in 1800 were not singing the same songs that people in 1500 sang, and the church has endured. So why do we place such importance today on songs that were written 200 or 300 years ago?

It's great to preserve traditions and all that, but the world looks on at the church and sees it stagnant, doing the same things as it was doing 200 years ago, and the world says, "Yuk." Why would a 30-something non-believer want to come to a church where the service looks like it's modeled after the church on Little House On The Prairie?

Written in 1885 by Carl Gustav Boberg, How Great Thou Art is a classic hymn of the church. It celebrates God's great creation and praises Him. It's one of my favorite hymns. Let's compare it to God of Wonders. Written in 2000 (115 years later) by Steve Hindalong and Marc Byrd, it, too, celebrates God's great creation and praises Him.

What makes one better than the other? What makes one more spiritual than the other? What makes one more scriptural than the other? What makes one more sanctified than the other?

The answer to all those questions is.... Nothing. The only real difference between the two is the accompanying music.

How Great Thou Art - Carl Gustav Boberg O Lord my God, When I in awesome wonder, Consider all the worlds Thy Hands have made; I see the stars, I hear the rolling thunder, Thy power throughout the universe displayed. Then sings my soul, My Saviour God, to Thee, How great Thou art, How great Thou art. Then sings my soul, My Saviour God, to Thee, How great Thou art, How great Thou art! When through the woods, and forest glades I wander, And hear the birds sing sweetly in the trees. When I look down, from lofty mountain grandeur And see the brook, and feel the gentle breeze. Then sings my soul, My Saviour God, to Thee, How great Thou art, How great Thou art. Then sings my soul, My Saviour God, to Thee, How great Thou art, How great Thou art! And when I think, that God, His Son not sparing; Sent Him to die, I scarce can take it in; That on the Cross, my burden gladly bearing, He bled and died to take away my sin. Then sings my soul, My Saviour God, to Thee, How great Thou art, How great Thou art. Then sings my soul, My Saviour God, to Thee, How great Thou art, How great Thou art! When Christ shall come, with shout of acclamation, And take me home, what joy shall fill my heart. Then I shall bow, in humble adoration, And then proclaim: "My God, how great Thou art!" Then sings my soul, My Saviour God, to Thee, How great Thou art, How great Thou art. Then sings my soul, My Saviour God, to Thee, How great Thou art, How great Thou art!

God Of Wonders - Steve Hindalong and Marc Byrd Lord of all creation Of water, earth, and sky The heavens are Your tabernacle Glory to the Lord on High God of wonders beyond our galaxy You are holy, holy The universe declares Your majesty You are holy, holy Lord of heaven and earth Lord of heaven and earth Early in the morning I will celebrate the light And as I stumble through the darkness I will call Your name by night God of wonders beyond our galaxy You are holy, holy The universe declares Your majesty You are holy, holy Lord of heaven and earth Lord of heaven and earth Hallelujah to the Lord of heaven and earth Hallelujah to the Lord of heaven and earth God of wonders beyond our galaxy You are holy, holy Precious Lord, reveal Your heart to me Father holy, holy The universe declares Your majesty You are holy, holy, holy, holy Hallelujah to the Lord of heaven and earth Lord of heaven and earth Lord of heaven and earth Early in the morning I will celebreate the light And as I stumble through the darkness I will call your name by night God of wonders beyond our galaxy You are holy, holy The universe declares your majesty You are holy, holy Lord of heaven and earth Lord of heaven and earth Halleluiah to the Lord of heaven and earth Halleluiah to the Lord of heaven and earth God of wonders beyond our galaxy You are holy, holy Precious Lord reveal your heart to me Father holy, holy The universe declares your majesty You are holy, holy, holy, holy Halleluiah to the Lord of heaven and earth Halleluiah to the Lord of heaven and earth Halleluiah to the Lord of heaven and earth Halleluiah to the Lord of heaven and earth Halleluiah to the Lord of heaven and earth Halleluiah to the Lord of heaven and earth

What do you think about this song? Some of it is in Latin, but I've provided the translation for you:
Gloria
I try to sing this song
I, I try to stand up
But I can't find my feet
I try, I try to speak up
But only in you I'm complete

Gloria in te domine (Glory in You Lord)
Gloria - exultate (Glory exalt Him)
Gloria - gloria (Glory, Glory)
Oh Lord, loosen my lips

I try to sing this song
I, I try to get in
But I can't find the door
The door is open
You're standing there
You let me in

Gloria in te domine
Gloria - exultate
Oh Lord, if I had anything, anything at all
I give it to youI give it to you

Gloria in te domine
Gloria - gloria
Gloria in te domine
Gloria - gloria
Gloria - miserere (Glory, have mercy)
Gloria - gloria


Sorta sounds like a hymn. Maybe a Catholic one, with the Latin?







Nope. It's a song by U2 and it rocks! Referring to Psalms, Corinthians and James, how can you get more scriptural than that? We should be singing that song in church!