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"Psalms, Hymns and Spiritual Songs"

 

“Speak to one another with psalms, hymns and spiritual songs. Sing and make music in your heart to the Lord, always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ” (Ephesians 5:19,20).

 

It’s happened in my church and probably yours as well. And this may be a subject we don’t all agree on. Here’s my two cents worth.

 

While pastoring in Massachusetts I received an e-mail note from a lady that attended the church advising me to "steer away from the hymns.”  She said the younger people just don’t like those songs (she basically meant her teen). Our church sought to use a type of music balance I’ve seen defined as "blended". Yes it was part sensitivity to an older, traditional type church (which we were).

 

But it’s more. The church that we established right out of college in St. Marys, PA was very contemporary. For a number of years we used the praise and worship style music almost exclusively and scarcely sang from the hymnbook. After all, our people were almost all new to the faith and not familiar with the old hymns. In fact we may have prided ourselves that we didn’t use the hymnal!

 

But I believe God spoke to our hearts and during the last several years in PA and during our ministry in Massachusetts we continued to sing hymns, along with contemporary praise music (choruses).

 

Is it challenging? Sure is. Some like hymns, some like choruses and I’ve actually met a few that could do without the singing altogether! It’s also tough because there’s so much good music!

 

Here are several reasons I believe in using hymns as part of the worship blend:

·                                 The great hymns connect us with our rich heritage historically.

·                                 The great hymns remind us that God’s truth is not a fad.

·                                 The great hymns can be a vessel to bring God’s message into our lives at the opportune moment.

·                                 The great hymns teach rich theology.

 

Consider these phrases buried deep in favorite hymns. Can you recognize the hymn they are found in?

  1. "Pardon for sin and a peace that endureth".
  2. "Tempted, tried and sometimes failing"
  3. "The arm of flesh will fail you"
  4. "O how the world to evil allures me"
  5. "We will not fear for God hath willed His truth to triumph through us"
  6. Our Maker, Defender, Redeemer and Friend"
  7. "Sent Him to die I scarce can take it in"
  8. "But we never can prove the delights of His love until all on the altar we lay"
  9. "Though Satan should buffet, though trials should come, let this blessed assurance control, that Christ has regarded my helpless estate, and hath shed His own blood for my soul"
  10. "In every change He faithful will remain"

 

 

Let’s keep singing hymns!

 

 

Stephen C. Weber

 

Answers:

1.                              "Great is Thy faithfulness"

2.                              "What a friend we have in Jesus"

3.                              "Stand up, stand up for Jesus"

4.                              "I must tell Jesus"

5.                              "A mighty fortress is our God"

6.                              "O worship the King"

7.                              "How great Thou art"

8.                              "Trust and Obey"

9.                              "It is well with my soul"

10.                          "Be still my soul"

 

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