Hymns in Worship: Part Three

The term "hymn" can mean either the text only of the song or the text and the music. There are many great hymns that were written to great tunes. However, there are also great hymns that were written to tunes that are no longer relevant or singable today. If you want to find out quickly whether or not a person TRULY desires the old hymns or IN REALITY just doesn't like drums and guitars, put an old hymn to new music and see how they respond.

The fact that a hymn tune worked in a certain time, but not today is witness to the fact that style and content must be separated in a Christian's theology of worship (more on that another day). I came across the following written by Kevin Twitt. Rev. Twitt is involved in Reformed University Fellowship (on college campuses), the Reformed answer to Intervarsity Fellowship. RUF is known for promoting new hymns or old hymns written to contemporary music, almost exclusively, among those involved in the ministry. Balance, balance, balance. I'll shout it from the mountaintops that we need all stylistic voices in worship, so I would disagree with the use of only complex theological hymns in worship. We need the simple repetitive songs in addition to the heady and rich hymns. However, it is always great to learn from others who feel strongly about their viewpoint:


• Hymns tend to engage our imagination, intellect, and will together. Good hymns give us rich language and images that require us to think and imagine as the way to stir the passions...The Scriptures are full of diverse images; our songs should reflect this creativity too.

• Hymns tell a story and walk us through the gospel...In a good hymn, the writer offers her
story and invites you to try it on and see if it might be your story too.

• Hymns remind us that the church is bigger than the people we know, or even those who are alive today. Through hymns we connect with believers who lived centuries before us. We can have “mystic sweet communion, with those whose rest is won” (“The Church’s One Foundation” by Stone). When I introduce people to Anne Steele’s hymns, they are struck by the powerful way she dealt with her immense suffering. They find that her cries can become their cries, her tears can elicit their tears, and her faith can encourage their faith. Seeing that we can connect with an English woman who lived in a small village 300 years ago and feel what she felt is powerful. All of the sudden the kingdom of God looks much bigger!