Posted by Christine Pack
"An excellent article over at Herescope discusses music in today's culturally relevant church: "Like a bunch of conformist teenagers kowtowing to "peer pressure," churches have adapted their musical style to whatever is hip in the culture." This has certainly been true even in my lifetime. We sang traditional hymns in the church I grew up in, but after leaving the church for more than a decade, I was very surprised to find that the music in the churches I attended upon returning was radically different from what I was familiar with. I was told that this was a way of "deconstructing" people's preconceived notions about what music "should" be in church. In true postmodern fashion, I began to ponder this. Well, what did" I think music "should" be? Sad to say, I did not come up with a very postmodern answer: to my mind, church music should clearly be traditional hymns played on a 19th century pipe organ. But in the little start-up church where my husband and I were saved, they had neither the budget for any such thing, nor, more importantly, any inclination toward having this kind of music. Instead, we sang short songs with very few words, often repeating verses over and over. Now, when we began attending this church, God had not yet saved me, and so my reaction to this music was simply personal: I didn't like it. But after I was saved, I realized there was a deeper, more troubling reason why I didn't like the music: it was doctrinally vapid."I had one friend who sardonically referred to this music as "7-Eleven songs," as in, 7 words sung 11 times. The first time I heard this (and after I stopped laughing) I remember thinking what an apt description this was for this kind of music. 7-Eleven songs for a fast food culture. Perfect. And when I would ask about hymns at our church, I was told that this was what people wanted, they didn't like the tired old hymns of our "parents' church," we had to be culturally relevant, and that after all, worship wasn't about "me." Well, I definitely got that worship wasn't about "me," but then that made me wonder: was God really glorified by these shallow songs devoid of doctrine? Every now and then, our church would" play a hymn. My reaction to these lovely old songs would be so immediate, so visceral, and I simply couldn't understand why. I would oftentimes be so overcome from hearing these old hymns that I would weep, and literally be unable to sing! I initially chalked it up to nostalgia, to just remembering growing up and hearing these songs every week. But as time went on, I began to realize how deep the theology was in these hymns. I became obsessed with hymns. Realizing this, one of my new Christian girlfriends gave me a book called Then Sings My Soul, which I absolutely loved and still love to this day. This book catalogs many of the great classic old hymns, telling the story of how each hymn came into existence, what was happening in history at that time, and so on. I began to realize why I loved these old hymns so much. Not simply because the music was lovely - though it was, but chiefly because the lyrics were so rich. Many of these great old hymns would "tell" the amazing story of redemption and God's mercy in just a few short verses.
"JESUS SOUGHT ME WHEN A STRANGER, WANDERING FROM THE FOLD OF GOD; HE TO RESCUE ME FROM DANGER, INTERPOSED HIS PRECIOUS BLOOD." (Come Thou Fount, Robert Robinson, 1758)Okay, in just those few words - which, incidentally, are only one half of one verse - you've got separation and alienation from God, the danger of hell, and God intervening into this dire situation with the life-giving blood of his Son. That's the gospel right there, folks. How about this one:
"JESUS PAID IT ALL, ALL TO HIM I OWE, SIN HAD LEFT A CRIMSON STAIN, HE WASHED IT WHITE AS SNOW. (Jesus Paid It All, Elvina Hall, 1865)In this one, you have an unpaid debt, sin leaving a stain that cannot be removed, and then - here comes the gospel - God intervening with his plan of salvation: the blood of Jesus, given to remove the stain, and leaving the white purity of righteousness in its place. Glorious!
Needless to say, I still love hymns, and have found so many wonderful contemporary renditions of some of my favorites. I've also discovered some I had never heard - because they weren't sung in our denomination of church - but have grown to love equally as much. Below are some of my favorites -
RED MOUNTAIN CHURCH
Crown Him (Alternately Titled: Look Ye Saints)
Lead Me To The Rock (never knew it growing up, have crazy love for it now)
Jesus, Lover of My Soul
My Jesus, I Love Thee
Come Boldly To The Throne of Grace
Why Should I Fear?
Pass Me Not O Gentle Savior (beautiful harmonizing)
Christ or Else I Die (great song, love his voice)
There Is A Fountain
Dearly We're Bought
Friend of Sinners
Melt My Soul To Love (there's a crazy, Appalachee-flavor to this song - you'll either love it or hate it)
KEITH URBAN
I'll Fly Away (and some nifty guitar playing too)
EMMYLOU HARRIS (what a voice)
Wayfaring Stranger
I Love to Tell The Story
CHRIS RICE
Rock of Ages
CANDI PEARSON
He Leadeth Me
Be Thou My Vision
SHELLY MOORE BAND
Joyful, Joyful, We Adore Thee
Hallelujah, What A Savior
Jesus I Am Resting
DEBRA FOTHERINGHAM
More Holiness Give Me
INDELIBLE GRACE
Beneath The Cross of Jesus
O The Deep, Deep Love Of Jesus
Not What My Hands Have Done
O For A Thousand Tongues To Sing
What Wondrous Love Is This
Go To Dark Gethsamene
O Love That Wilt Not Let Me Go
The Church's One Foundation
DAVID CROWDER
All Creatures Of Our God and King
Rock of Ages (great hymn, fantastic version)
SCOTT UNDERWOOD
Fairest Lord Jesus
DIERKS BENTLEY
It Is No Secret
NATALIE GRANT
Fairest Lord Jesus
KATIE NELSON
Wonderful Merciful Savior
KOURTNEY HEYING
Holy, Holy, Holy
PAUL BALOCHE
How Great Thou Art
JADON LAVIK
This is My Father's World
Blessed Assurance
Take My Life
'Tis So Sweet To Trust In Jesus
Come Thou Fount
Turn Your Eyes
What Wondrous Love is This
I Need Thee Every Hour
I Surrender All
REBECCA ST. JAMES
It Is Well With My Soul
SARA EVANS
Just A Closer Walk With Thee
Sweet By And By
BART MILLARD
Hymned - the whole album
JARS OF CLAY
Redemption Songs - the whole album
KYLE HENDERSON
Nearer My God To Thee
TIM MILNER
This is My Father's World
O Worship The King
When Morning Gilds The Sky
All Hail The Power of Jesus' Name
SHANE & SHANE
Before the Throne
O Worship the King
SHERRI YOUNGWARD
Amazing Grace
O Sacred Head Now Wounded
SARAH MCINTOSH
Then Sings My Soul - whole album
NICHOLE NORDEMAN
How Deep The Father's Love For Us
NEWSBOYS (LYRICS BY STUART TOWNEND)
In Christ Alone (just an awesome song, not technically a hymn, but so doctrinally rich it makes the cut)
JEREMY CAMP
It Is Well With My Soul
JESSICA LOFBOMM
O Sacred Head Now Wounded
It Is Well With My Soul
BETHANY DILLON
How Deep The Father's Love For Us
SHAWN MCDONALD
Amazing Grace
CARRIE UNDERWOOD
How Great Thou Art
MARK ROACH
It Is Well With My Soul
AARON KEYES
Jesus Paid It All
It Is Well With My Soul
CHRIS RICE
A Mighty Fortress Is Our God
KRISTIAN STANFILL
Jesus Paid It All
SOVEREIGN GRACE
How Sweet and Aweful Is The Place
I Will Glory In My Redeemer
TODD AGNEW
Savior, Like A Shepherd Lead Us
ALAN JACKSON
Leaning on the Everlasting Arms
Standing On The Promises
The Old Rugged Cross
SUFJAN STEPHENS
Holy, Holy, Holy
Amazing Grace
MICHAEL TAIT
How Great Thou Art
GINNY OWENS
It Is Well With My Soul
SARA GROVES
Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing
PATTY LOVELESS
Two Coats
RANDY TRAVIS
Are You Washed In The Blood?
O How I Love Jesus
Sweet By and By
Shall We Gather At the River
He's Got The Whole World In His Hand
AMY GRANT
This Is My Father's World
ALLISON KRAUS
Down To The River To Pray
I'll Fly Away
JOHN ANDERSON
Peace In The Valley
TERRY BUTLER
On Christ The Solid Rock (one of the best hymns ever)
BEN KWELLER
Rock of Ages (you will either love or hate this version - I love it)
AMY NOBLES
O God, Our Help In Ages Past
Joyful, Joyful We Adore Thee
AARON NEVILLE
Morning Has Broken
WILLIE NELSON
Just As I Am (instrumental)
BILLY RAY CYRUS
Just As I Am (very sweet rendition)
DEBBY SMITH-TEBAY
What A Friend We Have In Jesus
TRACE ADKINS
Victory in Jesus
Doyle Lawson "> ADDITIONAL RESOURCES
Seeds Family Worship: A Recommended Resource
Sons of Korah: A Recommended Resource
Shai Linne: A Recommended Resource
A Few Thoughts On Christian Music
The Holiness of God (Paul Washer)
ONLINE HYMNS RESOURCES
Sermon Audio Hymns
The Hymnary
The OPC Online Hymnal
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