Drop by any time. And if you’re looking for information on a particular hymn, maybe I can help. I’m always learning new things. Found a wonderful story about the hymn “My Faith Looks Up to Thee,” just the other day. Lord willing, I’ll be sharing it in a blog in the coming weeks.

Thank you for all that you share here, and thanks again for bringing this site to my attention. ~ Abby

It’s sad when churches abandon our heritage of Christian hymnody. I would agree that not all contemporary music is bad (nor are all hymns and gospel songs of high quality). But speaking generally, there’s a richness of doctrine and depth of devotion in many hymns that is unmatched by contemporary songs, which tend to be more me-centred and touchy-feelie.

Not all churches have left our traditional hymnody behind. Ours hasn’t. And I’ve preached in other churches where hymns are the main staple, with occasional newer choruses.

I wouldn’t be too worried about not having someone to play the piano or organ–though I think both or either can be used effectively. Singing without accompaniment can be a joy too. When you have hymn books in front of you (with music notation), and even a few folks who can carry a part, the result can be worshipful and inspiring.

I’m interested to know how you know that the tune for Amazing Grace was sung in bars. Actually, almost nothing is known of its origin for sure–even what country it came from. There have been some guesses, but nothing provable. It sounds like a variation on the old “Martin Luther used barroom tunes” notion–which he didn’t.

I’ve studied this subject for many years. Actually taught a college course on it. And I’ve heard all the arguments before, arguments that seek to justify bringing the world’s music into the church. And none of them really holds water. “Culture” should not be our guide. Scripture should, and sound biblical principles.

God bless. And have a great Christmas!

I hear from many small churches from all over the country who are leading worship services without any accompaniment because it seems that they have difficulty in finding an accompanist, although they do have a piano or an organ at their church. I think this is sad, because it does seem to indicate a decline of the old church tradition in our culture. I don’t personally think the new music today is wrong as indicated by several comments above… it’s just that much of it seems to lack in substance, and much of the new music seems to miss the mark in terms of being conducive for everyone to be able to express worsihp to our Lord.

Music speaks different languages to different areas of ages culture. What works for you doesn’t work for others. What works for others doesn’t work for you. You can’t assume that piano and organ is what is sacred and everything else is not. At one time in history both the piano and organ were new instruments and were frowned upon in the church. The melody to Amazing Grace was actually a tune sung in pubs!

And I don’t think we can pretend to know what God likes and doesn’t like. Our ways are not His. To Him, our best of anything is like filthy rags. What matters when we worship is our heart and our intentions. I just think we need to be careful when we say things like, “I can’t picture the Lord snapping His fingers”… Really, you know what the Lord looks like and what he does and doesn’t do? Wow. Besides that, I think in modern chuches, people don’t snap their fingers as part of singing contemporary worship songs anyway, so to borrow certain things from secular culture to put down a particular style of music in worship is in my opinion, a stretch.

But having interaction with people who love the Lord from all over, I know that there are people with the best of intentions when they give their hearts in worship,regardless of the style of the music.

“Oh, glory Halleluiah; I am going home to God,
Where I shall wear a golden crown, and robes of purest white.
Walk upon those golden streets, and sing forevermore,
Oh tell me now my brother, will you meet me there.”

The church my wife and I attend at the present time still uses the hymn book, and we sing mostly hymns, with an occasional good chorus included. But you’re absolutely right about how many churches are so skewed to featuring the young, and appealing to the young, that they’ve forgotten to feed and encourage the “pillars” of the church.

I was the guest speaker in a church one time, and I knew as soon as I walked into the sanctuary that something was up. All the seniors were crowded into the very back rows, as far from the platform as they could get. As soon as the singing started, I realized why. Powerful speakers at the front started thundering out a deafening bedlam of sound. The older folks were trying to keep as far from it as possible. I was in another church recently that has a beautiful grand piano. But once the singing started, I couldn’t hear it–and I was only about fifteen feet away! The amplification of the “worship team” on the platform was so loud it drowned everything else out. I couldn’t even hear those next to me singing!

When I’m the speaker at a service, I’m kind of stuck there. But there’ve been times when I was not speaking that I’ve actually walked out of services. Just couldn’t stand the noise! This isn’t music, and it isn’t honouring to the Lord. The Bible says, “Do not love the world or the things in the world” (I Jn. 2:15). But this blatant attempt to copy the musical styles of the secular world is an example of that very thing. Do they not understand why the music of the world is the way it is? Three things–that can easily be proven by many comments of the secular musicians of our day:

1) The pounding rhythms are an expression of anger and rebellion against authority. This is contrary to the Bible’s message–that we are to submit to those in authority over us (unless to do so would go against the will of God).

2) The constant syncopation is meant to represent sensual and sexual activity. The dress and actions of the performers demonstrate that this is what is being represented, immoral and perverse behaviour that God condemns.

3) The loudness of the music is intended to turn the sound into an emotional experience that is felt through the entire body. The world is void of answers to man’s deepest needs. They must substitute an outwardly generated experience instead.

Now, will somebody tell me what part of that belongs in the house of God. We want to exalt the Lord and express our desire to obey and serve Him, not shake an angry fist in His face. And we want to promote sexually purity before marriage, and fidelity within marriage, not immorality. Further, we have the transforming grace of God to offer. We don’t need mechanically generated thrills. Our thrills should come from our meditation on the Word of God, and our fellowship with Him.

Some make the claim that music is neutral, it all depends what words are put with it. But this is nonsense. Music is a language all on its own, and it needs to be sending the same message as the words, or the result is confusion. I taught a philosophy of Christian music course at a Christian college for years, and heard all the arguments many times. But I ended up more convinced than ever that the “contemporary” drift of many churches today is both spiritually harmful and biblically indefensible.

I encourage you to keep the faith. Glad you have found a church where you can worship. Drop by my blog any time, and see what’s new. The tens of thousands who have communicated with me across the world assure me that many feel is we do. God bless.