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A Singing Lesson

In 1962, the musical All American opened on Broadway. However it got mostly unfavourable reviews, and was soon gone–all except for one song, with lyrics by Lee Adams. The wistfully beautiful Once Upon a Time, about lost love, has since been recorded by dozens of artists, including Sinatra, but there’s one that particularly stands out above the rest.

Bobby Darin was a multi-talented pop star in the 1960’s. Of the many recordings of the ballad Once Upon a Time, his is often acclaimed as the very best. I agree. The YouTube version looks as though it may have been taped in a night club, or for a TV show. Worth a listen, here. Then I’ll make some observations.

1) The Preparation.
Mr. Darin had serious health problems, a weak heart due to bouts of rheumatic fever as a child. (He died at age 37.) When he got up on stage, he didn’t feel ready to sing. Needed to catch his breath. So he stayed calm, and had his accompanist play the introduction again–and again. This is a great example for those singing sacred songs in the Lord’s house. Take your time. Get the introduction played again, if you’re not quite ready. (It’s maybe a good time to warn about one of the weaknesses of prerecorded accompaniment. It may not be so easy to make adjustments on the spot.)

2) The Presentation.
I appreciate the clear diction. No attempt to swallow the mike, no mumbled words. Another thing with Darin’s version is the intensity of emotion you can sense. You can see, and feel, the aching sadness in the song. This was not just a mechanical performance; he was living the experience. Can we who love the Lord not do something similar? No, I’m not talking about being an actor or actress, putting on a show. Heaven forbid! But we need to choose sacred songs with a real message, and invest ourselves in the meaning of what we’re singing. Know the song well, and let it speak to your own heart first. Live the song. Tell a personal story when you sing.

3) The Production.
This is unadorned singing of a high calibre, with non-intrusive production values (primitive though they are by today’s standards). No flashing lights, no smoke, no thundering instruments, no attempt to show off the voice, or some tricky dance moves. And no rapid-fire camera shots, zipping to and fro every few seconds. Bobby Darin is delivering the message of the song, and that is the focus. As far as I know, he was not a Christian, but the production of this song shares a quality of many we heard from gospel singer George Beverley Shea. The sincere delivery of a message to the audience is the thing, without the distractions of so much of the noise and glitz in popular music today.

Whether this is your kind of music or not, it seems to me there are things we can learn here, as those who are committed to doing our best in singing for the Lord.

No Hymns About It

Hell is not a pleasant subject, and many even try to deny its existence. “After all,” they’ll say, “how could a God of love condemn anyone to eternal hell?” And He is a God of love (I Jn. 4:10). But He’s also a God of righteousness and justice who cannot ignore or condone sin. He has warned that “the wages of sin is death” (Rom. 6:23), ultimately leading to the “second death,” eternal separation from God (Rev. 20:14-15; 21:8; cf. II Thess. 1:7-9).

That means there are two possible destinies for human beings, not just one. Daniel tells us that, at the resurrection, some will enjoy everlasting life, but others will face “shame and everlasting contempt” (Dan. 12:2). The Lord Jesus calls these “the resurrection of life,” and “the resurrection of condemnation” (Jn. 5:28-29). But the good news is, through faith in Christ, we need not perish, but can have everlasting life” (Jn. 3:16; 5:24).

We have many hymns about the blessings of heaven. But, interestingly, it’s almost impossible to find hymns about hell in the dozens of hymn books published in the last seventy years. Not that such hymns have never been written. Go back two or three centuries and more, and there are quite a few–some shockingly blunt about it.

One by Isaac Watts (1674-1748) begins, “My thoughts on awful subjects roll, damnation and the dead.” One from James Montgomery (1771-1854) warns, “Oh, what eternal horrors hang around the second death.” And here’s another example:

Far in the deep where darkness dwells,
The land of horror and despair,
Justice has built a dismal hell,
And laid her stores of vengeance there.
Eternal plagues and heavy chains,
Tormenting racks and fiery coals,
And darts to inflict immortal pains,
Dipped in the blood of damnèd souls.

Colourful! And poetic language geared to convince those who sang it that it was something to be avoided! But none of these–nor any such horrific sentiments, are found in modern hymnals. Why is that? There may be several reasons.

1) In the 17th century and before, there were fewer Bible study books available to the average believer. Hymns that could be memorized were a very useful teaching tool, and such an important subject needed to be covered.

2) Two or three centuries ago, with no wonder drugs or modern medical techniques, death was a very present reality. Many died quite young. Hymn writers may well have sensed an urgent need to warn about coming judgment.

3) Hymn book publishers today want to sell books, and they realize there are not only some professing Christians who don’t believe in hell, but others who, even if they do, don’t want to think about it, let alone sing about it.

4) Most of the music of our hymns and gospel songs is designed for praise, or expressing the joy of our salvation. Very few hymn tunes suit the darkly sober theme of eternal judgment. It would seem to require a slow dirge in a minor key. This would not be pleasing to the average ear, or uplifting to sing.

Let me know if you think of other reasons this subject isn’t covered in our hymnals. But even though we have no hymns explicitly about hell, it is a significant subject in God’s Word, and deserves our careful study, and a determination to warn others of the danger of going there!

The Value of Hymn Books

I realize this is a rather lengthy article as compared to most I write. However, I do want to put before my readers a reasonably thorough defense of the church hymnal. If you can think of other advantages, please let me know.
R. Cottrill

There’s been a trend in recent years, in some churches, to set aside the hymn books, and simply project the words to be sung on a screen or the wall, employing hymn software and a video projector. This can work. But there are advantages to using hymn books over projected images that are worth considering. Thankfully, there’s still a market for hymnals. New ones continue to be produced–a telling fact, since they’re costly to put together and publish.

Since this article was updated on the blog I’ve received comments from a number. They’ve been mostly positive, but I did hear from a missionary working with another culture and in another language whose people could see no point in hymnals at all. I do think such books may be particularly relevant to English-speaking people. Many other language groups do not have the heritage available to us.

Hymns and gospel songs (other that those that use the actual words of Scripture) are a kind of Bible commentary. And (counting translations) we have a wonderfully rich selection of these mini-commentaries, dating back almost to the beginning of the Christian era. The hymn book preserves a significant collection of these expressions of doctrine and devotion.

Think of having, at church and at home, and bound in one relatively inexpensive volume, commentaries on a variety of Bible passages, doctrines and biblical principles, written by Martin Luther, Isaac Watts, Charles and John Wesley, and many more. I understand that some may disagree with my point of view on hymnals, but I believe the subject deserves a closer look.

It’s quite possible that, in churches that have abandoned the hymn book, they have already been under-utilized for years, so their value is underestimated. Much more can be done with them than simply singing a few hymns each week from them. For a growing list of now over sixty ideas about how to enhance the hymn singing of the congregation, see 30+ Ideas for Promoting Hymn Singing.

In France, about five hundred years ago, the government pronounced it a crime to sing songs of praise to God (specifically the Psalms). And when that didn’t stop it, they went even further. They said that anyone found with a hymn book in his possession would be executed. Killed, for owning a hymn book! I wonder what we would do facing such a threat.

Here is what those people did. They believed that preserving their heritage of sacred music was worth risking their lives for. So, in spite of the danger, they wrote out the words of each song in tiny, tiny print. Then they bound the little pages together, making books so small that six of them could be hidden in one hand. And they went right on singing!

Scanning the pages of a hymn book is like taking a trip through history. The hymns of the church currently in use (not counting Psalms set to music) go back to within two decades or so of the death of the Apostle John. Hymn books provide a means of preserving a significant part of our Christian heritage, and doing so in a way that words briefly projected on the wall in a church service cannot.

In the centuries since apostolic times, the church has come through both triumphs and tragedies. There was the early persecution of followers of Christ, the crippling superstition of the Middle Ages, the new light of the Reformation, times of spiritual revival, particularly in Britain and America, the expansion of world missions, answers to liberalism’s attacks on various doctrines we hold dear, all of this and more is reflected in our hymns.

Many hymns also relate to the personal testimonies of individual believers, lessons learned in their experiences both good and bad. (For example, there are particular things that happened to Fanny Crosby relating to her songs Rescue the Perishing, Saved by Grace, and All the Way My Saviour Leads Me.) What the authors learned is passed on in their hymns, and this can bless and instruct us too, through their words.

By collecting this precious historical record in one volume, and identifying by name those who contributed to it, the editors have given us a valuable tool for doctrinal instruction and devotional expression. Here are some ways hymn books can be used, both in the meetings of the church and elsewhere, that make them better than projected words.

I. In Church Services

1) Hymn books can be used before a service begins. It’s helpful to sit quietly and pray, preparing our hearts for what’s to come. During this time, a chosen hymn or two can be read with great blessing–perhaps looking up and reading one being played in the Instrumental Prelude.

2) Did you know that even reading the Index of the hymnal can yield a special blessing before a service? It can. I have an article on my blog about it called Blessings in the Titles. Basically, the practice involves reading a title and asking questions such as: Why is this so? What does it mean to me today? Just use the titles for meditation, not the text of the hymn, and see what strikes you.

3) A well designed evangelical hymnal offers a balanced diet of songs representing different doctrines, songs covering a variety of devotional needs, and songs suited to a variety of occasions. The hymnal thus becomes an effective one-stop service planning resource. If it has a good Topical Index, the pastor and/or worship leader can quickly find a list of songs that relate to the theme of a service. A discussion of this can even take place over the phone, when each has the church’s hymn book before him. John Wesley writes:

In what other publication have you so distinct and full account of scriptural Christianity; such a declaration of the heights and depths of religion, speculative and practical; so strong cautions against the most plausible errors, particularly those now most prevalent; and so clear directions for making your calling and election sure; for perfecting holiness in the fear of God? [The latter phrases being taken from II Pet. 10:1 and II Cor. 7:1.]

4) Hymnals are especially well suited to group singing of many kinds of songs. If the congregation is singing a rhythmic song of praise such as He’s Got the Whole World in His Hands, and folks are invited to clap in time, holding a hymn book is not practical. But hymnals are ideal for texts that present a logical argument or tell a story, over several stanzas. When we sing these from a screen, we can’t see the whole thing at once. We can’t look back and see the logic, or the flow of the story, in what is presented

5) During the service time, using hymn books gives the service leader the option of selecting or omitting stanzas (even on the spot), or responding with an unplanned hymn to other things happening in the service (like a prayer request, or something in a testimony time). The service leader should aim to know the hymn book so well that he can suit to what is happening in the service with a hymn, when appropriate.

6) Congregations enjoy times when “requests” are called for by the leader, so they can sing their favourites. This also provides an opportunity to sing hymns that haven’t been used for awhile. Choosing these is easier when members of the congregation can leaf through the books and find a song they’d like the group to sing.

7) Sometimes using hymn books places more of the hymn (more stanzas) before the congregation than would be projected in a given meeting. Many of these are rich in doctrine and devotion, and can be an added blessing.

8) If God speaks to an individual through a hymn, he or she may want to re-read the words after it’s been sung–either during the service, or afterwards. This is easy with a hymn book, but a projected song disappears as soon as it’s been used.

9) Some claim there is even a kind of emotional or psychological benefit to using books. When we take the hymn book, feel the weight of it in our hands, find the right page, and hold it up to sing, it becomes a visible and physical reminder that the church of Jesus Christ is not something new and temporary. Hymn books are a symbol of consistency and permanence that’s difficult to envision with fleeting projected images.

10) It’s worthwhile having books with music notation, because it facilitates singing in harmony, a wonderful fellowship experience. Not everyone has this skill but, with hymn books, it can be learned, over time. Once people begin to understand a little about music notation, it will be easier to learn new tunes. I’ve even felt that it would be helpful to have an occasional singing lesson with the whole congregation, with a view to teaching this.

11) Hymn books can promote congregational singing. The singing seems more assured and enthusiastic when books are used. (I can only describe my own experience here, having preached in many different churches.) Often when projected images are used, the singing seems listless and very quiet. Looking around, I’ve seen many not singing at all. This non-involvement is increased when what is sometimes called a worship team is up front, and loudly amplified. The people in the pews tend to become listeners and observers.

12) Hymn books are easily transported, and great for use elsewhere. They’re suitable for singing at home Bible study or prayer groups, or fellowship times in homes. On occasion, they might be used when services are scheduled at a retreat, or in a seniors facility. Hymn books can also be used in pastoral care. In such situations I’ve sometimes asked, “What would you like me to sing for you?” But even when the visitor is not a singer, hymns can be read in the hospital or nursing home and be a great blessing to patients or residents.

II. In Christian Education

13) Hymn books contain the names of the authors and composers of the songs. This provides a snapshot of our Christian heritage. We’ll see names cropping up a number of times–Watts, Wesley, Newton, Crosby. It can be an added blessing to use other songs by the same author, especially as some of the history of these gifted saints is shared from the pulpit, or in the church bulletin. I believe those who use a steady diet of projected images in worship are in danger of losing touch with our great heritage.

14) Occasionally, a hymn quiz can be printed in the church bulletin one week, with the answers printed there the following week. With hymn books available, participants can look for answers either at church, or at home if they have a copy of the hymnal there.

15) At church, a hymn poll can be taken, asking all who participate to list their favourites. (This is much easier with a hymn book in hand.) Later, the results of the poll could be tabulated, and an entire service could be built around the “Top 10” (singing a verse or two of each). With a bit of thought, these can often be arranged in a logical order so a related devotional message or theme will unfold throughout the service.

16) It is safe to say that most congregations who use hymn books don’t see them as also being text books. But they are–wonderful ones. It is possible to take a quarter (13 weeks) in an adult Sunday School class, to explore the biblical teaching expressed in some hymns. In the hymn books, learners can compare the songs of a particular author, or songs on a particular theme, or from a particular era. Doing this will teach a bit of church history, and help those involved to focus more on the message of each song that is used by the congregation.

17) Some years ago, I taught a course on Hymnology to the Grades 7 and 8 children at a Christian elementary school. I told them some of the interesting stories behind the writing of our hymns. Using books for this enabled me to point out the names of authors and composers, and show other songs in the book by the same authors. The books can also be used for elementary singing instruction with children, as the music notes are available.

After I taught the classes mentioned, parents reported that their children took part with enthusiasm in the hymn singing in the church, pointing out to their surprised parents the hymn authors they’d come to know. Something like this might be done in a simplified form in Children’s Church, Sunday School, Vacation Bible School, or at summer camp. (In the latter two programs, stories about a particular hymn writer and his/her songs could provide a daily series for the week.)

18) I heard of a church that uses copies of their hymn book as prizes in a children’s Bible memorization program. This gets God’s Word into young minds, and gets hymns book into homes that may profit from them. It also reminds everyone of the importance of our hymns and hymnals, definitely a prize to be treasured.

19) I heard of a project in another church where those in a children’s choir were given their own copy of the hymn book if they memorized the first stanza of 20 hymns, and could recite them in front of the others. This could be done with any group of children, not just a choir. (Suggestion: Use the same 20 hymns for all. Then have the children recite them in unison. Group recitation is very valuable–and thrilling.)

20) A church can plan a Community Hymn Sing, inviting other churches to join in. I’ve led many of these, and folks find them a blessing, and a great time of fellowship with other congregations. Because there will be more people who can sing a part (soprano, alto, tenor, or bass), using books with music notation could make this an unforgettable experience, and promote more parts singing in the churches involved.

III. In the Home

21) Every possible effort should be made to encourage members of the congregation to have their own copy of the church’s hymnal at home. In my view, if they cannot afford one, the church should supply it. The tremendous value of this cannot be overstated. It ties the home and the church together in a unique way. It brings the fruit of the devotional experiences of the home into the church, and carries the blessings of the worship and instruction of the gathered church into the home.

22) It’s possible to study hymns at home, just as we study God’s Word there, and use them for daily devotional reading.

A. W. Tozer wrote: “I say without qualification, after the Sacred Scriptures, the next best companion for the soul is a good hymnal….To read or sing a true hymn is to worship with a great and gifted soul [meaning the author] in his moments of intimate devotion…. Every Christian should have, laying beside his Bible, a copy of some standard hymn book.”

Using a home copy of the book, you could read through a hymn, looking up words you don’t understand, and writing a brief definition of each in the margin. Then, you might read the hymn through again, underlining significant things (a promise to believe; a command to obey; a blessing to enjoy and share; an example to learn from.) Reference to this blog will provide background on authors and more. Also, if you learn where your favourite hymn is found in your hymn book at home, you will be ready to call out the number when a time for favourites is given at church.

23) A little homework project could be assigned at church, regarding a hymn to be used on the following Sunday. Family members could discuss what the author means by a particular line, or what we can learn about prayer, faith, Christ’s return, etc. from the hymn. This is bound to greatly enhance the use of the song the following week.

24) One author states he knows members of a congregation who love to find out what the next Sunday’s hymns will be, so they can open up their hymnals at home and meditate on the words. God bless the worship leaders who prepare in advance so folks can do that! The hymn singing in that church will be strengthened accordingly.

25) You could find two or three families who love to sing hymns. Then, arrange to get together perhaps once a month, in a different family’s home each time, for a hymn sing. As long as one person can lead, no instrument is required. If all present attend your church, they could bring their own home copies of the hymn book. But if you include friends outside the church who love the hymns they would need books. With permission, borrow enough from the church so each person has one.

26) I heard of parents who had their children memorize a Bible verse, and a stanza of a hymn, each week. This is another way to enhance the congregational singing later on, and children’s appreciation for the hymns. Having children and adults learn and recite hymns together could become a wonderful family activity. It could be done once a week, at any meal that seems best. At English tea time (around 4:00-6:00 p.m.) each Sunday, pastor and hymn writer Edward Bickersteth asked each member of his family to quote a hymn. His son remembered this experience, years afterward.

27) Having a copy of the church’s hymn book at home enables those who play an instrument to play again songs used in the service on Sunday. They can play old favourites, or to try new hymns in the book that can be requested at church later. During a year or more when my own father was suffering with cancer and was unable to sleep at night, he would plug headphones into the organ (not wanting to disturb the family) and play from our hymnal by the hour.

28) It’s good for each family to have a Guest Book, where visitors can sign their names. It makes a great record to look back on in later years. But here’s an alternative idea. Instead of having visitors to your home sign a guest book, you could have them neatly sign next to their favourite hymn in your hymn book. A great memento! And each time you sing or read that hymn, it will remind you to pray for the person.

IV. Its Relative Ease of Use and Costs

29) Clearly, hymn books can be used when projectors can’t. Technology can let us down at any time–when the projector breaks down, or the bulb blows, or when the one trained to use the equipment is absent. Also, if there is enough light from windows, books can be used during a power outage, while a projector cannot.

30) Hymn books can be used by those on the platform, or when members of the congregation are sitting or standing behind taller people. Or when singers are sitting in a circle, as is done at Bible studies. People don’t all need to be facing a projected image.

31) Because a video projector and the necessary computer are expensive equipment, these are sometimes stored away in a safe place between uses. That means they must be set up each time. Hymn books can often be left in their place, week by week, and simply picked up from the hymn racks when needed.

32) There is a cost associated with the purchase of hymn books. (More of that in a moment.) But there’s also a cost associated with the purchase and maintenance of projection equipment. Replacing projector bulbs is expensive too.

33) To project hymns, there is the further cost of purchasing the appropriate computer program. For example currently: MediaShout 6 costs $400; Proclaim costs $200 per year; Easy Worship (though I don’t care for that term!) costs a base price of $400, plus $200 for upgrades. Paperless Hymnal costs $1,200 for several sets of its songs. The latter projects the music notes too, but that poses another problem. The creators sometimes use new or unfamiliar tunes for well-known hymns, tunes that would have to be learned or the projected music would be useless.

34) Operators of computer programs and projection equipment must be recruited, trained and scheduled. And he or she needs some skill in knowing exactly when to move on to the next image–not too soon, or too late, or singers will be confused. There will inevitably be occasional hitches with operator absences, equipment problems, and selecting the wrong song on the computer. None of these problems exist for those using hymnals.

35) There is also the need to have adequate computer equipment to run one of these programs, and the job of programming it, week by week, by selecting from the software the hymns and stanzas to be used at a given meeting.

36) To project hymns that are under copyright is restricted by copyright law. For a church with an attendance between 25 and 99, Church Copyright Licensing International (the CCLI) currently charges $132 per year for the needed permission. In addition, a weekly record of the songs used must be kept, and sent in to the CCLI. On the other hand, when a church uses hymn books instead of a projector, there’s no annual fee, and no record keeping is needed (though this is a valuable practice for pastors and service leaders).

37) It’s an older tool, and comparatively low-tech, but if we want to try a hymn medley (using selected stanzas of several hymns linked together), or teach a new song not in the hymn book, an overhead projector works well, at very little cost.

38) In assessing the cost of new hymnals, you can figure that, with a good binding and reasonable care, they will last for a decade or more. If the CCLI charge remains the same as it is now, over ten years it would cost the small congregation $1,320 for a copyright license. This is nearly the cost of brand new hymn books, which are easily usable for ten years.

The total cost for 75 books (including shipping) is presently around $1,500. Of course, the cost of 50 or 60 books would be less, and that number could well be adequate for the next few years for a particular church. But even at $1,500, spread over ten years, the cost would be only $150 per year, or $2.88 per Sunday.

In buying hymn books, churches often plan for a well advertised special offering to be taken for the project. If a decision is made to get new books, the church should also strongly encourage individuals and families to buy a home copy (with a different coloured binding, so it’s not confused with the church’s copies).

If new books are purchased, individuals or families can be invited to donate one or several books in memory of a loved one, with a memorial sticker placed in the book. This not only helps defray the cost of the books, but provides a lasting tribute to these individuals which is not possible with projected hymns. For more about this see Choosing a Hymn Book for Your Church.

Integrating Hymns in a Service

Graphic Bob New Glasses 2015HOW TO USE THIS BLOG
1) The Almanac. Click on the month you want in the side-bar, then the specific date. The blog will tell you what happened in hymn history on that day.
2) Reflections. There is always a current article on a hymn. But you can find many others by clicking on the Index tab. (More being added all the time.)
3) Topical Articles are opinion pieces on many aspects sacred music.
4) To Donate. If you can help with the cost of developing and maintaining this site, click on the “Support” tab above and the page will show you how.

Also see 30+ Ideas for Promoting Hymn Singing in your church.

We ought to plan carefully, when choosing the hymns to be used in a church service. It’s important, But some congregations may not be used to it. Perhaps their service leader chooses hymns at random, or selects ones he knows well, rather than taking the time to think and study, selecting what will work best. I know of one who flips through the hymn book five minutes before the service, and writes the numbers on his hand! This is unworthy of a sacred duty.

Also, I fear that those of us in non-liturgical churches sometimes become more ritualistic than we realize–or would like to admit! A hymn is sung because “that’s what we do now,” not because of what it will add to the service. “We always sing a hymn before the Offering is taken. Let me see, what would be a nice one? We haven’t sung that one for a long time. Let’s do that one”–with little or no regard for what the hymn is saying.

Aim at nothing, and you’re sure to hit it! Shame on us, if we’re that careless and sloppy! To lift a verse out of context, for the sake of the principle it expresses, “If the trumpet makes an uncertain sound, who will prepare for battle” (I Cor. 14:8). And if a hymn is not chosen to direct our thoughts and teach us, it is not fulfilling its purpose (cf. Col. 3:16). We are planning to gather in the presence of Almighty God. We need to give that awesome privilege some careful thought and preparation. What will we do? And why?

Planning a service takes time, and prayer. My father was a church organist. He planned his organ prelude with this same great care, so that it would lead into the theme of the service. Should we do any less with the hymns to be sung? Hymn books usually have a Topical Index to help with this. Other books provide this information, as does the Cyber Hymnal here. (It also has a section called Scripture Allusions, tying hymns to particular Bible texts.)

Who designs the service in your church? The pastor? The worship team? A service leader? What arrangements are made will vary with that. Ideally, early in the week, the pastor should share with the service leader what the Bible passage for his message will be, and what in particular he plans to emphasize. Then, the service leader should take as long as necessary to find the best hymns, decide on their order, and how best to integrate them into the theme. He can share the plan with the pastor, and they can fine-tune the result together.

If people are used to a more random approach, they may not notice the theme unless it is called to their attention. Either the pastor or the service leader can do that near the beginning of the service, and perhaps show how a hymn fits it. For example:

“Today, our theme is the friendship of Jesus. Notice the how this hymn begins, ‘I’ve found a friend, O such a friend! He loved me ere I knew Him.’ Think of that! Before we even knew the Lord Jesus, He knew us, and loved us. Isn’t that wonderful!”

There are alternatives–sharing a verse of Scripture on the theme, before the hymn is sung, or saying a relevant word about how the hymn came to be written. This need not be done with every hymn. But doing it once in awhile will get people giving more attention to why a particular hymn is being sung, and what it has to say to them.

One further thought. Planning does not, and should not, prevent flexibility. It is possible that the Lord will lead, during the service, for a particular song to be changed or added (or sung a second time), or for a time of testimonies to be inserted, or a time of prayer, and so on. We need to be open to the Lord’s direction. But this is no excuse for having no plan at all!

Drums Again

Graphic Bob and Christmas Book (2)HOW TO USE THIS BLOG
1) The Almanac. Click on the month you want in the side-bar, then the specific date. The blog will tell you what happened in hymn history on that day.
2) Reflections. There is always a current article on a hymn. But you can find many others by clicking on the Index tab. (More being added all the time.)
3) Topical Articles are opinion pieces on many aspects sacred music.
4) To Donate. If you can help with the cost of developing and maintaining this site, click on the “Support” tab above and the page will show you how.

Also see 30+ Ideas for Promoting Hymn Singing in your church.

From time to time I get comments on the article Drums in Worship. Most often, the messages are supportive, and the reader sees what I’m driving at. But once in awhile I’m strongly criticized, and the writer’s irritation with me crackles through the words. Here’s an example of that from a young woman, and my response.

COMMENT: I decided to stop reading about half way through. I am married to a drummer, and an excellent one at that. He works hard to bring excellence to the gift God has given him. Your “distraction” is his act of worship. I am sure my opinion is biased, but it appears yours is too.

I think it is sad when churches–by churches I mean people…try to box people in to a gift or a talent that fits ‘your’ idea of worship. Worship isn’t your idea, nor should it be. It’s God’s design/idea for Him, not you. [At this point the reader links me to a dictionary definition of the word worship.]

It’s [i.e. worshiping is] not for you. Sure it benefits you or not, but it’s their worship to their King. How dare anyone come in, regarding any gift, and say, “I am sorry, your gift is not fit for your King.” Thank God that he sees the heart of every man and weighs true intent.

MY RESPONSE: Well! I’m sorry if my article simply made you angry, and didn’t help you to consider another point of view. My first clue to that is that you say you only read half the article. Maybe there’s some food for thought there that you missed.

Having written the piece some years ago, I thought I’d better have another look, and did so. In it, I point out, up front, that there are widely varying opinions on the use of drums in worship. Granted that, I simply wanted to give my own perspective on the subject, and some of the reasons for my position, as a pastor and church musician.

Far be it from me to come between you and your husband, but the fact that he is an excellent drummer, who works hard at it, is not necessarily an argument in their favour. However, your statement that his drumming is itself an act of worship does give us something to chew on. Are you suggesting that whatever individuals claim to be an act of worship, in their hearts, is suitable to be done in the house of God?

It seems so, because you say, “I think it is sad when churches…try to box people in to a gift or a talent that fits ‘your’ [their?] idea of worship.” In response, first of all, I (personally) am not a church. Second, my personal convictions on any subject do not put you in a box, any more than yours put me in a box. We are simply sharing points of view, trying to help each other find our way.

However, let’s consider what happens in a local church. Are you saying that the leadership does not have a responsibility to reject anything they deem unworthy of having a place in the worship services? Of course they do. God has given them a position of authority (I Tim. 5:17; I Thess. 5:12-13; Heb. 13:7), and they are charged with the protection of the flock (Acts 20:28-30; Heb. 13:17). A desire for excellence is appropriate, but it’s only part of what’s needed, as is what’s going on in the individual’s heart.

To have corporate (congregational) worship, there must be some kind of consensus–and some evidence–that what is done leads the group in worship, not just an individual performer. And we must be careful in that to distinguish emotional excitation from spiritual exaltation. There are times when people mistake excitement for blessing, and sensual pleasure for worship. In the words of hymn writer John Greenleaf Whittier:

Dear Lord and Father of mankind,
Forgive our foolish ways;
Reclothe us in our rightful mind,
In purer lives Thy service find,
In deeper reverence, praise.

To take what may (or may not!) be an extreme example, if a woman says she wants to offer, as worship to God, her gyrating dance, performed in a significant state of undress, must the leaders agree to allow it in a worship service? No, God forbid. It would likely awaken in many men thoughts of a different kind (cf. I Thess. 4:3-7). There must be limits. “Everything should be done in a fitting and orderly way” (I Cor. 14:40, NIV). “All things should be done with regard to decency and propriety, and in an orderly fashion” (Amplified Bible).

Which gets us to the consideration of how we decide what is worshipful and what is not. You say that worship isn’t my idea but God’s. Quite true. But then you offer a definition of the word from a secular dictionary. These sometimes can be helpful, but sometimes not. It’s more important, since worship is God’s idea, that we concentrate on what He has to say about it in His Word. Some form of words such as worship, glorify, and praise are used over 500 times in the Bible, so there’s lots of material to draw from.

One of the things we see there is that human practices, traditions, and cultural influences can be wrong–even those held by many people, for a long time. The Samaritan woman said to the Lord Jesus, “Our fathers worshiped on this mountain [i.e. this is our tradition], and you Jews say that in Jerusalem is the place where one ought to worship” (Jn. 4:20). She’s really asking for the Lord’s input on whose tradition is right.

But Christ answers bluntly, “You worship what you do not know; we know what we worship, for salvation is of the Jews” (vs. 22). (Weymouth has, “You worship One of whom you know nothing.”) In other words, the Lord says to her, your tradition is wrong, and you are ignorant of the truth. God has revealed Himself and what He requires through the Jews (cf. Rom. 3:1-2).

The reality is that, sometimes, “what is highly esteemed among men is an abomination in the sight of God” (Lk. 16:15). When the people of Israel were being prepared to enter the land of Canaan that God had promised to them, He warned them not to incorporate heathen practices into their worship.

“Take heed to yourself that you are not ensnared to follow them, after they are destroyed from before you, and that you do not inquire after their gods, saying, ‘How did these nations serve their gods? I also will do likewise.’ You shall not worship the LORD your God in that way; for every abomination to the LORD which He hates they have done to their gods; for they burn even their sons and daughters in the fire to their gods” (Deut. 12:30-31).

Am I saying that drumming fits into this category? Not necessarily. But it’s a fact that rhythmic and prominent drum beats are commonly associated, in various cultures, including my own, with sensual and carnal practices–sometimes even with the occult. To ignore that association is incautious. It may simply say to those who are saved out of that corrupt lifestyle, “Hey! You can have all that and Jesus too!” keeping them from making a clean break with the old life.

I hear from many people, in various parts of the world, who see drums as a hindrance, rather than a help to their worship of Almighty God. And if we insist that it couldn’t possibly be the Spirit of God who is prompting those convictions, we’d better have very solid and biblical reasons for saying so.

Thank you for your response. I encourage you to keep on seeking God’s best, and I will do likewise.

Blessings in the Titles

One day recently I did something on a whim that proved to be a great blessing: I read some of the titles of our hymns in the General Index of a hymn book. That’s it. Just the titles, and thought a bit about what they said to me.

A Charge to Keep I Have–yes, a responsibility before You, God.
A Child of the King–praise the Lord, yes!
A Heart Like Thine–may it be so of me, Lord.

You’ll notice, if you try this, that most times the General Index includes both the title of the hymn, often in CAPITAL LETTERS, and also the first line of the hymn. You can choose which you use, or you could include both.

It does help to know the hymns, because the later text will amplify what is found in the title or first line.

Abide with Me–Lord, “I need Your presence every passing hour.”
Alas, and Did My Saviour–“for such a worm as I” Amazing!

However, it’s not essential to know the hymn from memory to get a blessing. You could, of course, look it up, if you wanted to think more about the subject. But even sticking to the Index you’ll see how the Lord can speak to you through it.

A Passion for Souls–Father, help me to have a heart concern for others.
A Shelter in the Time of Storm–thank You that You are for me, Lord.

Newspaper reporters, covering a story, use what Rudyard Kipling called the Six Honest Serving Men. They are: how, why, where, when, what, and who. When you read a title, pause on it and ask one or more of those questions.

At Even When the Sun Was Set–where in the Bible does it talk about this? (Mk. 1:32-34)
Be Still, My Soul–how can I manage that? “The Lord is on thy side.”
Blessed Assurance–why? “Jesus is mine!”
Because He Lives–what blessings are mine because of this?

If you like, you can scan through the Index, picking out titles here and there. But it might be worthwhile to work your way through from beginning to end. Put a pencil mark in the margin (if it’s your own book), next to the last title you meditated on, and pick it up there, next time.

The book I’m using to illustrate this ends with such titles as:

Ye Servants of God, Your Master Proclaim–Lord, help me to do that, today.
Yield Not to Temptation–So easy to do, Lord, when I’m not walking close to You.

I know folks love to chat with their friends, when they get to church. But my hope is that some will take a few minutes in quiet prayer for the service, and meditation. That is actually when I found what a blessing reading the Index of the hymn book can be. I encourage you to give it a try.

And one more suggestion. Maybe the pastor (or maybe you) could do this from the pulpit some Sunday morning–for just two or three minutes–to show the people how it works, and encourage them to try it on their own. If many got doing it, you could have a testimony time about what was found!

For Interested Publishers

About ten years ago I began writing a weekly newspaper column on the subject of the hymns and gospel songs of the church. Over the years, it has appeared in half a dozen papers in Western Canada. The articles, each about 650 words long, are evangelical, but I’ve tried to avoid denominational distinctives as much as possible. To date, I have completed over 725 of these, and they continue to be well received.

In addition, for several years I have also been building a blog called Wordwise Hymns (http://wordwisehymns.com/). The site has an Almanac, indicating what happened relative to hymn history on each day of the year. Other posts are Reflections, devotional articles on the biblical meaning of the hymns. In all, these two sections cover over a thousand hymns. More than 430,000 visitors have come to the site, from most of the countries of the world.

IDEA #1. As an extension of the newspaper material, I’ve grouped together articles on several themes, preparing them for publication as a set of books. To this point, there are manuscripts ready for three volumes, with a fourth in the works. Each covers about 65 hymns, with Scriptures and commentary to suit. The four are:

Discovering the Songs of Christmas
Discovering the Songs of Comfort
Discovering the Songs of Calvary
Discovering the Songs of Christ’s Coming

The book of Christmas hymns and carols was published five years ago by a small publisher in the United States. That business has since gone bankrupt and ceased to operate. They turned the full rights of publication over to me. Ideally, I would like to see that book republished, and formatted as one of the set.

IDEA #2. I believe the almanac material, in particular, could be used for a 365-day flip calendar. A condensed note about the hymn writer, or the circumstances of writing, with perhaps a key Bible verse, or a short quotation from the song, would give the user a growing appreciation for this wonderful heritage.

If you are interested in conferring with me about either of these ideas, please e-mail me at robert@wordwise-bible-studies.com

Robert Cottrill

D-Day Commemoration

Graphic Bob and Christmas Book (2)HOW TO USE THIS BLOG
1) The Almanac. Click on the month you want in the side-bar, then the specific date. The blog will tell you what happened in hymn history on that day.
2) Reflections. There is always a current article on a hymn. But you can find many others by clicking on the Index tab. (More being added all the time.)
3) Topical Articles are opinion pieces on many aspects sacred music.

Also see 30+ Ideas for Promoting Hymn Singing in your church.

A s I write this (on June 6th), we are marking the 70th anniversary of D-Day, the Allied landing on the beaches of Normandy that was the beginning of the end of Nazi tyranny in Europe. The focus on the CBC Network has, understandably, been on the courage and sacrifice of the Canadian forces. The hour-long ceremony featured speeches by Prime Minister Harper of Canada, by Prince Charles, and several others.

During the laying of wreaths by various dignitaries and representatives of the military, three particular hymns were played. You can see more information about them on the links provided below. I realize that some involved were not people of faith, and perhaps they were even unfamiliar with the message of these hymns, but they are truly worth pondering.

1) Abide with Me
This beautiful hymn, one of the greatest in the English language, was written by Henry Francis Lyte (1793-1847), shortly before his death. It takes its inspiration from the words of two disciples on the road to Emmaus, in their meeting with the risen Christ (Lk. 24:28-29). A couple of stanzas speak particularly to the solemn occasion today, as we are called upon to honour those who died at Normandy and afterward.

Swift to its close ebbs out life’s little day;
Earth’s joys grow dim, its glories pass away;
Change and decay in all around I see;
O Thou who changest not, abide with me!

I fear no foe with Thee at hand to bless:
Ills have no weight, and tears no bitterness.
Where is death’s sting? Where, grave, thy victory?
I triumph still, if Thou abide with me.

2) O God, Our Help in Ages Past
Another of our greatest hymns, this one was written in 1719 by Isaac Watts (1674-1748) who, because of his early contribution of hundreds of hymns, has been called the Father of English Hymnody. The text is a paraphrase of Psalm 90:1-6. Two stanzas remind us of the brevity of life and the eternal God who stands above the flow of history.

A thousand ages in Thy sight
Are like an evening gone;
Short as the watch that ends the night
Before the rising sun.

Time, like an ever rolling stream,
Bears all its sons away;
They fly, forgotten, as a dream
Dies at the opening day.

3) Fight the Good Fight
Written in 1863 by John Samuel Bewley Monsell (1811-1875), the text is inspired by the words of the Apostle Paul, as he looks back on his life and ministry for the Lord Jesus Christ (II Tim. 4:6-8). I’ve always been struck by the closing couplet of one particular stanza:

Life with its way before us lies,
Christ is the path, and Christ the prize.

He is both the only way of salvation, and the goal at the end of life’s journey. Nations in their glory and military might come and go, but life eternal is available through faith in Christ alone (Jn. 3:16; Acts 16:30-31), the One who said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me” (Jn. 14:6). I trust He is your own dear Saviour.