Hymns can be a divisive topic in church life. To sing songs from the hymnal or not is a question many churches wrestle with. As a worship leader with a rich tradition of worship, I find it quite natural to lead with a mix of newer as well as older songs of the faith. Occasionally I find that lyrics within these old songs express my heart as well or better than the modern songs. Sometimes, I find that songs written within that last year help me praise God in a way that an older song does not. When it comes down to whether we should sing this song or that song, I think much more emphasis should be put upon what the song is expressing than on how old the song is or the style of music that relays the song's message.
Each member of a congregation is going to have their own culture of worship that they grew up with and most appreciate. Some prefer the old songs they have sung for years. Some prefer to learn the new songs and join a new generation in expressing their love and devotion to God. I think the trick is to find a cultural balance. In a way I like the picture of each church having their own hymn book. The songs that resonant most with the majority of the congregation are added to the book and those songs (old or new) that don't help a congregation praise God get set to the side.
So, do I like hymns? I love them! Do I enjoy new songs? Indeed! Do I have a preference? Of course I do. My personal culture of worship probably leans more towards newer song styles. That being said, when we sing a song written in the 1800's we are joining our voices with the great cloud of witnesses whose voices have sing those words before us. When we sing psalms from the scriptures, we are joining our voices to even more generations of worshipers. When we sing a brand new song that expresses our heart's love for God, we are joining with future generations of worshipers who will sing these songs after us.
Think about it...every old song was once new. Not every song that Charles Wesley, Fannie Crosby, William Cowper, and B.B. McKinney wrote are still being sung. Not every song that Chris Tomlin, Matt Redman, David Crowder, and Rend Collective Experiment are writing will stand the test of time. We sing the songs that speak what we desire to say to God. There is a place for old, new, traditional, and different music in the worship of our Lord and Savior.
Sing a song of praise to the Lord...
