Featured SongChristianity Today - Focus on Worship
Home » Blog » GeneralPosted by David L. Ward on April 7th, 2011
The March 2011 issue of Christianity Today features several articles about worship and congregational singing. Allow me to draw your attention to two notable resources.
First, John Koessler's article titled "The Trajectory of Worship" follows the writer's personal journey through decades of worship music changes to the place where he finds himself today, a self-titled curmudgeon, struggling with his personal distaste for much of the music used in public worship. After admitting his struggle, he offers this insight which I find to be rife with humility and wisdom:
Like most churchgoers, I tend to view worship as something that moves from earth to heaven. We think of worship as something that originates with us, our gift to God. Perhaps this is why so many of us are conflicted about it. We consider worship to be an expression of our personal devotion. So when the musical style or some expression gets in the way, we don't feel like it is our worship at all. It is someone else's idea of worship. Perhaps the worship leader's or that of the majority. But not our own. - p.20
He then goes on to explain how this understanding of "worship as something that originates with us, our gift to God" is the wrong way of looking at worship. We must see worship as a response to God at work in us, revealing Himself to us, and we must not see worship as something primarily for our own enjoyment or entertainment.
Second, the article "The Hymns that Keep on Going" offers a statistical analysis of almost 5,000 hymns from the hymnals of 6 different denominations since 1878. Since I have a Math degree and did some graduate work in Statistics, this is right up my alley! The goal was to identify the hymns that have appeared in the most number of hymnals, and the results were surprising. The biggest surprise is that the hymn "Amazing Grace" by John Newton does not appear in the list of 27.
Hymns appearing in all 28 editions surveyed (in alphabetical order)
Abide with Me
All Hail the Power of Jesus' Name
Come, Ye Thankful People, Come
Crown Him with Many Crowns
Glorious Things of Thee Are Spoken
Guide Me, O Thou Great Jehovah
Holy, Holy Holy!
How Firm a Foundation
In the Cross of Christ I Glory
Jesus Shall Reign
Love Divine, All Loves Excelling
O Sacred Head
When I Survey the Wondrous Cross
Hymns appearing in 27 editions
A Mighty Fortress Is Our God
All Glory, Laud, and Honor (A hymn for Palm Sunday, which is coming up in a couple of weeks)
Come, Thou Almighty King
Just As I Am
Now Thank We All Our God
O, for a Thousand Tongues to Sing
O God, Our Help in Ages Past
O, Worship the King
The Church's One Foundation
