From 3rd Person to 1st Person

One church in our area advertises that they still sing hymns. Another church boasts that attendees wouldn't see an organ or piano in their church-- I think the line included, "This ain't your mother's church," or something of the sort. The great divide that exists between the two musical styles of hymns seems to run along age differences and/or "the raised in the church" bunch versus "the new to the church attendees."

Some churches have almost split, or at least lost membership when the church chose one style of music over the other. Personally, I like a worship service that retains its musical heritage and embraces new hymns of worship-- melding the two. That way no one is excluded when it comes to worship that is meaningful to everyone.

As a young adult, I was tired of the old hymns and wanted our church services to use more contemporary hymns. When I used to sing with a contemporary gospel group, I remember seeing an older feller in the back of the church with his fingers plugging his ears while we sang.

I didn't appreciate the old hymns, though, until I thought I'd lost them. When I moved to the Austin area some years back, I visited a number of churches that sang ONLY contemporary songs, many of which I'd never heard. During Sunday morning worship in one church I sat behind a woman in a halter top and shorts, and she didn't look like a first time visitor. Half the congregation was drinking coffee in the worship service, and the worship leader was wearing cargo shorts. I understand that many contemporary churches today are wanting unchurched people to feel comfortable attending church, but I really didn't feel like we were worshiping God there. It seemed like the focus was more on meeting man's comfort. And if we can't set aside our caffeine intake for only one hour to focus on worshipping our Lord and Savior, are we preaching an easy believe-ism that means we'll fit God into our lives only if it's convenient and comfortable?

I visited church after church that only offered contemporary, casual worship, and I found myself craving the old hymns, which actually surprised me. I finally found a small church that still sang hymns, and I began to listen to the words of the songs, many of which I knew by heart. But they had become rote through the years, and it wasn't until I was going through my divorce that those old words began to have new meaning for me.

But something I noticed was different between the old and the new hymns was that many of the old hymns sang about God-- third person, and many of the contemporary ones sing to God-- first person, and I believe that is significant. Look at the lyrics to Amazing Grace, Blessed Assurance, Standing on the Promises, In the Garden, Shall We Gather at the River, At the Cross; Holy, Holy, Holy; Onward Christian Soldiers, Count Your Blessings, The Doxology, Ivory Palaces, Just a Little Talk with Jesus, Would You Live for Jesus, All Hail the Power of Jesus' Name, Faith of our Fathers, To God be the Glory, Jesus Loves Me, Mine Eyes Have Seen the Glory, He Leadeth Me, and so many more that are written about God. Some exceptions are I Love Thee, Nearer My God to Thee, Love Divine, Just a Closer Walk with Thee, How Great Thou Art, but these are few and far between.

Look at some of the popular contemporary hymns today: Your Great Name, Your Grace is Enough, Open the Eyes of My Heart, Lord; Blessed Be Your Name, Here I am to Worship, I Give You my Heart, You are My King, I Could Sing of Your Love Forever, You are Good, You are God Alone, Lord I Lift Your Name on High, God of Wonders (You are Holy), You Never Let Go, Your Name, You are My All in All, You are Worthy of My Praise, Your Love Never Fails, Draw Me Close (to You), and many more. But there are also a number contemporary third person-written songs, too.

I believe the difference between writing and singing worship songs about God and writing and singing worship songs to God is huge. I think it's the difference between hearsay and first-person account. Too much of my worship growing up has been rote, traditional, repetitious, and not very meaningful. We followed the same routine of singing three or four hymns, taking the offering, listening to special music if someone had prepared something, and then the sermon. I was singing about God and hearing about Him, but for the most part I wasn't personally in the moment praising God and worshiping Him. If I truly was conscious of that, I would probably find myself face down on the floor in awe of Him. I've learned that first person songs help draw me face to face with God more so than the songs that I'm singing about Him. But that doesn't mean I'm for throwing out any third person songs. God uses them, too.

Right now I'm in a church that blends the old and the new, and I think that's the best worship experience. We still have the piano and organ, and two of the most gifted accompanists that can play both traditional and contemporary hymns. And we also have drums, a guitar, a violin, and a trumpet, too. If we do only one type of hymn to the negation of the other, we've denied part of the congregation worship that is meaningful to them. And when you think about it, worship services are primarily for the believers. Most of the evangelism and conversion of non-believers takes place outside of our worship services through relational connections.

There is a place for both contemporary and traditional music in our worship services, and including the old hymns doesn't make us any less spiritual or hip. God still speaks through those inspired songs, too. But the traditionalists should also take note of the messages of the first person contemporary songs, too, and allow God to use them as well.