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orthodoxymoron · 04-02-2010, 07:59 AM

There is a secret spiritual discipline that most neglect, but that may be the most effective character builder! That discipline is hymn singing! Not limping through an unfamiliar hymn in church. But privately singing hymns a capella, after studying the texts. Try it! Do this every day, and see what happens. You'll like it! The Devil won't…

Then, when you sing in church, you will have a new found understanding and confidence! Your spirited singing will inspire others, and they may ask how you learned to sing so well! The music director may be bold enough to have the congregation sing a hymn a capella! Your pastor or priest will be inspired to deliver a more spirited sermon! It's a chain reaction!

Sometimes a powerful sermon will inspire a powerful hymn! Tony Campolo was a guest speaker at a church I attended long ago, probably before he called himself a Red Letter Christian. He spoke in his usual aggressive style! The organ postlude was printed in the church bulletin as being Litanies by Jehan Alain. It is a wonderful modern French Romantic work which is full of fireworks and dissonant chords! But when the organist began to play, the postlude was the hymn “Onward Christian Soldiers!” I spoke with the organist, and he explained that after a sermon like that, he just couldn't play a jazzy postlude!

On another occasion, in the same church, an upbeat guest speaker spoke of faith to a congregation who had been ravaged by doctrinal controversy. We sang “A Mighty Fortress is Our God” with real gusto! The pastor remarked that he had not heard the people sing like that for a long, long time!

I like contemporary music, even contemporary hymns which are well written and have meaningful lyrics. However, there is nothing like a great historical hymn of the Christian church! My guess is that the neglect of the proper singing of these great hymns has left the door wide open for the repetitive, musically uninteresting, and lyrically bankrupt praise songs! Sorry for the sore toes!

I love classical music! Especially sacred classical music! But often there is an elitism and lack of Christ-like spirituality connected with this music. This probably makes the praise songs more attractive than they deserve to be! More sore toes!

I believe the place for well written praise songs is in a more informal setting, such as when singing around the camp fire. Believe me, this is not a put-down! If the praise songs are to be used in church, I prefer a separate service devoted to this type of music. I am not opposed to new music, just bad music!

Sorry for all the sore toes! Oh my! Have I hung myself? Medic! Medic!!

04-02-2010, 07:59 AM	#58
orthodoxymoron Avalon Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Lunar Base II Posts: 3,093	Re: Red Letter Church There is a secret spiritual discipline that most neglect, but that may be the most effective character builder! That discipline is hymn singing! Not limping through an unfamiliar hymn in church. But privately singing hymns a capella, after studying the texts. Try it! Do this every day, and see what happens. You'll like it! The Devil won't… Then, when you sing in church, you will have a new found understanding and confidence! Your spirited singing will inspire others, and they may ask how you learned to sing so well! The music director may be bold enough to have the congregation sing a hymn a capella! Your pastor or priest will be inspired to deliver a more spirited sermon! It's a chain reaction! Sometimes a powerful sermon will inspire a powerful hymn! Tony Campolo was a guest speaker at a church I attended long ago, probably before he called himself a Red Letter Christian. He spoke in his usual aggressive style! The organ postlude was printed in the church bulletin as being Litanies by Jehan Alain. It is a wonderful modern French Romantic work which is full of fireworks and dissonant chords! But when the organist began to play, the postlude was the hymn “Onward Christian Soldiers!” I spoke with the organist, and he explained that after a sermon like that, he just couldn't play a jazzy postlude! On another occasion, in the same church, an upbeat guest speaker spoke of faith to a congregation who had been ravaged by doctrinal controversy. We sang “A Mighty Fortress is Our God” with real gusto! The pastor remarked that he had not heard the people sing like that for a long, long time! I like contemporary music, even contemporary hymns which are well written and have meaningful lyrics. However, there is nothing like a great historical hymn of the Christian church! My guess is that the neglect of the proper singing of these great hymns has left the door wide open for the repetitive, musically uninteresting, and lyrically bankrupt praise songs! Sorry for the sore toes! I love classical music! Especially sacred classical music! But often there is an elitism and lack of Christ-like spirituality connected with this music. This probably makes the praise songs more attractive than they deserve to be! More sore toes! I believe the place for well written praise songs is in a more informal setting, such as when singing around the camp fire. Believe me, this is not a put-down! If the praise songs are to be used in church, I prefer a separate service devoted to this type of music. I am not opposed to new music, just bad music! Sorry for all the sore toes! Oh my! Have I hung myself? Medic! Medic!!