Hymns: Bringing Them Back in a Modern World

I am impressed when I hear how hymns are making somewhat of a comeback. I have been an advocate of doing more hymns since the early worship team days of when I attended a church while at Fresno State University.  Shortly after that, I became a worship team member, playing piano and singing for the entire congregation.  Years, later, I'd be doing another worship team and in a spot where I'd have to learn newer music, but sometimes, I could see that it'd be just a bit lacking in substance.  This is not to say that all modern worship is like that, but I have to wonder sometimes where it all goes.

Well, fortunately, there is a comeback within modern worship circles where hymns seem to get more of a twist.  One of my favorites is Chris Tomlin's "Amazing Grace," that along with the standard hymn, features the "My Chains Are Gone" chorus.  Beautiful.

Now, oc foucrs, it doesn't stop there.  As we have seen in this one, there are others that are just as beautiful.  Here is yet, another contribution to a hymn, with Kristian Stanfill.  This would include a very amazing version of the song, "Jesus Paid It All."  It's true to the original hymn, while adding an extra chorus:

O, Praise the one who paid my debt

And raised my life up from the dead.

And yet, I couldn't possibly show my appreciation for modern hymn adaptations without adding this gem.  Yes, the words come from a hymn.  Very few people actually know this one unless they pick up your average hymn book from the old standard church.  Let's just say that this one will probably escape you, but the band, Casting Crowns did it just beautifully, although they changed the title.

I sure hope more music writers for worship will be willing to venture out and raise up more old standards. Our culture needs to review them and look at what these old writers had to say in these classics.  If we are able to modernize them, that's good.  If not, and we sing them to a modern style, that's good too, but we should never lose them.