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I really like the good old hymns.

'Let us with a gladsome mind, praise the Lord, for He is kind.'

'He who would valiant be.'

'Praise my soul the King of heaven.'

'Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty.'

...and many, many more.

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Read the Bible prayerfully.For a wealth of sound theology, go to John 3:16.
(My wife and I are very much in love, by the way.)
I don't like extremes of temperature. I don't like extremes among preachers. People maybe think I'm extreme.But never mind about me
A true Christian is different, and the world will notice the difference.Even your tattoo, if it's faith related, it's different!

some of the good ol hymns have some edifyingly understandable lyrics -- many are unreadable due to the archaic language -- most of them are sung @ a dirge pace -- hence, i prefer contemporary stuff

it would be beneficial to update the hymns with modern English & maybe even tweak the pacing

of course, preferences vary with this sorta thing

Paco;

Hi, I guess that it can be hard to alter the words of old hymns because the scan and rhyme can be altered as well.

Some ppl would say, If it works, don't fix it...

I listen to contemp. too.

Take care.

_________________
Read the Bible prayerfully.For a wealth of sound theology, go to John 3:16.
(My wife and I are very much in love, by the way.)
I don't like extremes of temperature. I don't like extremes among preachers. People maybe think I'm extreme.But never mind about me
A true Christian is different, and the world will notice the difference.Even your tattoo, if it's faith related, it's different!

_________________
The proof of love is in the works. Where love exists, it works great things. But when it ceases to act, it ceases to exist.

The Bible says, Make a joyful noise unto the Lord..

Also: making melody in your heart unto the Lord..

_________________
Read the Bible prayerfully.For a wealth of sound theology, go to John 3:16.
(My wife and I are very much in love, by the way.)
I don't like extremes of temperature. I don't like extremes among preachers. People maybe think I'm extreme.But never mind about me
A true Christian is different, and the world will notice the difference.Even your tattoo, if it's faith related, it's different!

I like most music - everything but twangy country, rap, and dissonant jazz

I love blended services, a couple of hymns, a little pop/rock, a praise chorus or two (folk), and more! I am old enough that I do feel like I have not been to church of I do not sing at least one hymn - and I prefer a hymnal so I can try to read the tenor.

John

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"The only thing that counts is faith expressing itself through love." Gal 5:6b

Pastor John C. Blackburn

Many of the hymns have been reworked at one time or another, after all, more than a few are translations. No reason that has to stop.

If they are done like a dirge, that's a problem not inherent in the hymns. Though a dirge is probably preferable to the screeching that comes forth when people try to do the high part of many contemporary songs that seems designed to feature the amazing vocal range of the professionals and seems to almost be a requirement. So I'd say a lot of contemporary songs need some reworking to be sung by congregations as well.

One thing they really need is harmony, parts.

The other thing is the most important thing is that they are a part of worship. Now a worship service is God initiated, God speaking to us, and we respond with prayer and praise. Since songs became a part of the worship service, they have been scripture based and indeed are part of the God initiated worship. Many contemporary songs do not fit. They are fine for entertainment, but not for worship. Many hymns too over the years didn't make the grade. We would not have a sermon preached that teaches what we don't believe because over time, people will be mislead and will indeed come to believe the false teaching. And we shouldn't use songs just because we like the style or how they sound, many contemporary songs teach wrong theology, or they are just man centered. They are not appropriate for a worship service.

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Marv
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I have appreciated some of the contemporary worship songwriters who have purposely reworked certain older hymns. But honestly the difference is only in the format and not in the content. Choruses are really just shorter hymns.

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good comments all

personally, the most important aspect of the songs is the lyrics -- if i can't understand what i'm singing, it's frustrating & a waste of time -- that goes for hymns, contemporary, everything -- i suppose if i were KJV-mostly, the older standards would be understandable

hymns are time-tested but that doesn't make them better -- there are a few aged doctrinal tenets that, if discussed, would bring about much debate -- this isn't wine after all

back in college service they'd take a Psalm, add some guy/gal echoing, & roll with it -- that rocked

i've also appreciated songs that tie into the sermon -- that just makes sense to me tho it's prolly not always easy

i agree that a mix of genres is preferred -- the pewsters all have diff tastes so a mix seems prudent & fair

i suppose the best song for each person is the 1 that brings them closer to understanding & worshipping God that day

I think, for all the beauty of music, there needs to be the distinction made that true worship is 'in Spirit and in truth', as the Lord Jesus said in John 4.

Sometimes the sheer grandeur of some music can obscure that essential fact, at least indirectly.

_________________
Read the Bible prayerfully.For a wealth of sound theology, go to John 3:16.
(My wife and I are very much in love, by the way.)
I don't like extremes of temperature. I don't like extremes among preachers. People maybe think I'm extreme.But never mind about me
A true Christian is different, and the world will notice the difference.Even your tattoo, if it's faith related, it's different!

Some of my favourite good old hymns, from popular to less known:

"It is well with my soul"

"There is a fountain filled with Blood"

"A mighty fortress is our God"

"All the Way My Saviour Leads Me"

"Victory in Jesus"

"Nothing but the blood"

Don't care how they are sung/played, since its just between me and the Lord, any flavour works for me!

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Studying MDiv. (Biblical Studies) at Tyndale Seminary
My Pastor's testimony "Street Kid to Preacher" - http://www.youtube.com/view_play_list?p ... 1A10FF286C

Hi, test:

Useful link; not sure the mod.s like them, though.

Take care.

_________________
Read the Bible prayerfully.For a wealth of sound theology, go to John 3:16.
(My wife and I are very much in love, by the way.)
I don't like extremes of temperature. I don't like extremes among preachers. People maybe think I'm extreme.But never mind about me
A true Christian is different, and the world will notice the difference.Even your tattoo, if it's faith related, it's different!

_________________
"The only thing that counts is faith expressing itself through love." Gal 5:6b

Pastor John C. Blackburn

That's why I try not to post links. I guess an alternative is to google a well-known hymn phase; that often works. When I am doing a meditation and am looking for a verse of Christian praise that succinctly expesses something similar, I might do that myself.

_________________
Read the Bible prayerfully.For a wealth of sound theology, go to John 3:16.
(My wife and I are very much in love, by the way.)
I don't like extremes of temperature. I don't like extremes among preachers. People maybe think I'm extreme.But never mind about me
A true Christian is different, and the world will notice the difference.Even your tattoo, if it's faith related, it's different!

It's quite a hard issue to get the head around, this one of musical styles. Marv is surely right that worship is for God, not for us; a deadening self-indulgence seems to result if that gets lost sight of. It can be a happy-clappy self-indulgence, a syrupy one, a sternly old-fashioned or a highly cultured one. They all look very different, but at heart I think they're all the same.

And yet, God condescends to be worshipped through who we are and what we have, and this is part of redeeming us. It is not only permitted, but inescapable and foreordained that we will bring our musical tastes to God in worship. A vital thing to remember is that they are an offering, not a comfort zone. Another is that they have neither more nor less value in God's eyes than anyone else's, and are meant to join with everyone else's in making a symphony of worship.

Going back to the OP, thanks for reminding me of Let Us With A Gladsome Mind. I haven't heard or thought of it for simply years, and it's an absolute corker! ...For his mercies aye endure, ever faithful, ever sure. What a tune, as well! That'd be a great one for the Celtic folk-rock treatment (if it hasn't happened already). And played at a deliberate pace on a cathedral organ, cor! I defy anyone to find it dirge-like.