Reading Hymns Can Shapes Our Faith Part 2

Reading Hymns Can Shapes Our Faith Part 2

 Serious music worship leaders are not trying to lead a congregational musical event but rather a time of valuable musing (thinking).  We all know that the majority of great hymn text were written first as lyric poetry and then later were set to a tune.  I doubt that any thinking church musician would deny that they have great value as poems.  Perhaps we consider the reading of poetry to be a task undertaken only by those who gather to partake of tea and crumpets and recite the works of dead poets.  So, since we know that quoting this great poetry skillfully can have a positive effect on a worshiping body of believers as well as being a form of catechism to those who are unchurched, why not practice up on our dramatic reading skills and give this form of hymn usage a try?

There is another point that should be considered in our discussion of quoting hymn texts.  I remember my former pastor Rev. R.E. Carroll saying that he often took not only his Bible but also his hymnal to his trysting place with God.  We pray out loud so why shouldn’t we read hymns out loud during our time of devotion.  It is a fact that praying out loud keeps my mind from wondering during my time of private devotion. Quoting hymns from memory or reading them during private devotions can be a wonderful experience.  Telling God how you feel or what troubles you by reading to Him can be an expression of prayer and praise.  

Thought for the Day

Praying the words of a well written hymn can be an effectual way of telling God how you feel about Him.  If our own words simply fail us in the time of prayer, the words of a great hymn may help us to express our heart’s petition to God.