Worship Wars: Traditional Hymns Vs. Praise Choruses

[Deadworm]

As a UMC pastor (now retired), I have conducted many funeral and memorial services, mostly with organ accompaniment and traditional hymns. My Dad was a TV Gospel singer for the longest televised Christian program in North America. He just hated contemporary praise choruses. Until the new millennium, I disliked most of them too. But today I think we need a memorial service for the now passe organ! Growing U. S. evangelical churches have generally abandoned the organ and feature mostly modern praise choruses. The guitar, drums, saxaphone, and keyboard are now the instruments of choice. I still cringe at many modern praise choruses with their repetitive and shallow lyrics, but now consider the best of them to be superior to hymns.

In my last UMC church, I started a 2nd contemporary service that is quickly outgrowing the more traditional service with blended worship--blended instead of traditional because my musicians can't tolerate a service with hymns only! Someone defined "blended worship" as "a service with something that makes everyone unhappy!"

In this thread, I want to explore your reactions to my perspective on the hymns vs. praise chorus debate. True, I'm now a praise chorus guy, but I want to begin by posting older church music that I still consider as worshipfully enjoyable as the best of praise choruses. Please feel free to react to my selections and offer counter-preferences.

 

[Deadworm]

In the late 1990s, I pastored a 2-church United Methodist charge in the Finger Lakes region in western NY (gorgeous country!). My pianist organist died, and (without consulting me) one church hired a new music director, who turned out to be a gay, Jewish jazz group leader (about 30) from Rochester with a cocaine addiction, who was just looking for extra cash. I thought Jon would only stay a few months, but he stayed for many years, long after I left to pastor a church in distant Buffalo. People would urge me to confront Jon about his lifestyle, but I resisted on the grounds that I was afraid that would just drive him away. Many years later John asked me to return and participate in his baptism. The Holy Spirit spoke to Jon through our worship and he eventually toned down his lifestyle, gave up drugs, and became a devout Christian. What made his presence particularly touching is that our church was conservative, not open and inclusive, and yet, they grew to love Jon so much that our elderly women would drive up to the gay bars in Rochester to support his band (freaking out the patrons!). Keep this in mind as background for my first posted hymn.

Neither church featured modern praise choruses and I was quite ignorant of them back then, but I sensed a need to enliven our worship. One day, as I was walking a few miles down our highway in beautiful scenery. I silently asked God for guidance on this matter. Suddenly 2 songs began to play in my head, as if I had a cassette recorder in my brain: "Dwelling in Beulah Land" and "Lily of the Valley." I vaguely recalled "Lily of the Valley," but was quite unfamiliar with "Dwelling in Beulah Land." I must have heard it as a boy at a church camp meeting. But how could I suddenly recall the lyrics of these unfamiliar songs? It felt like divine revelation.

I tracked down the music and showed it to Jon. To my surprise he adored both songs and promised to play them in next Sunday's singing. The result was absolutely electrifying in one of my 2 churches My other more sedate UM church liked them, but didn't go bonkers over them like my second church because they didn't have a jazz pianist like Jon. Jon's church clapped as they sang both songs at the top of their voices. I have never sensed the power and presence of the Holy Spirit more in a Sunday worship service!

In my view, the best of modern praise choruses have poetic lyrics that are more artistic than most traditional hymns. There are 2 exceptions: "In the Garden" and "Dwelling in Beulah Land." To my amazement, I recently discovered that Austin Miles composed them both! Miles composed "In the Garden" after a waking vision of Mary Magdalene leaning to look in Jesus' tomb. After the vision, he said the lyrics for "in the Garden" came to him almost like dictation. "Dwelling in Beulah Land" takes as its inspiration the OT Hebrew word "Beulah" which means "marriage." So "Beulah Land" refers to a second honeymoon with God, after a period of wandering away. The song is based on the image of rising up above our problems to the mountain top of delight in the Spirit's presence (represented by the fountain and manna as spiritual food and drink). The YouTube video below gives you some idea of the difference a jazzed performance of the song makes for a worship service's energy and the difference Jon's performance made to the song. Unfortunately, only a couple of the 5 verses are sung. Notice the enthusiasm of the little girls.

http://www.bing.com/videos/search?q...50ECFBCEAFFCB397E64550ECFBCEAFFCB3&FORM=VIRE1

If you asked my parishioners for the first thought that comes to mind when they think of me, some would reply, "Don's favorite hymn, "Dwelling in Beulah Land."

 

[Deadworm]

Before there were praise choruses, there was southern Gospel. As a boy, I was warned, "Now Donnie, we mustn't entertain with the Gospel." I muttered to myself, "Why not? Hymns can be so stodgy and boring." We kids were warned not to attend other churches that featured Southern Gospel. These warnings couldn't serve as more effective advertising to go! My favorite Southern Gospel group is also one of Elvis's favorites, "The Statesmen Quartet."

To hear the Statesmen harmony on a pretty southern Gospel ballad, listen to "Till the Last Leaf Shall Fall:"

http://www.bing.com/videos/search?q...A3BDBB51BB0E39B5EB08A3BDBB51BB0E39B&FORM=VIRE

Their tenor is replaced for the last video, because Denver Crumpler died at age 44 of diabetic shock. To see just how good he was, listen to his solo with Statesmen backup as he sings the southern Gospel song, "I'll Tell It" from their national TV show in the 1950s:

In my view, Jim "Big Chief" Wetherington of the Statesmen is the greatest ever southern Gospel base singer. Here are 3 numbers from the early Statesmen that feature him:

(1) "Up Above My Head:" [Notice a young Elvis in the corner of one of the shots. Elvis later said that he tried to pattern his ballad vocalizations after the style of tenor Jake Hess.]

http://www.bing.com/videos/search?q...ECA2B423CD1AB2A563DAECA2B423CD1AB2A&FORM=VIRE

(2) "Happy Rhythm:"

https://www.bing.com/search?q=youtube+"Happy+Rhythm"+statesmen"&form=PRUSEN&pc=EUPP_&mkt=en-us&refig=ecc49fbca5a942c095cbc8c00c7d24be&pq=youtube+"happy+rhythm"+statesmen"&sc=0-33&sp=-1&qs=n&sk=&cvid=ecc49fbca5a942c095cbc8c00c7d24be&toHttps=1&redig=FD1AEEF0F68B4B889FAF01A5FC012277

(3) "I Wanna Know"

https://www.bing.com/videos/search?...8FF10DE5C0F9612B9DF38FF10DE5C0F9612&FORM=VIRE

 

[Deadworm]

I want to shift now to 3 choruses that, to my dismay, aren't even in the top CCLI 100. Do you agree with me that these 3 choruses [ranked in reverse order of personal preference) are musically and lyrically superior to most traditional hymns and that they are among the very best of modern praise choruses?

(3) "He Reigns" (Newsboys):
https://www.bing.com/search?q=youtu...40373474c9abc53cd24f7ea9c&ghc=1&qs=HS&pq=yout

(2) "Better than a Hallelujah" (Amy Grant):

(1) "Who Am I?" (Casting Crowns):
https://www.bing.com/search?q=youtu...ttps=1&redig=6879DAB8525C4BF99AD8B18C1F11EFA7

 

[Deadworm]

Of the top 100 CCLI-ranked praise choruses, here are my own top 10 listed from least to most favorite. CCLI's rankings are listed in parentheses after each chorus, so you can compare the "official" rankings with mine. Only the top 3 of my top 10 are rated as highly as the 3 choruses I listed in my last post that never even made the top 100! Have I overlooked your favorites? Do you generally agree with my rankings and my high estimate of the 3 choruses listed in my last post?

10. "You Are My All in All" (74)
https://www.bing.com/videos/search?...3294A3DF1BFF2397C3D03294A3DF1BFF239&FORM=VIRE

9. "Breathe" (72)
https://www.bing.com/videos/search?...F96CF516E4C376F9C62AF96CF516E4C376F&FORM=VIRE

8. Open the Eyes of My Heart" (29)

7. Hosanna" (Baloche) (31)
https://www.bing.com/search?q=youtu...ttps=1&redig=ADFDB794FC4543C6BFF5EFC8F071A5E9

6. "Hoiy Is the Lord" (41)
https://www.bing.com/search?q=youtu...ttps=1&redig=1FAA7A966615487495AE9FBDC1F6D211

5."Shout to the Lord" (44)
https://www.bing.com/videos/search?...9116194DAC349283C1CD9116194DAC34928&FORM=VIRE

4. "Blessed Be Your Name" (15)
https://www.bing.com/search?q=youtu...ttps=1&redig=3F5C86C357D442FE86357E58D39D6284

3. "10,000 Reasons" (2)
https://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=100,000+reasons+youtube&view=detail&mid=A604485811F6BC7D30AEA604485811F6BC7D30AE&FORM=VIRE

2. "How Great Is Our God" (6)
https://www.bing.com/search?q=How+G...ttps=1&redig=99AD3B5C00764AEFB91DB4DCCFB21301

1. "Revelation Song" (13)
https://www.bing.com/videos/search?...B7A30C381F14962E11D9B7A30C381F14962&FORM=VIRE

 

[Soyeong]

I enjoy this article: https://blogs.thegospelcoalition.org/justintaylor/2014/02/11/annoying-things-in-worship-songs/

I grew up on a mix of hymns and contemporary music, so I think there are a lot of great hymns out there and churches that don't incorporate them are missing out on the rich history of Christian music, but that is not to say that there aren't bad hymns or great contemporary songs. However, it is not about the style of music or how well it is written, but about where our heart is. This video is also worth watching:

 

[Deadworm]

Soyeong,

Thanks for your video. I once attended a large UCC church in Rochester, NY that seated about 1,500, but had only about 35 parishioners present that Sunday morning. Evidently due to huge endowments, this church had a large choir of paid singers from the Eastman School of Music. Musically, they were superb, but their singing left me cold because I sensed that they didn't really mean what they sang and would not dream of being in that choir without being paid.

Conversely, in the last UMC church I pastored, my pianist, Jan, felt she had to relinquish her duties due to failing vision as a result of acute diabetes. She was afraid of making mistakes and ruining the song service. I urged her to stay on and do her best, and she reluctantly complied. The atmosphere of worship just sweetened and intensified with her at the keys because everyone felt her vulnerability and knew that she was giving it her all in a heartfelt act of worship. And though she couldn't play as well as she did before her failing eyesight, she made very few mistakes.

During the electrifying 'Welsh revival of 1994-1906, one reporter from a major London newspaper said, "I have never heard a professional choir that could rival the spirited singing of even one of those Welsh congregations." These congregations were largely composed of ppor people (coal miners, etc.) with untrained voices, who were experiencing such intimate communion with God that they often stayed from 7PM to the small hours of the morning. An early reporter wrote that even by 4 AM, the people didn't seem to want to leave, because they were so intoxicated by the Lord's presence.

To learn how the most spectacular revivals evolve, using the humblest of instruments, watch these 3 awe-inspiring videos:

(1) Lecture by J. Edwin Orr on the famous Welsh Revival of 1905-1906:

https://www.bing.com/videos/search?...EE1F161A7FC37C579266EE1F161A7FC37C5&FORM=VIRE

(2) Documentary on the Welsh Revival from the Perspective of Evan Roberts's Diary:
[Be patient with the initial historical section and recognize that the video's solos were treasured hymns in the Welsh Revival. although much of the singing was singing supernaturally composed in the Spirit.]

https://www.bing.com/videos/search?...BCE66E52072A470B2A62BCE66E52072A470&FORM=VIRE

 

[Deadworm]

I invite you to read my second post under my thread, "Speaking in Tongues and the Baptism of the Holy Spirit" in the Spiritual Gifts section of this site. If you experienced what God did more me then, I'd bet my life that you'd consider it by far the most joyfui and spiritually transforming experience of your life. What made the experience so overwhelming sacred was the why it unexpectly ambushed my completely disillusioned state of mind.

But days before it happened, I happened to listen to a Mormon Tabernacle Choir (No, I'm not Mormon) record performance of Gounod's "Holy, Holy (Sanctus)," one version of which you can hear below:

"Holy, Holy" (Sanctus) by Gounod:
https://www.bing.com/videos/search?...D0FDDCC52765E9CCA8C0D0FDDCC52765E9C&FORM=VIRE

Now I was just 16 and my musicians of choice were Elvis, the Beatles, and the Rolling Stones. But when I heard this classical piece, it deepened my longing for God like no music has before or since.

I don't understand why so many church youth are so limited in the musical genres they enjoy. Their abhorrence of traditional hymns and classical pieces seems to be more an act of rebellion against older authority figures than an honest preference based on a fair hearing. As a youth, I loved a variety of musical genres. So if pressed to choose my 3 favorite Christian pieces, I would pick unlikely bedfellows in this order:

(1)"Dwelling in Beulah Land"
http://www.bing.com/videos/search?q...50ECFBCEAFFCB397E64550ECFBCEAFFCB3&FORM=VIRE1

(2) "Holy, Holy (Sanctus)" posted above

(3) "Who Am I?"
https://www.bing.com/search?q=youtu...ttps=1&redig=6879DAB8525C4BF99AD8B18C1F11EFA7

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[mnorian]

I don't know if would be considered a Hymn or southern Gospel but I really like Tennessee Ernie Fords version of "Peace in the Valley"

 

[Dave-W]

I don't understand why so many church youth are so limited in the musical genres they enjoy.

It is a sub-culture thing. Musical bigotry exists in in all genres. Country folk usually do not listen to classical or hip hop or grunge metal. Metal heads do not listen to bluegrass or jazz. And very few classical aficionados listen to anything outside their specific sub-genre.

People need to be trained to appreciate the music of other styles than they are used to.

 

[Dave-W]

I don't know if would be considered a Hymn or southern Gospel but I really like Tennessee Ernie Fords version of "Peace in the Valley"

That would be considered a gospel hymn. Here it is by my former voice coach imitating 4 great singers:

 

[mnorian]

That would be considered a gospel hymn. Here it is by my former voice coach imitating 4 great singers:

I'll bet he is pretty good when he sings in his natural voice.

 

[Dave-W]

I'll bet he is pretty good when he sings in his natural voice.

Indeed. Here he is with the James Blackwood Quartet:

I had lost contact with him for a long time, during which I wrote a song for him "Just One Man." Unfortunately I finally got it to him after he recorded his last album with JBQ. He said it definitely would have been on that album.

 

[mnorian]

Their tenor is replaced for the last video, because Denver Crumpler died at age 44 of diabetic shock. To see just how good he was, listen to his solo with Statesmen backup as he sings the southern Gospel song, "I'll Tell It" from their national TV show in the 1950s

I really like this song; too bad he died so young.

1) "Up Above My Head:" [Notice a young Elvis in the corner of one of the shots. Elvis later said that he tried to pattern his ballad vocalizations after the style of tenor Jake Hess.]

(2) "Happy Rhythm:

(3) "I Wanna Know"

These three songs have a great rhythm and spirit.

 

[mnorian]

3) "He Reigns" (Newsboys):

This song seems a little thin in the music part.

(2) "Better than a Hallelujah" (Amy Grant):

I really like this song; it is a very good praising song.

(1) "Who Am I?" (Casting Crowns):

This one too; great song.

It seems about 10-20 years ago; there was a great wave of very great spiritual praise songs come out; quite a few by Darlene Zschech; this one by her is a good example: Glorify Your Name:

 

[mnorian]

Indeed. Here he is with the James Blackwood Quartet:

I had lost contact with him for a long time, during which I wrote a song for him "Just One Man." Unfortunately I finally got it to him after he recorded his last album with JBQ. He said it definitely would have been on that album.

I really like that song; humorous too.

 

[Deadworm]

Mnoorian, your song reminds me of a potential improvement for our worship song selection. Worship leaders seem to feel the need to choose contemporary praise choruses, or traditional hymns, or a blend of both. Both genres have an identifying style that tends to wear thin after awhile, especially when inferior songs from each genre are selected. One solution to this routine is to blend in some of the best southern Gospel or Christian country western songs. Your selection of "There Will be Peace in the Valley" is a good example. But my congregation seemed to really enjoy these as well:

1. "For Those Tears I Died"
https://www.bing.com/videos/search?...FEE9EC4BE8BBB4282218FEE9EC4BE8BBB42&FORM=VIRE

2. "Railway to Heaven" (Statler Brothers):
https://www.bing.com/videos/search?...77FF0E1FA5C10873597577FF0E1FA5C1087&FORM=VIRE

3. "On the Wings of a Dove"
https://www.bing.com/videos/search?...D797D47827D024187982D797D47827D0241&FORM=VIRE

4, "I'll Fly Away" (Gaither Singers): In my experience, despite the rather hokie lyrics, this southern song is by far the favorite Chr\istian song about heaven:
https://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=youtube+gaither+i'll+fly+away&view=detail&mid=1C9E3E867985218FFB311C9E3E867985218FFB31&FORM=VIRE
[Consider this post a work in progress while I track down videos of these songs.]

 

[mnorian]

For Those Tears I Died

 

[mnorian]

patsy cline life's railway to heaven

 

[mnorian]

EVIE On the Wings of a Dove