World Renewal International

The young man argued with his dad about the church music. "These ugly hymns" were just not cutting it for the 18 year-old. His dad was the song leader at church. His reaction was predictible. "If you cannot be reverent, you should keep your mouth shut about things which do not concern you."

The young man explained that he not only did not like many of the hymns that he perceived to lack biblical depth, but that he and his brother were writing their own songs for church and they hoped to publish them. The father laughed and sarcastically said, "That old hymnal was good enough for your grandfather, and your father, so I reckon it will be good enough for you!" [Photo by Jeri Perry Reichanadter]

Then the dad said, "If you don't like our hymns, then let me hear one you have written which is better." The young Isaac jumped at the opportunity, "Father, I have one which is better. Will you listen to it?" "Well, read it!" the father barked. When the young man had read five stanzas of his first song to his father, his daddy put his arms around his son and apologized for his closed mind. He asked for a copy of his son's song.

They sang the song the next Sunday at church. People loved it! They asked for more songs to be written. It swept through the churches across the nation. In fact he prepared songs that were sung new every Sunday for the next 222 Sundays. One he wrote was the following:

These lyrics from Isaac Watts's 1712 hymn are considered the "perfect hymn" by some and so loved by the generations of the church since it is written.

Isn't it interesting that each generation of the church struggles with the tension between new and older generations over worship music. Oh, that we would listen like Isaac's father did, who from then on was his sons greatest supporter. Balance, mixing the "New Songs" the Lord promised to give in the Psalms, with the older songs of the previous generations must be the goal. Each generation seems to need to express their love, feeling and faith in Christ in the style of music of their generation. Yes, tension is part of the transition. I believe we who are gray must "listen" as Isaac's dad did. We have opportunity for guidance and mentoring when we do. We lose the opportunity for such when we are just into what we want and need.

I love the church don't you? Thanks for stopping by.