Without question, music will remain a "hot button" topic in our church. I found myself wishing that the issue of worship, rather than the personal preference of the writer, had been addressed.
As a worship leader in a small church and one who has grown up singing from the hymnal, I have observed and experienced worship taking place to a much wider extent when using contemporary songs. The congregation is engaged in the experience, they understand what they are singing about, and they are brought more intimately into God's presence-the point of true worship.
Perhaps, using the Winter Olympics as an example, it's time to award two gold medals. With unbiased judging we can find songs in both the Seventh-day Adventist Hymnal and the contemporary arena that allow us to give our hearts to God and truly know Him better.
So many of the worship songs used in church seem like spiritual whipped topping: they're tasty, but there's not much in the way of nutrition.
In contrast, hymns are like a nourishing spread of fruit and vegetables. It may take a bit more preparation and more chewing to get the benefit-a little more thought and effort to extract the meaning of the hymn-but the result is increased vitality and spiritual health.
I want my children to have those nourishing hymns imprinted on their minds, so that in times of famine-when they're tempted, tried, lost, or lonely-the comforting words can speak to their hearts.
Karen Ekkens
San Jose, California
In fairness to Bill Knott in his editorial about hymns versus praise music, I assume he wanted to open a dialogue rather than simply state a fact. He briefly mentioned that he does not lump all music in either category as good or bad. Still, in the end he was decidedly on the side of hymns.
I can't help feeling a profound difference between the church that slowly stumbles through verse after verse of hymn-style worship and the one in which people who have never heard a song can pick it up in joyful harmony by the second verse.
Perhaps we should not draw a line so much between hymns and praise music as between high-quality music and low-quality music.
After all, I'd hate to lose Handel's repetitive "little ditty" that repeats the word "Hallelujah" over and over.
Jeff Scoggins
Moscow, Russia
Don't we believe that God can be adored and can speak to us through any medium, in any location? Discussions about worship should stress sincerity over form.
Music history reveals that controversy always accompanies stylistic change. Some of today's most revered hymns were the controversial praise songs of yesterday. Sacred poems linked with popular secular tunes were created to bring God to the masses. Despite conventional wisdom, hymns are not all majestic, and modern songs are not all sentimental choruses.
We have worshiped God in the grandest cathedrals and in the simplest country churches. We have been moved by majestic a capella choirs and simple gospel solos. We have sung multiversed praise songs and simple hymns with equal sincerity from battered old hymnals and from Power-Point projections. We have honored God with Martin Luther's "A Mighty Fortress," and Delirious's "Awaken the Dawn."
God created us adaptable. God is not a one-size-fits-all God. He is both the majestic Creator and the personal Savior. He packages His message to reach people in whichever century or culture they live. We put God in a box when we try to limit Him to any one style of worship or music. Sincere worship has persisted through the controversies of human opinion.
Anita Jones Horner,
Edward Sammons,
Shana Horner
Lancaster, California
As an old church organist (both in age and experience), I agree with Bill Knott's statements.
Our wonderful God certainly deserves the best of our offerings to Him-whether it's a sacrificial gift of money, or service, or our humble best returned to Him in worship services. Ellen White wrote: "Music was made to serve a holy purpose, to lift the thoughts to that which is pure, noble, and elevating, and to awaken in the soul devotion and gratitude to God" (Patriarchs and Prophets, p. 594).
There is a time and place for everything, and divine worship needs to portray the very best available in inspirational music, which has taken us through the dark valleys and will sustain us in the days ahead.
Shallow, sentimental music has a place, but certainly not when we assemble to worship and adore the King of the universe. To quote Mrs. White again: "Music forms a part of God's worship in the courts above, and we should endeavor" "to approach as nearly as possible to the harmony of the heavenly choirs" (ibid.).
Ruth Thompson Van Zant
Alamosa, Colorado
I was astounded to read what Bill Knott had to say about praise and worship songs. I don't find these songs shallow or cheapening. They happen to portray the feelings of many Adventist youth.
Not only that, simple words can be more effective than complex ones. Repetitive lines are easily embedded in one's mind.
I'm not saying that hymns are bad. We should sing both hymns and praise songs when we worship. Keep in mind that no words will be able to capture the pure love and wondrous works of our God.
We must also remember that even a joyful noise is music to the Lord.
Denise Neuin
Louisville, Kentucky
Bill Knott's editorial is superb!
Finally someone with the courage, understanding, and verbal skills to do so has taken a stand about the shallow, repetitive ditties that are currently replacing the great hymns of the church.
It is a spiritual tragedy that so many of the younger folk are growing up not having really learned this depth of worship, a spirituality exalting combination of great poetry, building stanza by stanza, and music fit to present as a tribute to the King of the universe.
Betty Kennedy Skeels
Myrtle Creek, Oregon
I'm 18 years of age, and I grew up in the church. Music is one of my favorite forms of worship. Praise songs touch me in a way that some hymns never could, because they speak the very things that are on my heart.
Though many praise songs are short, sometimes that's all that needs to be said. This doesn't make them shallow. Each song touches a different place in our hearts and souls.
This seems to be a difficult concept for some of the older generation to understand, and for that I am sorry. There are many hymns that touch me the way praise songs do.
If God made humans so diverse, why should we be bound to one form of praise?
Cassandra Kent
Portland, Tennessee
I agree wholeheartedly with Bill Knott that our songs of praise-both to God and about God-should be filled with meaning. At the same time I'd point out that the words to our songs should be meaningful to those who are singing.
Recently I decided it might be a good idea to transcribe the words to all the songs in The Seventh-day Adventist Hymnal so that I can use them in PowerPoint slides whenever needed. Along the way I've begun to wonder if it isn't time to replace our 17-year-old hymnal, because so many songs in it are relevant to a long-dead generation and its set of experiences.
For example, "Faith of Our Fathers" is a hymn I grew up singing. But how many do we know who have faced "dungeon, fire, and sword?" I haven't. So for me, the song has become a relic of antiquity.
A browse through the music CDs at any Christian bookstore will introduce a person to the large and growing body of absolutely beautiful worship and praise music that speaks to current issues and experiences.
William Noel
Madison, Alabama
I am tired of the ongoing controversy and defense of one music style as opposed to another.
The music of each generation has meaning to those whose time it reflects. We should be careful not to hold one's own generation or music style as the only one that has meaning.
I will always love many of the old "traditional" hymns. But it's interesting that some of the "new" hymns of my youth are now referred to as the "old" traditional ones.
Let's stop condemning different or unfamiliar music styles, and discover understanding and meaning in a variety of hymns. We will not all relate to the same thing, but having a different preference does not make one right or wrong-just different. If our intent is to worship and honor the Holy Spirit, however we come to God is acceptable.
Patricia Templin
Redmond, Washington
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his is a beautiful tribute to the hymn writers of the past, present, and future, and to the treasure-house of hymns that is our Christian heritage.
