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Tuesday 21 July 2015

Vintage Worship: The Glory of Historic Hymns

Here's another great post from Matt Boswell.  I think he makes some good points that the wider church needs to hear.   

I love old hymns. I keep a stack of hymnals on my nightstand, and have an ever-growing collection in my library. I cut my teeth on Charles Wesley and John Rippon. I hope to write academically on the pastoral theology of hymns. I even have a dog named Watts.
While I certainly don’t think that historic hymns are the only thing we should sing in corporate worship, I am concerned that omitting older hymns in our gatherings silences the rich voices of church history. Some churches seem uninterested in any song that is more than two years old, much less two hundred years. Yes, the church will continue to write and sing new songs (Psalm 96:1), but it is also good and helpful for us to sing old songs.

What’s New Is Not Always Best
When I mention historic hymns, maybe you cringe as you recall a “worship war” in your local church. Maybe you’re eager to only sing the old hymns. Or maybe you wonder why it is important at all. My aim is not to renew local church disputes or bolster mere sentimentality, but to commend something else altogether — to encourage younger churches to remember their history by joining with the countless men and women who have shared these songs over hundreds of years.
Our society is fixated on what’s new and what’s next, but hymns remind us that what’s next is not always what’s best. Singing the historic hymns of our faith reminds our congregations that we are not the first generation who have wrestled and prayed, asked and believed. We are not the first to write hymns of praise to God. We walk gladly in the footsteps of our fathers who have written praises to Christ that have stood the test of time.
With a steady diet of merely new choruses, we can develop both modern idolatry and historical amnesia. Perhaps we should adopt this paraphrase of C.S. Lewis?Sing at least one old hymn to every three new ones.
Praise God from whom all blessings flow,
Praise him all creatures here below,
Praise him above ye heavenly hosts,
Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost.
–Thomas Ken, 1674

Hymns Teach Us
Hymns are portable sermons that articulate, exegete, and pronounce biblical truths. They shape the way we view God, man, Christ, and how we are to live in light of the gospel. The truths they communicate preach to us throughout the week following the style of Deuteronomy 6 — at home and away, when lying down and waking. As R.W. Dale famously said, “Let me write the hymns of the church and I care not who writes the theology.”
Singing is a form of teaching that uses poetry to open to us the word of God. When Isaac Watts published Psalms, Hymns, and Spiritual Songs, his intention was not to sing Scripture line by line, but to create poetic and emotive renditions of Scripture that enabled the church to sing the truths of Scripture.
Singing for the Christian is formative and responsive, and therefore must be informed by Scripture. We learn what we sing.
The Church’s one foundation
Is Jesus Christ her Lord,
She is His new creation
By water and the Word.
From heaven He came and sought her
To be His holy bride;
With His own blood He bought her
And for her life He died.
–Samuel Stone, 1886

Hymns Admonish Us
Throughout the week, other things call for our praise, attention, and affection. Singing hymns of God’s character reminds us of his greatness. Singing hymns of our sin reminds us of the role of confession. By singing hymns of the atonement, we remind one another of the efficacy of the work of Jesus. Hymns of consecration remind us of the dependence of the Christian upon the steadfast grace of God.
We sing to admonish the weak and weary that their salvation is in God. We sing to admonish the doubting to believe and be renewed. We sing to admonish the suffering that they have a hope that is unwavering.
Begone unbelief, my Savior is near,
And for my relief will surely appear:
By prayer let me wrestle, and He wilt perform,
With Christ in the vessel, I smile at the storm.
–John Newton, 1779

Hymns Inspire Worship
We should choose historic hymns that provoke thankful hearts. The aim of singing hymns is engaging both the head and the heart. Just as we read and meditate on the Scriptures to see and worship God, so we choose songs that teach robust theological truth that cause our hearts to erupt with praise. The chief end of theology is doxology.
In choosing historic hymns for corporate worship, we should choose those that make our hearts sing. From the content of the lyric, to the movement of the melody, we want beauty and transcendence to come together and serve the people of God. In our pursuit of theological precision, we must not neglect the pursuit of heartfelt response.
A church’s hymn-singing — whether old or new — is not simply an opening act for the sermon. It is not obligatory filler-time to warm up a congregation. Singing is a holy practice. We sing because God has commanded us, and our songs should fill our hearts with thankfulness and delight in God.
That word above all earthly powers, no thanks to them, abideth;
The Spirit and the gifts are ours through Him Who with us sideth:
Let goods and kindred go, this mortal life also;
The body they may kill: God’s truth abideth still,
His kingdom is forever.
–Martin Luther, 1529

The New in the Old
Surely the hymns recorded for us in Scripture are meant for our singing today. In these songs of praise and prayer, contrition and confession, we see the breadth and inclusiveness of the hymns the church has sung for ages.
Regardless of the median age or church experience of a congregation, when I lead in worship by singing these historic hymns together, a sense of identity and reverence seems to rest upon the people. These songs unite the body of Christ as they have for generations, joining the youngest and oldest of our congregation and everyone in between, as they consider and hope in the same truths of God and his grace.
Our God, our help in ages past,
Our hope for years to come,
Our shelter from the stormy blast,
And our eternal home.
–Isaac Watts, 1719



Thursday 9 July 2015

Holiday Reading

Holiday Reading

At LBC we try and rest as a church, during August.  It’s not about going on holiday but about being in a healthy rhythm where we slow down, stopping some regular activities in order to gain space to remember God and his grace shown towards us in Christ.  It’s the Sabbath principle.  One of the ways we can make good use of that time is to read a decent Christian book that will strengthen and encourage us in our faith.

It’s worth remembering that Christianity is a book oriented faith; God has revealed himself in a book, the Bible, and Spirit filled teachers have written other books to help us understand it.  So whether we love reading or struggle with it, it’s important to persevere and try, with God’s help, to receive the blessings that he wants to make available through books. 

“I do not remember 99% of what I read but if the 1% I do remember is a life-changing insight, then I do not begrudge the 99%” John Piper

I’m going to make some suggestions of books that I would recommend to you as your Pastor.  They are books that, if read humbly and carefully, will be helpful to you as you seek to live a fruitful life for Christ.   If you were to read just one of these every six months, perhaps painfully slowly, you would be extremely well served.   In 5 years you could have read 10 excellent books which would strengthen you hugely but would also impact those around you. 

So in no particular order my recommendations:

Knowing God by Jim Packer.     
A true spiritual classic that will open your eyes to the amazing God we celebrate.  If your understanding of who God is and what he is done is thin your worship will be thin too.  This book will help you to grow in you r worship of and love for God.  It was written in 1973 and it will still be being read in another 40 years and beyond. 

Enjoy Your Prayer Life by Michael Reeves. 
At just 48 pages this short book wonderfully conveys what prayer is really all about.  It’s super encouraging and makes you want to pray. 

You Can Change by Tim Chester.  
This is book shows you how the gospel – not trying hard, doing more, learning more or getting special prayer ministry – can change our actions and attitudes.   This is old-time “reformed theology” written for the nitty gritty reality of 21st century life.  

The Me I Want to Be by John Ortberg.  
I read this “by accident” on holiday last year and loved it.   How can we be the best version of ourselves, the one that looks like Jesus, the one that is flourishing and not languishing?  Deep, profound and at times laugh-out-loud funny.  A book you will want to go slowly through.  

Anything by Tim Keller.  
Literally anything - I bet even his shopping lists will lead you closer to Christ!  As far as I know Keller didn’t write anything for the first 30 years of his ministry but now when he’s a seasoned pastor and evangelist it feels like he’s writing a book a month.  
The Reason for God       How to explain Christianity to a sceptical world.
Kings Cross                     A journey through Mark’s gospel.  The thing you’ll say the most: “Why had I never noticed that….I want to tell my non-Christian friend
The Prodigal God              The teaching he gives here changed my life and ministry for ever about 10 years ago.   There are two ways of being lost…
Counterfeit Gods                Unbelievably helpful stuff about what we trust in other than Christ, why it fails to deliver and how it hurts us.  He then shows how Jesus will always be sufficient and better than anything else that calls for our allegiance.   
 Prayer                              This is on my pile of books to be read.  I cannot wait!

Honest Evangelism, Rico Tice    
I keep meeting people who have read this book and rave about it, I’ve read extracts and reviews but I need to read it and soon!  I need to be stirred to share my faith in only the way Rico Tice can do it.  

Compared to Her by Sophie de Wit
I’ve not read this but it sounds great.   I’ve read another of her books and she’s got a great style.  Here’s the blurb:    "I am a recovering Compulsive Comparison Syndrome sufferer. It causes me to feel envy, despair, pride and superiority. It cuts away at my relationship with God, with my loved ones, and with myself. It has promised me contentment, and yet robbed me of it.  This book is about how to spot this syndrome and its effects in your life; the view of life that causes it; how the gospel treats it; and how you can move beyond it to live a life of true, lasting contentment.”

Is God Anti Gay by Sam Allberry
I’d like everyone to read this.  It’s a short book that addresses the issue of same sex attraction, what God thinks and how Christians should respond.  It’s not the last word but it is super helpful for those who want to live under the authority of Scripture and truly love others.  

The Art of Pastoring by David Hansen
Ever wondered what a Pastor is for?  For many years I wasn’t sure and I was one!  This book is a gift to Pastors who don’t want to sell out to the “pastor as CEO” spirit of the age and it’s a gift to those who they serve. 

A Resilient Life by Gordon MacDonald.  
A wonderfully encouraging book about how to walk with Christ over the long haul and finish strong.   

More by Simon Ponsonby.  
This book was the excellent basis for a Sunday evening sermon series looking at the person and work of the Holy Spirit.   How can we have more of the Spirit when we already have everything in Christ?   Mining the Cross without undermining it!

Living the Cross Centred Life by CJ Mahaney.
I’ve recommended this little book before.   Read a chapter a day and see what God does in your heart.  It’s wonderful!

I think I’ll leave it there for now!    Most of these you will be able to pick up second hand from Amazon for £3-£5.

I really hope that these books will help you as you seek to live well for Christ.