WE’VE FORGOTTEN FANNY CROSBY

Do you recognize these?

A Charge to Keep l Have                1762       (10)                        A Mighty Fortress            1529       (19)

All Hail the Power                            1779       (9)                        Amazing Grace                  1779       (9)

And Can It Be                                     1738       (10)                   At Calvary                            1895       (4)

Be Thou My Vision                           1905       (4)                       Blessed Assurance           1900       (4)

Christ the Lord Has Risen Today 1738       (10)                          Come Thou Fount            1758       (10)

Crown Him with Many Crowns   1851       (6)                          Doxology                             1700       (12)

Fairest Lord Jesus                            1677       (13)                        Faith Is the Victory           1891       (4)

God of Our Fathers                         1876       (5)                         Go Tell It                              1907       (4)

He Leadeth Me                                 1862       (6)                       He Lives                               1933       (3)

Higher Ground                                  1898       (4)                       Holy, Holy, Holy                1827       (7)

How Firm A Foundation                1787       (9)                          I Am Thine O Lord            1875       (5)

I Sing the Mighty Power of God 1715       (11)                           I’ve Got Peace                  

Jesus Saves                                         1900       (4)                      Joyful, Joyful                      1911       (4)

Just As I Am                                        1820       (7)                     Leaning On                          1887       (4)

Nothing But the Blood                   1876       (5)                          Rock of Ages                      1776       ((9)

 

These hymns are just a small sample of songs and hymns of the Christian faith that have stirred the hearts of souls over the decades and even centuries.  The dates that follow the titles are the approximate dates they first were published.  The next number is the numbers of generations that have sung these classics until the year 2000.

You will notice that these are victorious, inspiring, joyful, majestic, triumphant, uplifting, and edifying.  People have been transformed by these songs and hymns for centuries, but we are in danger of seeing such music cancelled, forgotten, and erased.  Such music has been preserved by the church for generations, but now the current church has put these masterpieces aside.  Many in our churches don’t even recognize the classics.   Somewhere around the turn of the millennium, music of faith took a turn.  Hymnals with the classics were put on a shelf.  That included music written for the special days of the church calendar.  As you can see from the list, much of the greatest music ever written has been preserved for many generations.  But now it is in danger of disappearing.  Why?  Why are we cancelling that which has proven so meaningful?

 Part of the reason is that faith music is in a change mode.  The instruments are changing.  Hymnals are gone.  The congregation is not participating.  What we see now is primarily a small “worship team” doing a performance for the congregation. Why are these changes taking place?  Here are some observations.

As a society, we are less musically inclined. Financial concerns have caused many schools to cut back on teaching music.  Music used to be just as much of the curriculum as math, history, etc..  Not anymore.  Students used to be expected to at least learn how to read music, carry a tune, and appreciate the classics.  We were encouraged to join a musical group and learn to play at least one instrument.  Church congregations were more like a choir than spectators.  With the decline in the public’s acumen for music has come the decline in music of faith.  The glorious compositions that filled our sanctuaries with sounds and lyrics that lifted us to spiritual heights have become choruses accompanied by a guitar, drums, and a keyboard.  To be sure, there are some good choruses that are being produced and some very talented worship leaders.  I have also observed the current fare of choruses tend to be morose and shallow in comparison with what we had before the turn of the millennium.

Another factor has been the trend to make worship casual.  The music has become casual as well.  Worship has become nothing special.  The intent was to make everyone feel at ease and be non-threatening.  That’s fine except worship is special.  Biblically, worship is always a special event.  Worship is when we encounter God.  We praise Him, lift Him up high and holy. We listen for His Truth. We commit to follow His Word.  We join with others to adore Him.

The purpose of music of faith is changing.  As a pastor for many decades, I told the worship leaders that worship music set the table for the Word of God that was to follow.  Worship music was to stimulate the congregation’s appetite for what God’s Word had for them that day.  I made it clear that music was critical to the worship service.  It was very important to the event.  Worship is something we participate in; it is not just something we observe.  During the spiritual revival led by John and Charles Wesley, hymns were used as a means of discipleship.  Literacy was low, so Charles wrote thousands of hymns filled with Christian doctrine and put it to music of the day.  The congregations learned the great truths of Scripture by repeatedly singing lyrics filled with core beliefs. A few times in the last few years, I have been successful in convincing a worship team to lead the congregation in a classic hymn.  The results have been astounding.  The people began to sing along enthusiastically and loudly.  Soon, they were clapping and moving their feet with the music.  People clapped at the end and sat down sweating and smiling…ready to hear what God had to share with them. Music is vital!

Music of faith has always been cultural.  Various people groups produce their own style of music of faith.  The Jesus Revolution of the 70’s produced a whole new style.  Southern Gospel delights many.  Spirituals have inspired many for generations.  Fanny Crosby wrote enough songs to have her own hymnal.  European composers had great skills that still stir us today.  Previous generations have preserved for us these great classics, and we can’t allow them to be cancelled or forgotten.  They need to be worked into our worship services with regularity and we all will be better for it.