Introduction to My New Blog; Hymns That Preach

I am the song leader in my church. I am not very proficient as a musician or a choral director. One of these days, I pray God will send someone more capable, to take this ministry from me. But for the time being it is my responsibility to select the music and lead the congregation in the singing every week.

I take that responsibility seriously. The hymns and songs that I select must be doctrinally sound, they must be appropriate for worship with a God-centered worldview, and I try to select music that will reinforce and, support the text and subject of my pastor’s messages.

Some of us have been singing these great hymns for years; the words roll off our lips but the messages often don't engage our minds or penetrate our hearts. With the apostle Paul, I want the congregation to "sing with understanding."

So for the past couple years, it has been my practice to select one hymn each week, research it, and then highlight it with a short introductory commentary so that the congregation will be more informed regarding its origin, the author's testimony, or the doctrinal significance of the hymns we sing.

Today I have launched a new Blog, "Hymns that Preach."  At the top of this blog, is a page tab that will link directly to the new blog.  It is my intention, there, to archive these commentaries and make them freely available to other church song leaders.  I know that some of the comments contain a little of my edgy style, but please feel free to adapt them or use them any way you can for the edification of your congregation and to the glory of God.