By Jenna Fitzgerald | Assistant Information Editor
As soon as upon a time, I had a playlist devoted solely to fashionable worship music. Fittingly entitled “sing reward,” it featured all the things from “Holy Spirit” and “Oceans” to “Reckless Love” and “O Come to the Altar.” I listened to the songs each time I may, and I memorized a lot of the lyrics inside no time.
Nevertheless it was only a part. And I’m glad it was.
Earlier than I got here to Baylor, my vocabulary had not even included names like Chris Renzema, Hillsong and Elevation Worship. I had by no means listened to fashionable worship music, not to mention witnessed the total present of hand-raising and guitar-strumming that usually accompanied it.
Evidently, my expertise as a cradle Catholic left me woefully unprepared for the tradition shock that got here with campus traditions like Chapel, Vertical and FM72.
For some time, I used to be decided to regulate to my new atmosphere, perceive Protestant religion traditions and purchase a style for the type that each different pupil appeared to like. So, I church hopped. In Waco, I visited a minimum of 10 church buildings of 5 denominations — Catholic, Baptist, Lutheran, Presbyterian and Greek Orthodox.
It was right now that I dipped my toe into the pool of recent worship music. Maybe this pool was slightly too deep, although, as a result of with each step I took, I felt like I used to be falling nearer to Earth and farther from God — like I used to be getting misplaced within the theatrics and shedding sight of who and what I used to be imagined to be singing about.
Though the intentions behind them could also be equally good, it isn’t troublesome to identify the variations between worship music and hymns. Worship music is sung by bands or artists who typically occupy a spot in popular culture. Hymns are sung by church choirs. Worship music options guitars, drums and perhaps a mildly distracting soundtrack. Hymns function a piano or an organ — maybe a trumpet on particular events. Worship music tends to sing “to” God. Hymns are likely to sing “about” God.
Our religion is a chance to transcend this world and get a glimpse of the heavenly banquet that awaits us. However to utilize this chance, we should quiet ourselves in peaceable contemplation. We should do not forget that Christians have been working towards for two,000 years, and that many conventional hymns are rooted on this wealthy, longstanding historical past. We should abandon modern frivolities that disrupt sacred celebrations.
Maybe the cliche that you just don’t admire one thing till it’s gone rings true on this matter. It took me experimenting with fashionable worship music to acknowledge I may solely discover true magnificence and communion in hymns.
Now, I’ve a playlist devoted solely to hymns. Lovingly entitled “advert majorem Dei gloriam” (“for the larger glory of God”), it jogs my memory day by day that I dwell not for myself however for the One who presents me an eternity of pleasure. I’ve realized to show to custom after I actually need to join with my faith.
No, this doesn’t imply it’s important to archive your fashionable worship music playlist or wipe Hillsong out of your reminiscence. Nonetheless, it does imply it is best to give hymns a shot, should you haven’t already.
A few of my favorites are “Let All Mortal Flesh Preserve Silence,” “Of the Father’s Love Begotten,” “Stabat Mater” and “God of Mercy and Compassion.” You might be stunned by the overwhelming peace they will convey you.
