I have heard a number of people say that they miss the old hymns that used to be sung years ago in Evangelical churches. I grew up singing the hymns in church, but as I got older, slowly they were replaced by more contemporary songs and choruses.
It is not that I do not like these new contemporary songs, but the hymns were truly inspired songs. I also think that the new choruses being sung today are also inspired, but I think that the Evangelical churches did not have to do away with the hymns completely.
I attend a non-denominational church in which the singing is very contemporary. I do enjoy from time to time when they add an old hymn into the worship service. It is sung with more a contemporary style than the old style of just the piano and organ in the background. A few years back, I attended an Assemblies of God church and they also added a hymn to the worship service about once a month. It is very refreshing to hear. There is something about the old hymns that will never die out.
My grandmother lives with us and every Sunday night she likes to watch a church service on television. This church only sings the old traditional hymns. I actually enjoy listening to them because I grew up with them and we hardly sing these songs anymore. They bring back great memories and they have such meaning to me. I actually wish that they would be included more in the worship services today in churches.
So, why did all these contemporary choruses replace the old hymns? First of all, music today is different from years ago and songs and styles do change over time. The hymns do not need to be sung like they were years ago. They used to be sung slowly and the song leader would drag the words. Today, if they are included in a worship service, they are sung more with a contemporary style which is very refreshing and uplifting.
As more people became followers of Christ, they brought their instruments into the church like keyboards, drums and guitars. These replaced the piano and organ in Evangelical churches. Contemporary choruses and songs started to be written and these circulated throughout the churches and they slowly replaced the hymns.
As much as I love these new songs, I also adore the old time hymns. There are too many to name but I have a whole list of ones that I love. Today’s generation of church goers, especially the teenagers and young adults, are not familiar with the hymns because churches stopped singing them years ago. Contemporary songs come and go, but the hymns will never die out. That is why I cherish to hear them being sung on a Sunday night on television. My grandmother also loves to watch the Gaither Homecomings and they still sing a lot of the old hymns. Whenever I can I try to catch even a few minutes of the singing. That’s how much I love the old hymns.