Our friend from the Church of the Brethren, Craig Alan Myers, calls our attention through his “Dunker Journal” blog to a movement among contemporary churches to return to the use of hymns, piano/organ accompaniment, choirs, and more. Here is a short excerpt–to read the entire article from the Dallas Morning News click here:
A funny thing happened last summer at Lake Pointe Church in Rockwall. A shipment of hymn books arrived, and not by mistake.
Lake Pointe is a megachurch with contemporary-style worship. Years back, it dissolved its choir and got rid of its hymnals in favor of Christian “praise” music, played by a rock band,with lyrics flashed on big screens.
That style still dominates at Lake Pointe. But in August, sensing demand, the church debuted its “Classic Service,” an early Sunday morning alternative service with choir, piano, organ and lots of congregational singing – out of those shiny new hymnals.
The first Sunday, Pastor Steve Stroope and his staff prepared a room for 200. Nearly twice that many came, forcing a move the next week to the church gym. A second batch of hymnals was ordered. The service now regularly draws 300 to 350, with chairs covering the basketball court.
“We’ve scratched an itch,” Mr. Stroope said.
Call it a counter-reformation, or a rear guard action in the worship wars. But more and more churches that cast their lot with contemporary worship are beginning to innovate through tradition, giving folks some old-time religion – especially hymns.