The Top 27 Hymns: Why Don’t Evangelicals Know Them Well?

Zac HicksHistory of Worship and Church Music, Worship Theology & Thought5 Comments

HUGE CORRECTION TO MAKE, thanks to the helpful comment by Eric below.  Thank you, Eric.  My original title read, “The Top 27 Hymns and Why None of them Appear in a Current Major Evangelical Hymnal.”  I totally mis-read and mis-understood the chart with reference to the four evangelical hymnals surveyed.  I took the dots for blanks when they were quite the opposite!  Forgive me!  I’ve edited the below post to reflect those changes.  Ironically (and sadly), all my probing questions … Read More

Great Critique of the Crowder Worship Conference

Zac HicksHistory of Worship and Church Music, Worship Theology & Thought1 Comment

In his Christianity Today article, arts pastor W. David O. Taylor shares his insights from his time as a presenter and participator in Crowder’s Fantastical Church Music Conference.  (I keep posting about this conference because I believe it’s a significant marker in modern church music history.) Here’s some dialogue with a few quotes from the article: You know you are at a worship conference sponsored by David Crowder when a fog machine kicks in and gobo lights wash the stage … Read More

“Overcome” is a Great Modern Worship Song

Zac HicksHistory of Worship and Church Music, Worship Resources, Worship Theology & Thought1 Comment

Then I heard a loud voice in heaven say:“Now have come the salvation and the power and the kingdom of our God, and the authority of his Christ.For the accuser of our brothers, who accuses them before our God day and night, has been hurled down.They overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony;they did not love their lives so much as to shrink from death.”(Revelation 12:10-11 [NIV])   A few weeks ago, … Read More

Crowder and the Hymns Movement Converge

Zac HicksConvergence of Old and New in Worship, History of Worship and Church Music, Hymns Movement News & Reviews, Worship Theology & Thought2 Comments

The David Crowder Band is hosting a Church Music Conference at Baylor University in Waco, TX, September 30-October 2.  This is exciting on many levels.  I’m pumped to see the name of a Friday breakout workshop: “A New Old Vision for Worship – Liturgical Spirituality for Post-Modern-Semi-Reformed-Hipsters.” Here’s what is truely exciting: more signs of the subversive growth of influence of the hymns movement are on the horizon.  The David Crowder Band (for those who didn’t know) is THE name … Read More

The Higher the Liturgy, the More Scripture is Heard

Zac HicksHistory of Worship and Church Music, Worship Theology & Thought2 Comments

Yesterday’s post, “The Higher the Liturgy, the Lower the Preaching” was made as a generalization based on D. Martyn Lloyd-Jones’ observations of England 40 years ago and of mine in the present.  Dissenting commenters made a good point, however…which I don’t believe is in contradiction with yesterday’s observation.  Their comments can be summarized in an experience relayed to me by Don Sweeting–former pastoral mentor and colleague, and now President of Reformed Theological Seminary in Orlando. Don took a much needed … Read More

Young Attracted to Old in Worship

Zac HicksConvergence of Old and New in Worship, History of Worship and Church Music, Worship Style, Worship Theology & Thought2 Comments

Check out this article on worship I recently wrote for the Layman online.  It briefly discusses the resurgence of interest among evangelicals in ancient worship practices, liturgy, old hymns, historical connection, and theological depth.  An excerpt: “Some have said that the recent fascination with returning to ancient worship tools and practices is a reaction to the historical rootlessness of our postmodern age. Others have said that current interest in liturgy and old hymns by churches’ younger generations is a result … Read More

Wesley’s Words to the Free-Spirited Singer in the Congregation

Zac HicksHistory of Worship and Church Music, Worship Leading Tips, Worship Theology & ThoughtLeave a Comment

This is the third installment on a series of posts exploring John Wesley’s Rules for Singing. Reflections on Rule #1Reflections on Rule #2 3. Sing modestly. Do not bawl, as to be heard above, or distinct from, the rest of the congregation, that you may not destroy the harmony; but strive to unite your voices together, so as to make one clear melodious sound. Just as rule #2 was an expansion of rule #1, so this rule is a check … Read More

Worship as a Cross to Bear: John Wesley’s Anti-Consumeristic Approach

Zac HicksCulture, History of Worship and Church Music, Worship Leading Tips, Worship Theology & Thought7 Comments

The following is part of a series of blog posts dedicated to exploring John Wesley’s Rules for Singing. 1. Sing all. See that you join with the congregation as frequently as you can. Let not a slight degree of weakness or weariness hinder you. If it is a cross to you, take it up and you will find a blessing. For every Sunday that I have led worship; for every special event where I have led congregational singing, there is … Read More

John Wesley’s Rules for Singing

Zac HicksHistory of Worship and Church Music, Worship Theology & ThoughtLeave a Comment

Perhaps many have seen this.  It has circulated far across the world wide web.  I find it fascinating how relevant Wesley’s points are today.  These rules for singing used to be a mainstay in Methodist/Wesleyan hymnals.  I’ve printed them in our worship bulletins, and they’ve elicited interesting responses.  Here they are: 1. Sing all. See that you join with the congregation as frequently as you can. Let not a slight degree of weakness or weariness hinder you. If it is … Read More

How Great Thou Art is NOT an Old Hymn

Zac HicksHistory of Worship and Church Music, Worship Theology & ThoughtLeave a Comment

I’m currently reading T. David Gordon’s, Why Johnny Can’t Sing Hymns (Phillipsburg, P&R, 2010).  A full review will be coming, Lord-willing, in which I disagree with the premise and many of the arguments.  But there are still important insights he’s making, and perhaps I’ll share them along the way.  This particular diatribe sounded strikingly similar to a post of my own (“The Same Old List: Evangelicals and Our So-Called ‘Old Hymns’”), only it was written with more brevity and clarity: … Read More