An Idiot's Guide to Finding Good Hymns
A while back Kyle asked in the comments section:
I'd love to see some posts from y'all about how/where you search for or come across new music for congregational singing. I remember Mark seeming to have an endless supply of great hymns I'd never heard of. Reveal your secrets!
Well, I'll jump in and give some advice. But first, a caveat: I am completely illiterate when it comes to music. Music and chemistry were the two subjects in school where my brain simply decided it wasn't going happen. Countless times people have tried to explain to me what a chord is or what is meant by a key. It's just not something my brain wants to understand. All of which is to say, be encouraged... you can't be dumber than me when it comes to music.
Here are things that I have found useful when it comes to finding new songs (or old ones that you don't know):
1. Ask other pastors. This might seem obvious, but there is a treasure trove out there. If you have relationships with other pastors, pick their brains. I try to have lunch or coffee with another pastor at least once a week, and I try to remember to ask them to give me a song that I don't know but that they love at their church.
2. Ask new people in your church. Find out if there were any great songs that they sang in their old church that might be helpful.
3. Keep an eye out as you read. Lots of authors (Packer, Grudem, Piper...) quote old hymns in their writings. Make a note, look them up, and sing them!
4. Collect hymnals. I use The Trinity Hymnal, The Baptist Hymnal (1991), and Praise! most often. It can be helpful to search them using Scripture references or look for certain authors. You'll find gems that you never knew.
5. Other good resources:
a. Sovereign Grace Music -- Lots of great theological content in a contemporary style. We use songs from "Valley of Vision" a lot and are learning ones from the new "Psalms" CD.
b. RUF Hymnbook -- Awesome old hymns with updated tunes. This is a great resource because there are so many old hymns with rich, Christ-exalting words and terrible tunes. My favorites are: "The Love of Christ is Rich and Free", "The Sands of Time Are Sinking", "Jesus I Come", and "Sometimes a Light Surprises".
c. Reformed Praise -- Good site with lots of resources. I particularly like "O God the Holy Spirit".
d. CyberHymnal -- Tons and tons of hymns. You can listen to tunes, see alternate tunes, search by topic or Scripture.
I'm sure there are a million other resources out there, but those are the ones that I use!
I would also suggest Red Mountain Music (http://www.redmountainchurch.org/rmm/) They use alot from the Gadsby hymnal and much is good for more "contemporary" congregational singing.
Posted by: Chad | Aug 22, 2008 2:58:46 PM
www.gettydirect.com is Keith Getty's website. Keith is a leading writer in the best of modern hymns - IN Christ Alone; The Power of the Cross...
Posted by: Alan Wilson | Aug 22, 2008 3:18:22 PM
I whole-heartedly second Red Mountain Music, along with Indelible Grace, both of which have their roots in RUF, (Reformed University Fellowship)...if I'm not mistaken.
Posted by: Terry B | Aug 23, 2008 5:22:26 AM
Also, Sovereign Grace's most recent project, "Come Weary Saints" has a new favorite hymn, It is not Death to Die. Bob Kauflin wrote this based on an old hymn by Henri Malan (1787-1864).
http://www.worshipmatters.com/2008/01/it-is-not-death-to-die/
Posted by: Terry B | Aug 23, 2008 5:32:59 AM
I second... err... third the Red Mountain Music suggestion.
Posted by: Rae Whitlock | Aug 23, 2008 7:40:25 AM
Don't forget there's about 150 in the middle of your bible too ;-)
http://tollelege.wordpress.com/2007/08/13/what-can-miserable-christians-sing-by-carl-r-trueman/
http://www.sovereigngracemusic.org/albums/category/sovereign_grace_music/psalms
Posted by: Stephen Wylie-Young | Aug 25, 2008 3:29:07 AM
I don't know if this will be helpful to anyone or not, but I have found that there are a lot of old hymns in our church hymnals which I simply do not know. So I have taken out some of the dusty, old hymnals from the back closets at the church and have begin reading the hymn # which corresponds to today's date during my quiet time. In other words, on August 25th, I started with Hymn # 25. Then I progress through the hymnal reading each 30th hymn from my staring point (i.e. Hymn # 25, then # 55, then # 85, etc...) Why 30? I don't know. My point is that this has forced me to get to know our hymnal better and it has exposed me to a lot of old hymns which I never heard before.
Now implementing these old hymns into corporate worship is another story...
Posted by: Dan Lowe | Aug 25, 2008 2:06:49 PM
When I served as a worship leader in VA (as I had been taught in a Reformed Baptist Church), we worked very hard to coordinate atleast one hymn or praise song and a scripture reading (responsive or read to the congregation)to correspond with the Sermon for the day. Most hymnals have a concordance with scripture basis and theological themes. The Cyberhymnal also has these features.
Though a few "powers that be" thought it was useless, the rank and file frequently remembered the sermon and the song as linked together. Isn't that one of the reasons for singing in the service? 1) Worship God, 2) Exhort each other, 3) Teach scripture and doctrine to each other. Of course many just want what they heard growing up or what makes the hair stand up on the back of their neck.
In Christ Alone,
Greg
Posted by: Greg Bailey | Aug 27, 2008 2:22:13 PM
Another good resource is the Book of Psalms for Singing; currently available from Crown and Covenant Publications (ISBN:1-884527-00-0). Singing the Psalms has been a tremendous blessing to our family. Few things are better than hearing my children singing a Psalm while they play. The 150 Psalms used to be the standard material for church singing; how did we loose them?
Posted by: Keegan O'Bannon | Mar 4, 2009 8:43:40 PM