Monday, March 09, 2009

How to Introduce Older Hymns to a Contemporary Congregation

James Grant offers some practical suggestions on how to teach a new church old hymns.

In addition to these good suggestions, another is to consider picking up some or all of the four volumes in the "Hymns for a Kid's Heart" series, by Bobbie Wolgemuth and Joni Eareckson Tada. Each book is built around 12 hymns, and contains related Scripture passages, stories, prayers, accounts of the hymn-writer's faith, guitar chords and simple piano music for each hymn, and a CD with all the hymns in children's voices and orchestra so that you can learn the music and sing along.

Hymns for a Kid's Heart: Volume 1
30-second samples
  1. Holy, Holy, Holy!
  2. A Mighty Fortress Is Our God
  3. This Is My Father’s World
  4. O for a Thousand Tongues to Sing (full song)
  5. How Firm a Foundation
  6. Amazing Grace!
  7. The Lord’s My Shepherd, I’ll Not Want
  8. Rejoice, Ye Pure in Heart
  9. Take My Life, and Let It Be
  10. America the Beautiful
  11. Our God, Our Help in Ages Past
  12. Eternal Father, Strong to Save

Hymns for a Kid's Heart: Volume 2

Sample tracks:
  1. Praise to the Lord, the Almighty
  2. Fairest Lord Jesus
  3. To God Be the Glory
  4. Trust and Obey
  5. Wonderful Words of Life
  6. Onward, Christian Soldiers
  7. When We All Get to Heaven (full song)
  8. We’re Marching to Zion
  9. Like a River Glorious
  10. God of Our Fathers
  11. Come, Ye Thankful People, Come
  12. My Country, ’Tis of Thee

Christmas Carols for a Kid's Heart: Volume 3

Sample tracks:
  1. Angels We Have Heard on High
  2. Joy to the World
  3. Hark the Herald Angels Sing
  4. O Little Town of Bethlehem
  5. The First Noël
  6. Away in a Manger
  7. While Shepherds Watched Their Flocks by Night
  8. Silent Night
  9. Once in Royal David’s City
  10. While By My Sheep
  11. God Rest You Merry Gentlemen (full song)
  12. O Come, All Ye Faithful (full song)

Passion Hymns for a Kid's Heart: Volume 4

Sample tracks:
  1. All Glory, Laud, and Honor
  2. What Can Wash Away My Sin?
  3. Man of Sorrows
  4. The Old Rugged Cross
  5. At the Cross
  6. Up from the Grave He Arose (full song)
  7. Christ the Lord Is Risen Today
  8. Thine Be the Glory
  9. I Know That My Redeemer Lives
  10. When I Survey the Wondrous Cross
  11. Crown Him with Many Crowns
  12. Hallelujah! Thine the Glory (full song)
For similar books but geared toward adults, check out the books that the Wolgemuths did with Joni Eareckson Tada and John MacArthur:
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