If you page through any hymnal, you will see dates credited to them that range nearly 400 years, with authors from Isaac Watts to Fanny Crosby to Charles Wesley to Bill Gaither. There are contemporary songwriters who are writing today what I think are also very good hymns. They may simply be performed in the more complex style of intro, verse, chorus, pre-bridge, chorus, bridge, verse, chorus, outro, etc.
So what makes for a good hymn, anyway? To me there are four components:
- A memorable melody
- A simple repeating style (verse, chorus, verse, chorus...)
- Good theology in the lyrics
- Sentiment that touches your heart
These features make it easier to tuck that song away in mind and heart and bring it out from time to time so that you can "make melody in your heart to the Lord"during the day, as the Apostle Paul recommends in Ephesians 5:18-20.
Lately, when I have had occasion to lead worship in our church's "traditional service", I have brought to the congregation some of these newer hymns, written within the last 20 years, to alert my contemporaries that there is good, God-honoring worship music being composed today that could be added to a hymn-forward worship service. Hopefully, they will be. In most cases, they are easily adaptable to a historical hymn style, by using simple piano accompaniment and eliminating bridges, pre-bridges and other features that mark songs as contemporary in style. Here's a few examples:
How Deep The Father's Love For Us
Christ Be Magnified
Yet Not I, But Through Christ in Me
Shout to the Lord
In Christ Alone
O Praise the Name
Hymn of Heaven
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