MESSENGER - Evangelical Mennonite Conference

It is also hard for people to
understand if they have never
encountered this. People said that
I was just lazy, to pull up my socks,
to snap out of it, or to get closer to
God. This is not helpful.
I believe that if you have God
in your life, he knows your heart
even if it is hard to pray and the
energy to read the Bible isn’t there.
That’s when you need other people
praying.
You should not feel guilty to ask
for prayer. This is why we are part of
a Christian community.
It is our job as brothers and
sisters in Christ to hold each other
up when we need it.
God’s love
In the past two years I have
gained a better understanding of
how much God loves me. This has
helped me to cope with my depression
more positively.
God allowed me to have this
illness so that I can help other
people and to strengthen me
and my relationship with him.
A favourite verse says, “I can do
everything through him who gives
me strength” (Philippians 4:13).
In addition, ask for help. There
is hope!
“That is why, for Christ’s sake, I
delight in weaknesses, in insults, in
hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties.
For when I am weak, then I
am strong” (2 Corinthians 12:10).
Lastly and most importantly,
God is on our side.
Cheryl Braun
attends
Westpointe
Community
Church (Grande
Prairie, Alta.)
with her
husband Dave.
Worship songs are conversation—
choose the words carefully!
by Dr. Christine Longhurst
“Let me write
the songs of a
nation—I don’t
care who writes
its laws.”
A
statement attributed to 17th century Scottish politician
Andrew Fletcher about countries also applies to the Church.
Christians have long recognized music’s power to shape what
we believe about God and the life of faith.
As New Testament scholar Gordon Fee said, “Show me a church’s
songs, and I’ll show you their theology.”
Why then do we pay little attention to texts of the songs we sing?
In many congregations, far more attention is focused on a song’s musical
style than on the words.
We debate the merits of traditional hymns, gospel songs, praise
and worship music, and songs of the global church. We argue over
praise bands and organs, unison singing, and four-part harmony.
In the workshops and seminars I do, people frequently talk about
musical style. The question of the text—the words we sing—rarely
comes up.
Historically, the word “hymn” referred to a song’s words. Hymns
were poems of faith. Early hymnals resembled poetry books and rarely
included music.
Tunes were interchangeable and often used for various texts.
Placing the words of a text between the lines of music wasn’t generally
done until the late 19th century, and then primarily in North America.
(continued p. 14)
THE MESSENGER | July 2011 15
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