Arguing With a Hymn, verse 2

Back in May I posted some thoughts on a particular hymn which begs us to change one little word to make it more biblically and practically correct. See http://kudzulife.blogspot.com/2008/05/arguing-with-hymn.html if you missed that.

Well, I was enjoying our August Camp Meeting worship today and it happened again. But with a different hymn!

If you don't know Camp Meeting worship that's a throwback to a time gone by when the U.S. and Protestant churches were experiencing revival. Now it's more a hint at our history than a present reality. We still have the lively music, the evangelistic preaching, and the emphasis even if we are set in nice sanctuaries as opposed to "tents" or outdoor tabernacles. In the old days (in rural and frontier America) this was typically held after the harvest. Everyone would load up their cook stove, their food supplies, and their family on the wagon and travel to the camp meeting site. You can imagine the huge multi county event that would draw folks together who hadn't seen each other in some time. The meetings would typically last a week and have the type preaching, singing, and fellowship which would help people experience a little heaven on earth, and make it easier to make decisions for that destination. In the late 1700's and early 1800's camp meeting was a powerful spiritual event which had many social dimensions as well. The ritualized tradition continues to hold a place of prominence in the social and religious landscape even until this day in some parts of the United States.

Often in contemporary camp meetings or revivals we sing the "old" hymns, the favorites that our grandparents would have enjoyed. One of those revival type songs I've sung many times before got my attention today. Do you know "Lord I Want to Be a Christian?" It's a simple song and tune. The different repeated stanzas words are:

Lord, I want to be a Christian in my heart, in my heart,
Lord, I want to be a Christian in my heart, in my heart.
In my heart, in my heart,
Lord, I want to be a Christian in my heart, in my heart.

Lord, I want to be more loving in my heart, in my heart,
Lord, I want to be more loving in my heart, in my heart.
In my heart, in my heart,
Lord, I want to be more loving in my heart, in my heart.

Lord, I want to be more holy in my heart, in my heart,
Lord, I want to be more holy in my heart, in my heart.
In my heart, in my heart,
Lord, I want to be more holy in my heart, in my heart.

Lord, I want to be like Jesus in my heart, in my heart,
Lord, I want to be like Jesus in my heart, in my heart.
In my heart, in my heart,
Lord, I want to be like Jesus in my heart, in my heart.

It's really not a bad revival song. It's simple, it's emotional, & it calls for our personal, heartfelt response.

But it seems incomplete to me.

While that's a great starting place we can't stop with being Christian just in our heart! If we desire our heart and will to be transformed that's an exciting beginning. Yet the real aim is for this to happen in our life. So, on this day of worship I'm once again arguing with an old song in hopes that my life and the Church might truly be transformed.

Here's my contribution as an addition to the verses above. Yet it seems to me I've got to move from heart religion to a faith with is expressed in the world.

Lord, I want to be a Christian in my life, in my life,
Lord, I want to be a Christian in my life, in my life.
In my life, in my life,
Lord, I want to be a Christian in my life, in my life.

Lord, I want to be more loving in my life, in my life,
Lord, I want to be more loving in my life, in my life.
In my life, in my life,
Lord, I want to be more loving in my life, in my life.

Lord, I want to be more holy in my life, in my life,
Lord, I want to be more holy in my life, in my life.
In my life, in my life,
Lord, I want to be more holy in my life, in my life.

Lord, I want to be like Jesus in my life, in my life,
Lord, I want to be like Jesus in my life, in my life.
In my life, in my life,
Lord, I want to be like Jesus in my life, in my life.

Now that would have the makings of a revival for the Church and the World!

Arguing With a Hymn

OK, usually I'm not such a contrarian nor nearly so argumentative over a word or two. But this has been brewing with me for a couple of months now.

I want to change one word in a hymn.

I know-- there are so many bigger issues in the day that ought to get my best time and attention. But this one small change might unleash the masses for a life of action as our theology and lives are revolutionized. This one small change would help us move from our private piety several steps closer toward a life of faith that has expression in the world today. This simple adjustment would help maximize the fact that we are all called to follow Christ, and that we all should have redemptive ministries. It would also minimize any artificial differentiation between the call of clergy or laity OR any excuses ANY of us might offer to God or the world. This proposed change better expresses the truth of Scripture and the practical needs of real life and real faith.

Do you know the old standard "Here I Am Lord?" It's one of those hymns used often at the end of a worship service.

"Here I am, Lord. Is it I, Lord?
I have heard you calling in the night.
I will go, Lord, if you lead me.
I will hold your people in my heart."

What I want to do is a simple switch of a one syllable word for a better one syllable word. I don't know how to accomplish such a feat. Maybe you can help in this campaign. Does it take a petition to a hymnal publisher? Do we include it for vote somewhere at a church conference? Or do we merely scratch it out in the hymnal and have churches start replacing the word so that a grass roots movement takes place in worship? Personally, I sort of like that last subversive approach! And then, like kudzu in Georgia, maybe we overtake a denomination or two!

Here's my simple proposition that might change our individual Christian lives, and perhaps change our congregations. It's time to change the "if" to "when." "I will go Lord when you lead me." After all, this is the Saviour who said "Follow me." This is the community of faith, called Church, that is to be empowered by the Spirit to be witnesses locally, regionally, nationally, internationally, and even to the "ends of the earth. This is the body of believers where everyone is gifted for the sake of the witness in the world and the mission at hand.

This sort of theology or understanding has been around a long time. The question remains, will we all step up to the challenge of the call of God in our life. God's call is going to happen to us in some ways we can respond to. When that does happen will we be prepared to take up our responsibility in serving God. I will go Lord when you lead me has a sense of certainty about what God will do. Then it's up to us to live out a faithful obedience to what we know.

On this Pentecost Sunday I'm fairly certain we know what the answer should be. Christ leads us and empowers us to be partakers in the transformation of the world into that which God desires.

Here I am Lord, Is it I Lord?
I have heard you calling in the night.
I will go Lord, when you lead me.
I will hold your people in my heart.