National Service has given me a treasureful of new experiences, and among them is the opportunity to interact with so many non-Christians over such a prolonged and extended period of time. It has been interesting to observe how even they, inevitably, live out their respective worldviews in and through their everyday lives. Perhaps I shall dwell more on this in the future.
In the midst of it all though, I made a very interesting discovery. It started when a girl in my dorm fell sick, and so I sang her some of her favorite Christmas songs from my hymnbook, including Silent Night, Holy Night and Joy to the World. (She is not a Christian but has attended Christmas services before.) Despite my admittedly soft singing voice, a few of the other girls soon heard it and asked me to sing some more. So I sat there singing hymn after hymn for like about half an hour. I felt quite awkward really, especially since I thought the whole thing was going nowhere - and my throat was getting coarse.
When I finally stopped, one of the girls commented that the songs gave her a very calming and soothing feeling. Another said that the songs had caused her to think, to which all the others readily agreed. Being Chinese-educated, they didn't really understand what I was singing, but somehow the hymns had had such an amazing effect on each of them.
I was astounded. It is common knowledge that hymns have long since been abandoned and held in contempt with among the majority of Christian youths today. Churches in the city attempt to draw new young believers by offering rock music during worship service, and have met with some measure of success. But perhaps we should rethink the value of hymns, even unto our own generation.
Admittedly, most city youth cannot be expected to appreciate hymns, but as for the more kampung youth out there who have been brought up in a more or less traditional family background (and who are no less in number compared to city youth), surely the essence of hymns are not that far removed from the culture they grew up with. Most of them have not been exposed to the rock culture that so pervades urban life and still find pleasure in pure, melodious music. And I'm sure we can all agree that anything that might help cause youth in our day and age to stop and think is more than welcome.
Thinking, by it's very nature, draws us toward the more fundamental things in life, and it does not take long for anyone who really thinks to arrive at the most important questions, namely Who made me? and What is the meaning of life? At the very least, this will be the first step of many that might well lead them ultimately to the very feet of Christ. Hymns may just be one of the many ways to set the ball rolling. Perhaps it's time we redeem them for a higher purpose, not only as powerful instruments for praise and worship, but also as fertile seeds planted quietly but surely into unbelieving hearts.
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i do like hymns. I miss hymns actually. I wish we can sing them more often at my church. I guess i'm one of the minority? LOL.
ReplyDeleteI think, be it hymns, or modern christian songs, we should always ponder on the lyrics as we sing, so that it doesn't become just another "nice christian song', you know?
You're making me miss ns, emily...haha.
I totally agree with you, Hannah. It doesn't matter whether we feel any strong emotions while we sing, more importantly we must understand the words and really mean what we sing. That way it becomes sort of like our own prayer to God that had been put to words by others long ago.
ReplyDeleteStrictly speaking you can't really 'miss' NS, seeing as you never even went in the first place. ;)
*high fives* Kudos on carrying a hymn book.Since you brought the issue of hymns, it did be nice to hear from you the environment of the church service that you attend on Sundays. What's it like?
ReplyDeleteI am glad you had a chance to witness in ns. Hopefully, the 'seeds' of your effort will someday grow and I am even more hopeful *praying hard* that you will be able to see God working in their lives (whatever that may be).
I like the idea of hymns as a very good mirror in which it helps me reflect on my very small and weak self to something 'who' is greater and larger than this worldly life and is still very much concern (or I think 'He' is) about little me. -and that it also contains theology sort of tailor-made for ordinary churchmen.
Hopefully this tradition will outlive this culture which unfortunately, is all too keen on leaving the old behind so decidedly for the new.
Once again, good job on being a light (I do not know why people use the salt term so regularly) to your ns men.
Hope to hear from you real soon.
The church I attend on Sundays is a very, small traditional Brethren church. Truly, the fact that it is but a one-storey terrace house only adds to its traditional feel. The sisters wear scarves over their heads, and the brothers would stand up to share a prayer or song (which is then sung a capella). What I like about the singing is that the person who suggested the song would first read out the stanzas before asking us to stand up and sing it. This truly exemplifies the spirit in which hymns are to be sung - not only focusing on the sweet, flowing melody, but also on the meaningful, poetic words as well. By having the congregation dwell on the lyrics even before the melody is brought into the picture, it places that much more emphasis on the MEANING of the song, and it really helps them to concentrate more on the lyrics even while singing it.
ReplyDeleteHoly Communion is a weekly affair, and perhaps due to the presence of us NS trainees, they never fail to stress that "this part of the service is only for baptized believers". I truly appreciate their efforts in upholding the sanctity of the Sacraments, as opposed to a modern tendency to be rather lenient in this aspect. They even use wholemeal bread and real wine drunk from a communal cup, though some prefer to dip their bread into the wine. (I never knew real wine was so...warm.)
After the offertory is the sermon. Being a small church they usually invite speakers from other churches, and the preachers are refreshing in that they are well-grounded on fundamental Biblical truth, yet still manage to challenge and stimulate the congregation. I have missed such solid sermons.
As is expected from such a traditional environment, most of the congregation are older folks, but they are very warm and treat us very well. They even have a program for us after the service, which is of course more youth-oriented and addresses issues that are more directly relevant to us.
All in all, it is a most refreshing and pleasant experience. I'm sure you'd love the church, Yung Xiang.
My apologies if this comment reads like a review...
Your church sounds fascinating! So different from the ones i've been before. Maybe i can pay a visit sometime. Where is it?
ReplyDeleteYes, i never been to NS, but i so thought i was going to the point where i thought i did go, so it's the same difference really. haha.
Forgive me for this pointless comment. I'm bored.
Ah, indeed Hannah, it does sound fascinating. If I am not mistaken, holy communion for the Brethren is conducted in a your-own-manner style? The two that I have attended just flash out a slide about the meaning of the sacraments and after that, each individual is on his own (silent prayer).
ReplyDeleteI personally am not fond of weekly holy communion. Something done on a regular basis tends to be rather routine-ish.
Ah, it was interesting that you mentioned one cup. I am not too sure. If I am not mistaken again, it depends on the congregation? The ones that I had experienced had individual cups I think. Can someone who is more familiar with the Brethren tradition please speak up?
Emily> you make the sermons sound very good (good doesn't imply over-the-head but simple and understandable messages).-do hope you learn something there. The sermons; I believe, tend to be very biblical.I like the idea of lay-preachers by the way.
I might enjoy it.XD. Hope you will appreciate it while it lasts.
Hannah> The name of the church is Bidor Gospel Centre.
ReplyDeleteYung Xiang> The Holy Communion was a bit more guided than that. They did read out the relevent scriptures and some stood up to share their thoughts. Sometimes they even sing a song. It all depends on the congregation, I suppose.
There's a Hosanna CD at Salvation bookstore that puts old hymns in contemporary tunes - maybe that's a way to put freshness that youths will appreciate?
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