Singing A New Song
music changed. We had been singing the hymns of our fathers and grandfathers, the songs that emerged from the previous spiritual movements that swept our country. Songs written by John and Charles Wesley during the Great Awakening of the 1700s. Songs like O For A Thousand Tongues To Sing. Christ The Lord Is Risen Today, Love Divine All Loves Exceling. Songs written by Ira Sankey and Fanny Crosby during the days of Dwight L. Moody: Blessed Assurance. All The Way My Savior Leads Me , Jesus Is Tenderly Calling and many more. In the late 1940s a youth revival movement swept the nation. During that movement Dick Baker wrote over 200 songs, among them Longing For Jesus, His Way Mine, I’d Rather Have Jesus, All To Thee and Have You Been To Calvary?
After the Jesus Movement, organs were out. Pianos disappeared. Drums and electric guitars took center stage. The songs and hymns of previous generations were replaced with songs of praise such as Lord
I Lift Your Name On High, Shine, Jesus Shine, Shout To The Lord.
A new spiritual movement erupted spontaneously three weeks ago at Asbury College in Wilmore, KY. Characterized by humility, confession and prayer more than 50,000 showed up from over 200 other campuses and many countries. The college of 2,000 was overwhelmed. It has ignited similar movements on campuses at Samford University in Alabama, Lee and Belmont Universities in Tennessee, Anderson University in Indiana, Baylor University in Waco and Texas A&M. In all at least 20 campuses have reported revivals. Those involved are mostly Gen Z, young adults born after 1995 and the advent of the internet, true “digital natives.” Demographers say they live more slowly than previous generations, consume less alcohol, have lower rates of teen pregnancy and are better at delaying gratification. A profile of Gen Z by The Economist considered them highly educated and well behaved, but noted high levels of stress and depression.
According to the CDC 1 in 5 Gen Z high school students have seriously considered suicide. We can hope the movement continues to spread and demonstrates lasting power so that a new generation once again steps forward to inspire the world with hope and faith. Perhaps they will teach us to sing a new song. Movements of the Holy Spirit are always accompanied by music. It was so in the first century and has been so in every century since. When Jesus finished His last supper with his disciples, the Bible notes, “after singing a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives,” (Mark 14:26). The Apostle Paul exhorts all believers, “be filled with the Spirit, speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody with your hearts to the Lord,” (Ephesians 5:18-19).
Bill Tinsley reflects son current events and life experience from a faith perspective. His books are available at www.tinsleycenter.com. Email bill@tinsleycenter.com.