My Take on the Hymnal ... from David Music

I am delighted to have a part in what I believe will be a significant resource for the worship of Baptists in the years to come.

It is an enlightening experience to review hymns from previous eras and be reminded of how God has worked in the past. It is just as fascinating to encounter new texts and tunes, and recognize that God continues to work through poets and composers today.

My hope and prayer as we work on this hymnal is that it will be a book that will be both a comfort and a challenge to Baptists. We want it to exude the grace and glory of God, and be a source of hope for His people. At the same time, we want it to provide a spark for missions, evangelism, and social justice. We want it to contain familiar songs that people have come to know and love; we also want it to contain new songs that people will come to know and love!

Nothing forms the spirituality of a people more effectively than its songs. We take this responsibility very seriously and covet your prayers as we seek to celebrate God’s grace by providing a hymnal for Baptist worship.

David W. Music
Celebrating Grace Hymnal Text and Tunes Committee Chair
Professor of Church Music, Baylor University, Waco, TX