Recently. Indelible Grace music founder Kevin Twit talked about the modern hymn movement and songwriting during a Sojourn Music training event at our Midtown Campus here in Louisville. You can hear both parts of Kevin Twit’s lecture, either by downloading them for free at the Sojourn Church iTunes podcast, or by listening to the stream at the links below:
- Kevin Twit: Worship Leader Training: Choosing Hymns; Writing Songs
- Kevin Twit: Worship Leader Training and Q&A session audio
Want to scan through some of the info in the lectures? Sojourn worship leader Kristen Smith offered her notes from both sessions, below:
Session One
Read two old books for every new one.
“I knew the lyrics of the Gospel better than the music.” –Kevin Twit
Read your hymnal. Next to the Bible it’s one of the best devotional books you can study.
Be concerned with the formative power of worship. We need beautiful words that display Jesus for us—not just theology.
The words that we sing matter a LOT. You are naming possibilities – the promises of God– for the listener/singer.
Songs/hymns should mediate the preaching of the Gospel.
The true barometer of what you believe is what you sing and pray.
What will people conclude about the Gospel, the God we believe in and are in relationship with, based on what we sing?
WORSHIP SHAPES AND MOLDS US.
The only way real change happens is if a new love drives out the old one. That’s what happens to all of us when the Gospel arrests our attention and awakens our hearts. Jesus comes and drives out the old man we’re married to and changes us with His new love.
The songs we sing need to highlight Christ – who is truly beautiful and believable.
The Holy Spirit alone can open our eyes to seeing Jesus. He is the light to our heart and soul.
Defeater Beliefs block out the Gospel but worship is about exposing the “unreality” of our disbelief and defeater beliefs. It exposes the Reality that is found only in Christ.
The Gospel gives us the courage to look into the blackness of our heart because it offers there the hope of Sovereign Grace and a blood-washed purified heart.
Meditation is thinking a truth in and then thinking it out (considering its implications).
Hymns teach us how to turn our Bible-reading into prayers.
The names of God express both His character and deeds. Think about the attributes of God only through the Cross of Christ crucified.
The Cross should be central to our worship.
We would need a lot less Christian counseling if we sang more Psalms in their entirety.
Worship leading is a priestly/pastoral ministry.
The Psalter is an anatomy of the soul. Oftentimes we don’t even know what we feel, what’s inside, until we sing it. Singing is like praying twice over because it intensifies whatever we’re thinking, feeling, emoting. Hymns take you on a broader journey through emotions.
When using metaphors in your writing/singing, don’t focus on one or two metaphors. Sing as many of them as you can!! Use the rich images of the Bible!
Unpack the Gospel when you write songs.
Encourage people to worship while thinking about the words they’re singing.
Q&A with Kevin Twit
What Is a hymn?
Hymns have verses with the same number of stanzas and meter. They develop a theme.
Where (thematically) do we need new hymn texts?
Adoption
How do we write new hymns?
Start with a narrative of Scripture.
Put new text to an old tune then to a new tune.
Involve your community for input and editing.
Be excellent in your craft. Think intentionally about writing both songs that give 1) personal voice to testify of the Gospel and 2) a corporate voice for the Church to sing the Gospel.
Photo courtesy Chuck Heeke: Kevin Twit with Chelsey Scott, Acts 29 Louisville Bootcamp, Sojourn Community Church, Nov. 11, 2009
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