You can learn a lot from a child.  Sometimes those we are teaching become our teachers.  This happened to me again recently.  As I walked through a certain place I heard the voice of a young man singing a great hymn.  Not just singing it…singing every word…with abandon!

Suddenly so many things were clear.  This young boy has parents who love the Lord.  He is being raised in a church where the great hymns of the faith are being sung.  Now he loves them too.

Young people love old hymns.  Many churches today have followed the assumption that kids only want “new music.”  In fact, they want something that is real.  They want truth.  It doesn’t have to be new to be fresh.  How can we make the singing of hymns more meaningful to our young people?

• Sing the hymns with understanding.  Think through the wonderful doctrinal words.  Great hymns are rich in Scriptural truth. A good hymnbook can be a powerful tool in teaching our children about Christ.  My young friend knew every word and seemed to say each one with meaning.
• Sing the hymns with enthusiasm.  Some have suggested that the old hymns are boring.  It is the singers who are boring!  Great hymns deserve to be sung with the whole heart.  Enthusiasm is contagious.  When we sing with heart another generation will too.
• Sing the hymns to the Lord.  The young singer who became my instructor did not know anyone was around.  He was not singing to me.  He was singing as only a child can with simplicity and sincerity.

“Have ye never read, Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings thou hast perfected praise?” (Matthew 21:16)

Another generation of children and teenagers need to discover the great hymns of our faith.  As they do, they will discover so much more – a depth of understanding, a depth of enthusiasm, depths about the Lord they have never known.

Teach young people the hymns and then listen to them sing.  You will be amazed at what they teach you.