Monday, February 21, 2011

Singing about Jesus-in the many languages of God's people


Here is a quote from my daughter Jennifer’s Facebook status:


“two things: One of the wonderful things about my church is that sometimes someone from some other country starts singing a hymn in their own language. Today it was Armenian, sometimes it is Korean, what a beautiful thing to worship God with people from all over the world and to hear them worship in their own tongue. 2. to God, we are all, each the apple of His eye! (strange grammar intended). :)”

She attends Peace Presbyterian Church in Elk Grove which is in the Sacramento area. Peace is an unplanned multicultural Church. I once wrote this about that church:

"The crèche at Peace Presbyterian was made up of beautiful, ethnically diverse, wiggling, sometimes shy, images of the Christmas story. I sat, watching with my family, as the children performed their parts in this multicultural church on the southern outreaches of the Sacramento area. Here, there is no need to be concerned with a Christmas scene that denies ethnic possibilities or the diversity of that first Christmas story. Instead here diversity sings silent night, holy night.

Better still, in the church I was visiting that morning, the church of my daughter and her family; there is no need to be concerned with the truthfulness of the story told. The incarnation, God of very God, God coming in the unique human, Jesus Christ, is always the story told and lived."

Our nation is changing. For good I think. Our churches are changing their texture, their sounds and their voices. The true story of the Incarnation, God coming in love to redeem his people is blessed by the addition of new notes. The sounds of those who together praise Jesus might remind one of the glory of being with Jesus.

One of my favorite songs from the Jesus Movement:



Picture of Jennifer and her husband Derek hiking.

1 comment:

tera said...

I love the fact that many types of people and I'm sure many of them disagree on certain doctrinal stances, but they can gather together united by a common desire - to serve and worship our God. It can be done. And not only that, but it is God's command that we do it.

Tera Billes
Sacramento, CA