Music and Lyrics

As I’ve written about before, I really enjoy singing and playing re-arranged hymns that fit today’s instrumentation. Almost any hymn I sing is a new song to me, because it’s become less and less common for churches to use hymns within their worship gatherings.

My church has embraced this mentality of bringing the new to the old by singing some re-arranged hymns. Inevitably people will complain that we’ve ruined a wonderful song. Almost every hymn we sing keeps the original melody intact while making some chord changes that allow for a song to be played by multiple instruments.

I understand the frustration some have when my church sings a hymn completely differently than it was written to be sung, but I don’t understand the frustration of adding lyrics or changing instrumentation/chords.

So I ask you…

When it comes to hymns in church, is it more important to have it sung the same old way or played the same old way? Are the lyrics or the music the most important piece?