A Final Word About Authentic Christian Faith

"Praise choruses?" said his wife. "What are those?"

"Oh, they're OK. They are sort of like hymns, only different," said the farmer.

"Well, what's the difference?" asked his wife.

The farmer said, "Well, it's like this. If I were to say to you: ‘Martha, the cows are in the corn,' well that would be a hymn. If on the other hand, I were to say to you: ‘Martha, MARTHA, MARTHA, the cows, the big cows, the brown cows, the black cows, the white cows, the black and white cows, the COWS, COWS, COWS are in the corn, are in the corn, are in the corn, are in the corn, the CORN, CORN, CORN.'

"Then, if I were to repeat the whole thing two or three times, well, that would be a praise chorus."

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The next weekend his nephew, a young, new Christian from the city, came to visit and attended the local church of the small town. He went home and his mother asked him how it was.

"Well," said the young man, "it was good. They did something different however. They sang hymns instead of regular songs."

"Hymns?" asked his mother. "What are those?"

"Oh, they're OK. They are sort of like regular songs, only different," said the young man.

"Well, what's the difference?" asked his mother.

The young man said, "Well, it's like this. If I were to say to you, ‘Martha, the cows are in the corn,' well, that would be a regular song. If on the other hand, I were to say to you,

Oh Martha, dear Martha, hear thou my cry

Inclinest thine ear to the words of my mouth

Turn thou thy whole wondrous ear by and by

To the righteous, inimitable, glorious truth.

For the way of the animals who can explain

There in their heads is no shadow of sense

Hearkenest they in God's sun or His rain

Unless from the mild, tempting corn they are fenced.

Yea those cows in glad bovine, rebellious delight

Have broke free their shackles, their warm pens eschewed

Then goaded by minions of darkness and night

They all my mild Chilliwack sweet corn have chewed.

So look to the bright shining day by and by

Where all foul corruptions of earth are reborn

Where no vicious animals make my soul cry

And I no longer see those foul cows in the corn."

Then if I were to do only verses one, three and four and do a key change on the last verse, well that would be a hymn."

Frankly, God likes both and is also turned off by both. It depends on the authenticity of your worship. Sing a hymn or a praise chorus in a nonchalant, casual manner without concentrating on the words and concentrating on God, and all you have is the outward, empty form of religion. Sing either of these styles and variations on them from the heart, lifting your praise to Almighty God and you have authentic, internal, God-centered worship

Jesus was quite upset by the emphasis on outward show made by the Pharisees.

He was impressed by the sincere faith expressions of those who had a simple trust in God, who loved the Lord with all their heart, mind and soul, and their neighbor as their selves.