Table of Contents
Introduction
Body of Songs
Theme/Theological Content Categories
Results of AnalysisStrengthsStrategies for Growth
Weaknesses
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Today, slides are used for the worship service, so the songs which may be sung are limited to those for which slides exist. Other hymns are occasionally sung from the hymnbook, but this is generally looked down upon - having to stop and turn to a page in the hymn book is seen as damaging to the flow of the service. Of the slides available, eighty-seven of the songs have been sung regularly in the last two years. These eight-seven songs are the subject matter for the content analysis of this paper. Not included in the analysis are an additional body of traditional Christmas songs and carols which are used primarily in December.
Of the eight-seven songs, forty-three are from the hymnal, and will by that criteria be considered hymns. This leaves forty-four of the eighty-seven songs as choruses. So, approximately half of the regular songs are hymns and half are choruses. The hymnal was published in 1976, however, and I would actually consider many of the songs included to be early choruses. These include songs such as Seek Ye First, Thou Art Worthy, and Bill Gaither classics like Because He Lives. Although there are a few exceptions, the majority of the choruses are from the seventies and early eighties.
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Adoration | Anointing | Ascension | Assurance |
Atonement | Benediction | Blessing | Blood |
Calvary | Character | Christian Life | Church |
Comfort | Commitment | Communion | Compassion |
Confession | Consecration | Courage | Creator |
Cross | Crucifixion | Declaration | Dedication |
Devotion | Encouragement | Eternal Life | Evangelism |
Faith | Family | Fellowship | Fellowship With Christ |
Forgiveness | God's Attributes: Eternal | God's Attributes: Faithfulness | God's Attributes:
Father |
God's Attributes: Forgiveness | God's Attributes: Goodness | God's Attributes:
Grace |
God's Attributes: Greatness |
God's Attributes:
His Name |
God's Attributes:
Love |
God's Attributes: Majesty | God's Attributes:
Mercy |
God's Attributes:
Power |
God's Attributes: Righteousness | God's Attributes: Shepherd | God's Attributes:
Will |
God's Attributes: Wisdom | God's Word | Guidance | Healing |
Heaven | Heritage | Holiness | Holy Spirit |
Hope | Humility | Jesus: Bread of Life | Jesus: Friendship |
Jesus: Lamb of God | Jesus: Life of Jesus | Jesus: Living Water | Jesus: Lordship |
Jesus: Messiah | Jesus: His Name | Jesus: Son of God | Jesus: The Light |
Joy | Judgment | Kingship | Liberty |
Love | Mercy | Missions | Nature |
Obedience | Peace | Petition | Praise |
Prayer | Presence | Promise | Providence |
Provision | Redemption | Refuge | Rejoice |
Repentance | Resurrection | Revival | Righteous |
Sacrifice | Salvation | Sanctification | Savior |
Second Coming | Servanthood | Service | Sin |
Stewardship | Strength | Testimony | Thankfulness |
Trials | Trinity | Trust | Truth |
Unity | Victory | Warfare | Worship |
Zion | |||
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Adoration, Praise |
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Worship |
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Kingship |
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Blood |
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Love |
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Assurance |
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Dedication, Holiness, Victory |
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Consecration, Jesus: His Name, Jesus: Lamb of God, Joy, Mercy |
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Atonement, Crucifixion, Holy Spirit, Salvation, Savior |
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Blessing, Cross, Encouragement, Power, Refuge, Resurrection, Strength, Trinity |
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Calvary, Communion, Creator, God's Attributes: Grace, Jesus: Lordship, Nature, Peace, Presence, Rejoice, Thankfulness |
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Church, Comfort, Commitment, Devotion, Eternal, Eternal Life, Fellowship, God's Attributes: Faithfulness, God's Attributes: Forgiveness, God's Attributes: Greatness, God's Attributes: Shepherd, Healing, Heaven, Prayer, Providence, Redemption, Service, Testimony, Truth, Unity, Warfare |
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Ascension, Benediction, Declaration, Evangelism, Faith, Family, God's Attributes: Goodness, God's Attributes: Love, God's Attributes: Righteousness, God's Word, Humility, Jesus: Bread of Life, Jesus: Friendship, Jesus: Living Water, Jesus: Son of God, Jesus: The Light, Petition, Repentance, Righteous, Sacrifice, Sin, Stewardship |
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Anointing, Character, Christian Life, Compassion, Confession, Courage, Fellowship With Christ, Forgiveness, God's Attributes: Father, God's Attributes: His Name, God's Attributes: Will, God's Attributes: Wisdom, Guidance, Heritage, Hope, Jesus: Life of Jesus, Jesus: Messiah, Judgment, Liberty, Majesty, Mercy, Missions, Obedience, Promise, Revival, Sanctification, Second Coming, Servanthood, Trials, Trust, Will, Wisdom, Zion |
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Thy Word
Chorus - Thy word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my
path. Thy word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path.
Verse 1 - When I feel afraid, think I've lost my way, still
You're there right beside me. And nothing will I fear as long as You are
near. Please be near me to the end.
Verse 2 - I will not forget Your love for me and yet my heart
forever is wandering. Jesus be my guide and hold me to Your side. And I
will love You to the end.
Standing on the Promises
Chorus - Standing, standing, standing on the promises of God
my Savior; Standing, standing, I'm standing on the promises of God.
Verse 1 - Standing on the promises of Christ my King, Thro'
eternal ages let His praises ring; Glory in the highest, I will shout and
sing, Standing on the promises of God.
Verse 2 - Standing on the promises that cannot fail, when the
howling storms of doubt and fear assail, By the living Word of God I shall
prevail, Standing on the promises of God.
Make Me a Servant
Make me a servant, humble and meek, Lord, let me lift up those who
are weak, And may the pray'r of my heart always be: Make me a servant,
make me a servant, make me a servant today.
Pierce My Ear
Verse 1 - Pierce my ear, O Lord my God, Take me to Your door
this day. I will serve no other God, Lord I'm here to stay.
Verse 2 - For You have paid the price for me, With Your blood
you ransomed me. I will serve You eternally, A free man I'll never be.
Verse 3 - Pierce my heart, O Lamb of God, Like You were at Calvary.
Love so great You died for me, But risen, we've gained victory.
I Gave My Life For Thee
Verse 1 - I gave My life for thee, My precious blood I shed,
That thou might'st ransomed be, And quickened from the dead; I gave, I
gave My life for thee, What hast thou giv'n for Me?
Verse 2 - My Father's house of light, my glory circled throne,
I left for earthly night, For wand'rings sad and lone; I left, I left it
all for thee, Hast thou left aught for Me?
The Servant King
Chorus - This is our God the Servant King. He calls us now to
follow Him. To bring our lives as a daily offering of worship to the Servant
King.
Verse 1 - From heaven You came helpless babe. Entered our world,
Your glory veiled; Not to be served, But to serve. And give Your life that
we might live.
Verse 4 - So let us learn how to serve, And in our lives enthrone
Him. Each other's needs to prefer, For it is Christ we're serving.
Freely, Freely
Chorus - He said, "Freely, freely, You have received; Freely,
freely give. Go in My name, And because you believe, Others will know that
I live."
Verse 1 - God forgave my sin in Jesus' name, I've been born
again in Jesus' name; And in Jesus' name I come to you to share His love
as He told me to.
Verse 2 - All pow'r is giv'n in Jesus' name, In earth and heav'n
in Jesus' name; And in Jesus' name I come to you to share His pow'r as
He told me to.
Here I Am Lord
Chorus - Here I am, Lord, Is it I Lord? I have heard you calling
in the night. I will go, Lord, where you lead me. I will hold your people
in my heart.
Verse 1 - I the Lord of sea and sky, I have heard my people
cry, All who dwell in dark and sin, My hand will save. I have made the
stars of night: I will make their darkness bright. Who will bear My light
to them? Whom shall I send?
Verse 2 - I the Lord of snow and rain, I have borne My people's
pain, I have wept for love of them, they turn away. I will break their
heart of stone, give them hearts for love alone. I will speak My Word to
them, whom shall I send?
Send the Light
Chorus - Send the light! the blessed gospel light; Let it shine
from shore to shore! Send the light! the blessed gospel light; Let it shine
forevermore.
Verse 1 - There's a call comes ringing o'er the restless waves,
"Send the light! Send the light!" There are souls to rescue, there are
souls to save, Send the light! Send the light!
Verse 2 - Let us not grow weary in the work of love, "Send the
light! Send the light!" Let us gather jewels for a crown above, Send the
light! Send the light!
We've a Story to Tell to the Nations
Chorus - For the darkness shall turn to dawning, And the dawning
to noonday bright, And Christ's great kingdom shall come to earth, The
kingdom of love and light.
Verse 1 - We've a story to tell to the nations that shall turn
their hearts to the right; A story of truth and mercy, A story of peace
and light, A story of peace and light.
Verse 2 - We've a message to give to the nations, That the Lord
who reigneth above hath sent us His Son to save us, And show us that God
is love, And show us that God is love.
My Eyes Are Dry
My eyes are dry, my faith is old, My heart is hard, my prayers are
cold; And I know how I ought to be: Alive to You and dead to me. But what
can be done With an old heart like mine? Soften it up with oil and wine.
The oil is You, the Spirit of love. Please wash me anew In the wine of
Your blood.
Change My Heart, O God
Change my heart, O God, Make it ever true. Change my heart, O God,
May I be like You. You are the Potter I am the clay. Mold me and make me.
This is what I pray.