The Mission of Hymns Illustrated

Want to know the heartbeat behind Hymns Illustrated? It's Colossians 3:16.

Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord. (KJV)

The NIV renders the passage this way:

Let the message of Christ dwell among you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom through psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit, singing to God with gratitude in your hearts. — Colossians 3:16 (NIV)

There's an aspect to this verse that I believe often gets overlooked.

Yes, we're to teach and admonish each other. We all know that. And since we're to let the word of Christ dwell in us richly first, it's not hard to grasp the meaning that the Word of God should be central to all our teaching and admonishing. 

But did you catch the second part?  We are to use psalms, hymns and spiritual songs as part of the process! 

While not all Bible versions make the connection between the "teaching and admonishing" part of this passage and "the psalms, hymns and spiritual songs" part of this passage as clear as the NIV and KJV do, the connection is still there. Somehow hymns, psalms and spiritual songs work hand in hand with the command to teach and admonish one another.

Keep in mind also that this chapter isn't written primarily for pastors and ministry leaders. It's written to the entire church at Colossae and for us.

So let me ask you a question.

When was the last time someone other than a ministry leader taught you or encouraged you with a biblical truth from a hymn, psalm or spiritual song? 

And let me go a little further. 

When was the last time YOU taught or admonished a brother or sister in Christ or your own children using a biblical truth from a psalm, hymn and spiritual song?

Enter the mission of Hymns Illustrated.

Hymns Illustrated is here to help you become so familiar with hymns, their history and their stories that it becomes second nature for you to use psalms, hymns and spiritual songs to teach, encourage, and admonish in church and at home and everywhere you interact with fellow believers.

Let's enjoy this assignment together!