We Sing What We Believe: Holding Fast to Our Heritage

For centuries, and in all jurisdictions, hymns and songs have played an integral part of church life and nurture, contributing immensely to the worship of God, the communication of Christian thought and tenets, as well as regulating believers’ lifestyle and attitudes.

Additionally, the hymns we sing are a depository of the heritage of church histories, traditions and ethos, which require regular analysis and celebration.

It is to celebrate the traditions of the church as contained in the hymns bequeathed to the church that Rev. Dr George O. Kwapong, a minister of the Presbyterian Church of Ghana, has written the book, We Sing What We Believe.

Parts

The book is in two parts. The first lays the ground for the theological heritage, faith and general beliefs of the reformed traditions that evolved into the Presbyterian Church.

In the second part, the author explains how the doctrines of the Reformed Church are embedded in the Presbyterian Hymnary.

These doctrines are: Sola Scriptura (Scripture alone), Sola Gratia (Grace alone), Solus Christus (Christ alone), and Sola Fide, which stresses that it is only through faith in the Lord Jesus alone that we receive salvation.

The rest include the doctrines of Gloria, which indicates the manifestation of God’s presence and his greatness.

The author explains the Sovereignty of God, the total depravity of humanity, the priesthood of all believers, and the simplicity in life and worship.

Rev. Dr Kwapong’s work examines these broad themes of the book in detail, providing a deep exposition of theological and scholarly points of view.  

In his candid assessment, what we profess as Presbyterians—the doctrine, faith, creed, the centrality of God’s Word, and Christ as the one and only source of salvation—is a heritage we must hold fast to.

Singing the hymns is, therefore, like reciting a creed and affirming our faith.

All these doctrines are clearly reflected in the lyrics of the church hymnary, which is why the author says that we sing what we believe and so we must hold on fast to this heritage bestowed by our forebears.

Contribution

We Sing What We Believe is the author’s significant contribution to the rich heritage of the Presbyterian Church of Ghana.  Providing a historical overview of the reformed tradition and key theological positions, the book illuminates the historical connections up to the birth of the Presbyterian Church.

The book, endorsed by 15 renowned leaders of the church, underscores the pivotal role of hymns in articulating the church’s doctrinal convictions to which readers are invited to reflect on.

In a foreword to the book, the Moderator of the Presbyterian Church of Ghana, Rt Rev. Dr Abraham Nana Opare Kwakye, describes hymns as “portable sermons” and stresses that Rev. George Kwapong’s book “has been written to inspire, nurture, and encourage believers.”

Readers will not fail to recognise the inspiration of the hymnary, as noted by several leaders who endorsed the book. 

Book

To the clerk of the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church of Ghana, “This book is offered as a source of inspiration and knowledge and an impetus to the proper understanding and appreciation of the hymns to inspire and motivate their singing.”

Describing the book as “a wonderful piece,” the president of the National Ministers’ Conference and chairperson of the National Worship Committee goes on to declare,

“In his book, the author argues rightly that one of the main means by which the church of Jesus Christ tries to teach her beliefs and tenets is through the hymns the church sings when it gathers.”  

Hymns

Although Rev. Dr Kwapong theologically depicts what we believe as Presbyterians through the hymns we sing, the book speaks more strongly about the generality of the Christian faith and the worship of God.

Thus, while gearing to the times and traditions of Presbyterianism, his views are strongly anchored on Christ and the inspired Word of God.

That is why readers across various church denominations will find his work inspiring and invigorating.

We Sing What We Believe is a proposition for affirmation.

We affirm our faith in Christ Jesus as the only Saviour.

We affirm our belief that God’s Word, the Holy Bible, is the sole body of Scriptures that hold the truth about Almighty God.  

Therefore, if “we sing what we believe,” which underscores the importance of music in expressing our faith, then the converse is true— “we believe that we sing!”

Such an important work of biblical exposition on the celebrated Presbyterian hymns was bound to be written, and the good Lord chose Rev. Dr Kwarpong to write it.

The book is available at the Challenge, S.U., Legon, Methodist bookshops, and the Kaneshie Presby Church.

E-mail: lawrence.darmani@gmail.com