I’ve been exploring some of the very modern worship songs as an old guy 😀. But now, I’ve decided to alternate between very modern hymns, old hymns, and in-between hymns, namely the worship songs from the 60s to the 90s that feature in hymnbooks such as Mission Praise. Today it’s the turn of the very modern hymns.
Today’s song is One Way from 2004.
I can’t imagine singing this one in church, but maybe it would work in a very modern church. It’s more like a rock song. I can’t think of much rock music that I’ve liked in the 21st Century – maybe Coldplay. Some of their songs feel a little like Christian songs. But I don’t generally think about the lyrics. But it’s nice to hear rock songs that sing about God. If God and our relationship with Him is such a central thing, why are people so shy about singing about Him? Most pop songs in my lifetime have been about romance. Rock groups didn’t tend to do that – they wanted to me more serious. But again, the lyrics were often cryptic – which is fine maybe. That’s art. But I think that there is a place for singing about God. He should touch all parts of our lives.
To many, Christian rock might sound corny. It does sound a little corny to me at times, but I think that’s my prejudice. And maybe it was a little more corny in past years. But maybe it’s corny because I’m not used to it. Yet, if you trace the origins of rock, jazz, country, soul, reggae and so much more, it’s often rooted in spiritual music. Pop and rock became associated with being bad. All the guys needed to be gangsters and all the girls needed to be slutty. Anyone who came across being as nice wouldn’t sell as many records. Hopefully that’ll all change sometime soon. People get annoyed about Christian music being about money, but it doesn’t cost me much money to watch it on YouTube 😀. And I wouldn’t want songs about God to be hidden away in little old Baptist churches – even if I’d like to hide away myself in a little old Baptist church 😀 .
Anyway, what’s meant by One Way?
I think of an old kid’s song that I used to hear back in the late 1980s. I used to help out at a little children’s club, and this was one of the songs.
And I think of these verses from the Book of Acts:
Acts 4:11-12
11Â Jesus is
“‘the stone you builders rejected,
    which has become the cornerstone.’
12Â Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to mankind by which we must be saved.
Today’s song indicates that it’s one way for the person singing it:
One way, Jesus
You’re the only One that I could live for
But it also mentions Jesus as the way, the truth, and the life – so it’s not just “one way for me”.
John 14:6
Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.
Anyway, here are some other versions of today’s hymn:
