See   <http://blendedworshipresource.wordpress.com>;

 

the entire site has some useful information for churches launching to a blended worship style. There is a PDF available on the site, too, for evaluating songs.

 

hope this helps

 

-Cecil Rigby

Liberty, SC

I would look seriously at Lifeway's Baptist Hymnal/Worship Hymnal (http://www.lifeway.com/product/005085896/?cs=1). It takes a blended approach in it's song selection. The selling point for me, though, is that there are all sorts of additional resources available--praise team charts, orchestrations, piano accompaniments, etc. I haven't spent a lot of time with it, but it looks promising.

 

Another thing to consider is buying a hymnal that contains all the hymn chestnuts that you'll need (Hope's Worship & Rejoice, or your denomination's hymnal might be good choices), and then using projection or your bulletin (combined with a CCLI license) for more contemporary songs. This gives you something dependable in your pew rack for funerals, Thanksgiving, etc, while giving you a great deal of flexibility with newer songs which tend to rotate in and out of a church's repertoire more quickly.

 

Peace,

 

Greg

My UCC congregation got the New Century Hymnal several years ago, and has been very happy with it. Despite the feeling that some of  the inclusive language modifications are a bit over-worked, the thing that they like the most is the variety of styles and large number of hymns. Modern hymns and hymn tunes, Gospel songs, Spanish songs, and more of their favorite traditional hymns than the Pilgrim Hymnal ever had allows us a lot of ways to program a service.

 

It is also remarkably free of the kind of songs some of my parishioners refer to as the "I wish Jesus was my boyfriend" or "God, I have been so bad but you make me feel really, really good" kind of songs that seem to them to be too big a part of "praise music" services.

 

Reginald Unterseher

Check out the Celebrating Grace Hymnal - just published and very balanced.

 

 

Thomas Coker

South Main Baptist, Houston