Why the name ThirdVerse?
Growing up in the church, I became familiar with many hymns and choruses.
And not just the hymns themselves, but even the style in which our church
would sing them. I remember something peculiar about the way we would
sing the hymns. Most hymns had four or more verses. Yet, Sunday after
Sunday, we would sing the first, second and last verse—omitting the
third verse.
I have been to other churches and many have done the same thing or something
similar. I am really not sure why it is done that way. I have read many
of those unsung third verses and haven't found anything that stands out
as theologically incorrect. I haven't uncovered any deep conspiracy against
third verses, but for some reason, they are just passed over. I suppose
there may actually be a reason behind it. Maybe it is because it would
make the hymns too long. Perhaps if you take out the third verses you
could sing one more hymn in the same amount of time. Or maybe, it's just
because it has always been done that way. Who knows? But, I do know that
when you go from verse two to verse four it gives the impression that
you missed something.
At this point, you're probably thinking I have either got way too much
time on my hands or I'm one of those weird types who finds some minute
detail and blows it way out of proportion, then spends the rest of his
life in a crusade trying to convince others of the importance of his
viewpoint, and how that if you don't agree with him you have been deceived
by the “anti-third verse establishment,” and you should come
out of those first, second and last verse only churches and attend his
church where they only sing the third verse.
Let me assure you that I don’t have too much time on my hands, and
as concerning being weird, if I am (as some may think), it is not for
the aforementioned reasons. My real concern here is not how Christians
sing hymns, but rather how we live our lives. And, I am afraid that like
the third verses of many hymns that are passed over and have drifted off
into obscurity, there are aspects of the Christian life that have been
passed over and have drifted off into obscurity as well.
I would venture to say that for the most part it is not some major theological
error or a conspiracy that has caused it. Instead it is often the idea
that those parts of the Christian life are too time consuming, too difficult,
or because we have too many other things to fit into our busy schedules.
Maybe the most common reason so many have passed over various aspects
of the Christian life is that it has always been done that way. Tradition
rather than God’s Word has dictated what we do and when, where and
how we do it. We have often replaced the Christian life with a church
service.
My vision for this web site is for it to become a source of inspiration
for those who are seeking a life that is pleasing to God rather than
men. I pray that it would prompt us to examine ourselves and our traditions
and then hold fast to the things of which we have been assured from
God’s Word.
Anyone for standing and singing the third, third and third verse?
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