My First Effort at Hymn Writing

I've written a number of hymn and song parodies, most of which won't see the light of day on my public blog. This, however, is my first effort at writing original text for a hymn tune. I wrote new text for "When Peace Like a River (It Is Well With My soul)", but I don't count that, since I just reworked someone else's text. This effort seems a bit simplistic, maybe, but I'm hopeful that subsequent attempts will improve.

This was written in response to the recent Churchwide Assembly of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA). It's true that homosexual marriages and clergy received approval from this assembly, as did fellowship with the United Methodist Church. Those are just symptoms, even as the ordination of women and the signing of the Joint Declaration on the Doctrine of Justification were earlier symptoms. The truly dangerous thing, the disease, is that the Word of God was twisted to justify teachings that have no biblical justification.

Conservative Lutherans in North America have been quick to back away from these decisions and to disavow fellowship with the ELCA. That's all very well and good, but we must also beware the log in our own eyes, lest we blindly follow the same path.

So here it is, for what it's worth. Feel free to share and use it with proper attribution.



Lord Jesus Christ, Preserve Your Church

1. Lord Jesus Christ, preserve Your Church
From Satan's evil ways.
Guide us in Your redeeming love
And truth throughout our days.

2. Defend us, Lord, from itching ears
Of those who seek to feed
Their own desires and thus ignore
The one thing they most need.

3. Protect your Church, dear Lord, this day
From traitors from within,
Who in the name of "love" bring death
To brothers lost in sin.

4. Turn us from our self-righteousness
And lead us to repent
So we may fully trust your Word
And crave your sacrament.

5. Lord Jesus Christ, preserve Your Church
Until that glorious day
When you return to bring us home
And death has died away. Amen


(c) Alan Kornacki, Jr.
Common Meter (86 86)
I suggest the tune St. Flavian (LSB 577).