Michael Easley inContext
Michael Easley inContext
Michael Easley
The Origin of Hymns with Robert J. Morgan
40 minutes Posted Mar 17, 2026 at 5:00 am.
Why We Need Hymns Again
Robert Morgan’s Ministry Journey
The Story Behind The Red Sea Rules
The Biblical Origins of Hymnody
The Golden Age: Watts & Wesley
Theology vs. Repetition in Modern Worship
“Come Thou Fount” and Teaching Lyrics
The Story Behind “It Is Well With My Soul”
Hymns, Suffering, and Enduring Faith
Why the Church Must Recover Both Old and New
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Show notes
Robert J. Morgan joins Michael Easley for a powerful conversation about the history, theology, and enduring influence of Christian hymns. Why have these songs lasted for centuries? What are we losing when churches abandon them? And how can we recover the richness of hymnody without rejecting modern worship?
Drawing from his book The Origin of Hymns, Morgan traces the story of congregational singing from the song of Moses in Book of Exodus, through the golden age of English hymnody with writers like Isaac Watts and Charles Wesley, to the modern era. He shares the powerful backstory behind “It Is Well With My Soul” by Horatio Spafford, and how that hymn connects to the film I Can Only Imagine 2.
This episode challenges pastors, worship leaders, and believers to rediscover hymns not as nostalgia—but as theological formation. Hymns teach us how to worship, how to suffer, and how to endure.
Chapters
Key Topics Discussed:
The biblical roots of congregational singing
The theological depth of historic hymns
Isaac Watts and the birth of English hymnody
Charles Wesley and revival-driven worship
The problem of disposable worship music
Teaching hymn lyrics to modern congregations
The tragic story behind “It Is Well With My Soul”
Hymns as spiritual formation across generations
Combining historic hymns with modern worship songs
Links Mentioned:
The Origin of Hymns by Robert J. Morgan
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