The Southern Gospel stripe of Fundamentalism loves perky songs…. as long as they are as theologically empty as this song. I grew up in that stripe, and never knew a lot of the great old hymns until I went to college.
The church I went to as a child must have been ubber fundie. Heaven forbid you tapped your toe! That will damn you to hell!! These were the types where I recall a sermon about the devil and how he can possess you through things like your dirt devil vac or devil fudge icecream.
I did, however, hear this in Southern Baptist churches….but they are downright liberal compared to what I was in as a kid.
My mom and I used to sing this together several times (usually at home!), although not in such a lively way! Our arrangement was a duet with a strong alto line with more harmony in the soprano. I enjoyed blending our voices together, but now I’m a little embarrassed at lines like, “’twill be glorious, I do declare!” Oh, my!
It’s Moby Dick! No way! I didn’t know Jonah and Moby were connected…
So yeah…I couldn’t take more than a minute of that.
Sounds more like country western than southern gospel. Then again I don’t know that much SGM. The worst SG song I have ever heard has to be Champion of Love. Another one that i think is just wierd is Can He? Could He? Would He ?
“Can He? Could He? Would He? Yes! He can; He could; He would and He did! ”
As for “Champion of Love”, I was uncomfortable with the metaphor, but I somehow still love that triumphant chorus: “He’s the all-time, undefeated, undisputed champion of love!” (especially in four-part harmony)!
@Pastor’s Wife Comparing Jesus to a boxing champion was my problem with it and the start of with “ladies and gentlemen can I have your attention” and if i could go on I could list the metaphore of Jesus going down for the count and probably some other things I would not like about it, but i’ll digress. The voices that sang it when I heard it did not blend well and the song ended horribly, but beside that I would stil complain because of the metaphor. I talked to someone about the song and they said I don’t think there’s any thing wrong with song out side of church or considering God a champion. Me: Um yeah but not a boxing champion(Jesus and Rocky should not be mixed.)
what about this song is so wrong? where were you raised? where did you go to college?
@ Phil, I know exactly what you mean: “Here in this corner is . . . Jesus!”? It just doesn’t seem reverential. The Bible uses lots of metaphors – Lamb, Lion, Good Shepherd, Morning Star – but boxing champion certainly isn’t one of them. I heard it done with really neat acapella harmony, but that didn’t change my discomfort with the imagery.
One of the most inane, inaccurate, and downright arrogant SG song I think I have ever heard is “Build My Mansion Next Door to Jesus.” Whoever wrote and sings that must have a very high opinion of themselves and have never read what Jesus said in response to the disciple’s mother that wanted her boys to be granted to sit next to Jesus in His Kingdom. Then again, that is totally leaving aside the other problems inherent in the song. Another one along the same line was sung by a member of my first church: “If Anybody Makes It Precious Lord, Surely I Will.”
I don’t remember the verses, but there is a Garlock arrangement of the chorus. I love how people make this a family reunion as if meeting the Savior isn’t enough.
@Trex: who are you talking to? me? What song are you talking? The one posted by Darrell or Champion of love? or Can he? Could he? Would he? Thanks
Hurray for pre-trib rapture ;-p !
I had to play a recording of this song at a lady’s funeral at the request of her widower. Apparently it was her favorite song. Yikes!
Hah! I love this song, it’s so happy! My church choir sang it once and we all had big smiles. Oh the memories! But yeah, it’s not a very … how do you put it? “doctrinal” song. It’s a fun song about the excitement of heaven. Not the best arrangement, but not the worst SG I’ve heard.
darrell and the orginal post..
When my parents traveled around singing duet-style, this was actually their signature song. Thanks for posting it. I much prefer the kind of music (i.e. modern worship) we do in our churches today, but I always wonder (a) about my kids who have simply never heard this sort of thing and are somehow missing out on something, and (b) what today’s church music will seem like in another 30-or-so years.
Um, again many seem to be ignorant of the fact that Boxing is a biblical metaphor used by Paul so “Champion Of Love” isn’t far fetched or inappropriate at all.
I should have said, “The Bible uses lots of metaphors TO DESCRIBE JESUS CHRIST – Lamb, Lion, Good Shepherd, Morning Star – but boxing champion certainly isn’t one of them.” I think you could tell from the context of my sentence that I was referring to metaphors describing our Savior. Paul uses the boxing metaphor in reference to the Christian life. Jesus Christ Himself is never called a Boxer. My parents are extremely conservative, KJV-only, IFB, separated Christians (who would not like this site at all), and they are offended by the song “Champion of Love.” They find it inappropriate because do not find it respectful enough of the Lord. (I’m referencing them to let you know that it’s not just people on SFL who might not like the song.) As I said before, I actually love the triumphant chorus, but I (perhaps influenced by my parents) think the image of Jesus my God and Savior whacking away at an opponent in a ring for the pleasure of the watching crowds not an image I’m comfortable with. (Of course, my comfort level doesn’t matter when it comes to Biblical doctrine. If the Bible says it, it’s true, no matter how comfortable I do or don’t feel about it. I just don’t recall ever reading in Scripture about Jesus being described as a boxer.)
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A silly blog dedicated to Independent Fundamental Baptists, their standards, their beliefs, and their craziness.
Isn’t that a bit perky for a fundie song?
The Southern Gospel stripe of Fundamentalism loves perky songs…. as long as they are as theologically empty as this song. I grew up in that stripe, and never knew a lot of the great old hymns until I went to college.
The church I went to as a child must have been ubber fundie. Heaven forbid you tapped your toe! That will damn you to hell!! These were the types where I recall a sermon about the devil and how he can possess you through things like your dirt devil vac or devil fudge icecream.
I did, however, hear this in Southern Baptist churches….but they are downright liberal compared to what I was in as a kid.
My mom and I used to sing this together several times (usually at home!), although not in such a lively way! Our arrangement was a duet with a strong alto line with more harmony in the soprano. I enjoyed blending our voices together, but now I’m a little embarrassed at lines like, “’twill be glorious, I do declare!” Oh, my!
It’s Moby Dick! No way! I didn’t know Jonah and Moby were connected…
So yeah…I couldn’t take more than a minute of that.
Sounds more like country western than southern gospel. Then again I don’t know that much SGM. The worst SG song I have ever heard has to be Champion of Love. Another one that i think is just wierd is Can He? Could He? Would He ?
“Can He? Could He? Would He? Yes! He can; He could; He would and He did! ”
As for “Champion of Love”, I was uncomfortable with the metaphor, but I somehow still love that triumphant chorus: “He’s the all-time, undefeated, undisputed champion of love!” (especially in four-part harmony)!
@Pastor’s Wife Comparing Jesus to a boxing champion was my problem with it and the start of with “ladies and gentlemen can I have your attention” and if i could go on I could list the metaphore of Jesus going down for the count and probably some other things I would not like about it, but i’ll digress. The voices that sang it when I heard it did not blend well and the song ended horribly, but beside that I would stil complain because of the metaphor. I talked to someone about the song and they said I don’t think there’s any thing wrong with song out side of church or considering God a champion. Me: Um yeah but not a boxing champion(Jesus and Rocky should not be mixed.)
what about this song is so wrong? where were you raised? where did you go to college?
@ Phil, I know exactly what you mean: “Here in this corner is . . . Jesus!”? It just doesn’t seem reverential. The Bible uses lots of metaphors – Lamb, Lion, Good Shepherd, Morning Star – but boxing champion certainly isn’t one of them. I heard it done with really neat acapella harmony, but that didn’t change my discomfort with the imagery.
One of the most inane, inaccurate, and downright arrogant SG song I think I have ever heard is “Build My Mansion Next Door to Jesus.” Whoever wrote and sings that must have a very high opinion of themselves and have never read what Jesus said in response to the disciple’s mother that wanted her boys to be granted to sit next to Jesus in His Kingdom. Then again, that is totally leaving aside the other problems inherent in the song. Another one along the same line was sung by a member of my first church: “If Anybody Makes It Precious Lord, Surely I Will.”
I don’t remember the verses, but there is a Garlock arrangement of the chorus. I love how people make this a family reunion as if meeting the Savior isn’t enough.
@Trex: who are you talking to? me? What song are you talking? The one posted by Darrell or Champion of love? or Can he? Could he? Would he? Thanks
Hurray for pre-trib rapture ;-p !
I had to play a recording of this song at a lady’s funeral at the request of her widower. Apparently it was her favorite song. Yikes!
Hah! I love this song, it’s so happy! My church choir sang it once and we all had big smiles. Oh the memories! But yeah, it’s not a very … how do you put it? “doctrinal” song. It’s a fun song about the excitement of heaven. Not the best arrangement, but not the worst SG I’ve heard.
darrell and the orginal post..
When my parents traveled around singing duet-style, this was actually their signature song. Thanks for posting it. I much prefer the kind of music (i.e. modern worship) we do in our churches today, but I always wonder (a) about my kids who have simply never heard this sort of thing and are somehow missing out on something, and (b) what today’s church music will seem like in another 30-or-so years.
Um, again many seem to be ignorant of the fact that Boxing is a biblical metaphor used by Paul so “Champion Of Love” isn’t far fetched or inappropriate at all.
I should have said, “The Bible uses lots of metaphors TO DESCRIBE JESUS CHRIST – Lamb, Lion, Good Shepherd, Morning Star – but boxing champion certainly isn’t one of them.” I think you could tell from the context of my sentence that I was referring to metaphors describing our Savior. Paul uses the boxing metaphor in reference to the Christian life. Jesus Christ Himself is never called a Boxer. My parents are extremely conservative, KJV-only, IFB, separated Christians (who would not like this site at all), and they are offended by the song “Champion of Love.” They find it inappropriate because do not find it respectful enough of the Lord. (I’m referencing them to let you know that it’s not just people on SFL who might not like the song.) As I said before, I actually love the triumphant chorus, but I (perhaps influenced by my parents) think the image of Jesus my God and Savior whacking away at an opponent in a ring for the pleasure of the watching crowds not an image I’m comfortable with. (Of course, my comfort level doesn’t matter when it comes to Biblical doctrine. If the Bible says it, it’s true, no matter how comfortable I do or don’t feel about it. I just don’t recall ever reading in Scripture about Jesus being described as a boxer.)