牧者心聲
青年「新」歌之旅
周敬敏牧師
2025 年 2 月 15 日 /16 日
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記得小時候在家中的書架上有一些書籍，印象比較深刻的，除了好些兒童聖經故事書之外，還有幾本分別是紅色、青綠色、和藍色的薄薄硬皮聖詩集，後來我得知這三本聖詩集是《青年聖歌》的系列。按我父母的記憶，他們當年在教會生活中所認識的詩歌，全部都是來自這三本詩集，他們連哪一首屬於「紅青」還是「藍青」，都瞭如指掌，並且隨時都可滾瓜爛熟地唱頌。
然而，當自己開始在教會擔任司琴時，教會已經以《生命聖詩》作為主要的詩集。《青年聖歌》似乎已沒有甚麼人會提起，彷彿已是「過時」的產物——放在教會的圖書角，沒有人借閱；放在家中的書架上，也不會時常拿出來唱頌。借用周曉暉牧師在1月《家書》的話，這三本詩集慢慢變成了「屬靈的裝飾品」。
時間一跳，去到二十一世紀的2011年，區聯會的崇拜訓練組成員在莫澤明牧師的帶領下，從這三本《青年聖歌》中挑選了60首較為耳熟能詳的詩歌，並邀請了數位宣道會教牧同工和會友重新翻譯歌詞，務使詩歌唱起來能符合粵韻。崇拜訓練組更破天荒的邀請了會內的專業音樂人，把這60首詩歌重新編曲，以致無論是詩班、風琴師、或是敬拜隊，都能夠靈活運用。這60首詩歌，分別在2011至2016年以四冊重新出版，並命名為《青年新歌》。
我們所唱的詩歌，不論是何種風格，對信徒的屬靈生命都起著重要的作用，因為詩歌豐富了我們的屬靈生命，也塑造了信仰群體。雖然詩歌的歌詞並非由我們創作或翻譯，但當我們唱起來，內心卻會產生共鳴，叫我們能夠投入詩歌的意境中，從而拉近和建立我們與神的關係。
《青年聖歌》大大塑造了七、八十年代的信徒群體。如今因著重新翻譯、重新編曲，詩歌增加了多樣性，詩歌內的信息也繼續傳承下去。
聖詩之所以重唱，並非因為要像一般潮流所提及的vintage（復古），而是因為詩歌本身承載著信息，承載著神的道，也承載著人向上帝的尊崇。我們追求活潑的敬拜，不單要在音樂上活潑，更重要的，是要求神讓我們的心靈首先活潑起來。我們無論用何種風格的詩歌來敬拜神，我們敬拜的焦點始終都是以耶穌基督為中心。
I remember that when I was a child, among the books on my family's bookshelf, a few stood out to me apart from the various children's Bible storybooks. These were three thin, hardcover hymnals — one red, one green, and one blue. Later, I learned that they comprise the Youth Hymns series. According to my parents, back in their church days, the hymns they sang all came from these three hymnals. They even knew exactly which hymns belonged to the "Red Youth" or the "Blue Youth" volumes and could sing any of them effortlessly.
However, by the time I started serving as a pianist for my church, Hymns of Life had become the primary hymnal. No one seemed to mention Youth Hymns anymore, as if it had become a thing of the past — they were placed in the corners of the church library, unread; they remained on the bookshelves at home, rarely being taken down to be sung. To borrow a phrase from Rev. Arnold Chow's pastor's sharing in January, these hymnals had gradually become "spiritual ornaments."
Fast forward to the 21st century. In 2011, the Worship Training Committee of the Christian & Missionary Alliance Church Union Hong Kong, under the leadership of Rev. Mok Chak Ming, carefully selected 60 of the most well-known hymns from the Youth Hymns series, and several pastors and church members from the Christian & Missionary Alliance were invited to retranslate the lyrics to better align with Cantonese pronunciation. For the first time, the Worship Training Committee also brought in professional musicians from within the denomination to rearrange the music, making these hymns more adaptable for use by choirs, organists, and praise teams alike. From 2011 to 2016, these hymns were republished across four volumes under the new title New Youth Hymns.
No matter the style, the hymns we sing play a crucial role in the spiritual lives of believers. They enrich our spiritual life and shape our faith community. Although we may not have personally composed or translated these hymns, when we sing them, our hearts resonate with them, leading us to be immersed in their spiritual essence. This draws us closer to God and strengthens our relationship with Him.
In the 1970s and 1980s, Youth Hymns played a significant role in shaping Christian communities. Now, with their new translations and arrangements, these hymns have been given new vitality, and the messages in them continue to be passed on.
The purpose of reviving old hymns is not to follow the modern trend of "vintage" nostalgia. Rather, it is because these hymns carry meaning — they bear witness to God's word and to our reverence for the LORD. Our pursuit of vibrant worship is not only about lively music; more importantly, it is about asking God to first revive our hearts. Regardless of the musical style we use in worshiping God, our focus always remains centered on Jesus Christ.
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