Sometimes we sing hymns at church because we like them, not because of theology (or christology, bibliology, angelology, eschatology, or ecclesiology). A good rousing song like Life's Railway to Heaven, The Unclouded Day, I'll Fly Away, gets everyone singing. Sometimes we do change a few words -- Brethren We Have Met to Worship becomes Christians, We have.... and I make no apologies for that. Some songs we just won't sing and some are so good to sing we go home still singing them -- Balm in Gilead, for some reason, is one of those.
And personally, I can't stand How Great Thou Art. What a pompous bit of noise -- but I know that is just my opinion. No one needs to tell me what a wonderful hymn that is, my friends tell me that all the time.
Sharon Mountain Harmony from Folk Legacy is my all-time favorite collection and has just right examples of good hymns.
I have heard someone call many of the new ones "seven-eleven songs." Seven lines sung eleven times. Maybe even seven words.
MJ