I Love to Tell The Story

A hymn can feel like background noise until you learn what it cost someone to write it. Today we step back into 1800s London to trace the surprising origin of “I Love to Tell the Story,” a cornerstone of Christian hymnbooks that grew out of reform, missions, and a season of forced stillness that became creative fire.We talk through the Clapham Sect, a community known for their work to end slavery in the British Empire and their push for prison reform, education, and missionary expansion. From that world comes Catherine Hankey, raised around faith in action, teaching Sunday school, leading Bible studies for factory girls, and developing a deep passion for foreign missions. When severe illness leaves her bedridden for a year, she writes a 100-stanza poem, “The Old Old Story,” which later gets shaped into music and eventually becomes the hymn many churches still sing today.Then we get to the heart of why this song endures: the gospel story. Using Luke 19:10, we unpack the message that Jesus comes to seek and to save the lost, giving hope, purpose, and meaning when life feels empty. To top it off, we feature a standout modern take by Chris Rupp, who performs the hymn in beautiful four-part harmony by singing all four parts himself, blending classic Christian worship music with inventive a cappella artistry.Here is the YouTube link to today's songhttps://youtu.be/OPtzKT-JLw0?si=GRFW9pqML6y6lu7tWe would love to hear your comments. Send us a Text MessageSupport the show