Emphasis Preaching Journal

The apostle calls for songs from God's people to express their hope and encouragement for one another. Martin Rinkart was such a hymn writer. Born in the later part of the 16th century in Eilenburg, Germany, he received theological training and held several positions before returning to his home town as archdeacon. He served in that city for some 30 years, most of that time during the devastating Thirty Years War. Because Eilenburg was a walled city people sought refuge there for miles around. Overcrowding resulted in pestilence and famine.