A Hindu tells the story of attending church for the first time as a teenage boy:

The small group of Indian believers met in a very run-down house, but there was something very special about their worship. The small song leader held up her tambourine, then she hit her hand with it and a new chorus had started. Over and over the words were repeated, and soon I had joined in. It was hard not to be enthusiastic if what this song said was true!

Wonderful, wonderful, Jesus is to me!

Counselor, mighty God, Prince of Peace is he.

Saving me, keeping me from all sin and shame.

Wonderful is my Redeemer—praise his Name!

No one had started to preach, but already I had learned so much. What a contrast between the relationship these Christians had with Jesus and the ritualistic appeasement of the gods at Hindu ceremonies! I had never heard anyone say that a Hindu god was “wonderful” or a “counselor.” Certainly no one would sing like that about Shiva, about Kali, his bloodthirsty wife, or about their favorite son, Ganesha, half-elephant and half-human! And they called Jesus the Prince of Peace!

The words of that simple chorus were burning themselves into my heart. Jesus would not only save, but he would keep me from all sin and shame. What good news! These people must have found it to be true or they wouldn’t be singing with such enthusiastic joy.

Possible Preaching Angle:

This story describes how powerful songs can be and how worship music can open hearts before the preacher ever gets up to preach.