At the time of shooting the Sunday Hymn Serenade video last Fall, Rosemary Siemens and Eli Bennett felt what ultimately would come together for the song "Just As I Am" would be the most important video they created to date. Debuting about two weeks ago, the video has already amassed tens of thousands of views on YouTube and Facebook.
With over 635,000 subscribers, and 160 million total YouTube views, there's no doubt Sunday Hymn Serenade has turned into a full-fledged ministry. It was from that context the couple thought about how they could actually change people's lives for eternity. That led Siemens and Bennett to the song "Just As I Am", and what Siemens calls a, "Billy Graham throwback".
"I was at a Billy Graham crusade when I was young, and I'm sure a lot of the listeners were as well, but he used the hymn 'Just As I Am' during most of his altar calls, when people gave their lives to Jesus," she shared. "Millions and millions did this, so a lot of people, when they hear this hymn, they think of that moment when they gave their life to Jesus. We thought let's record 'Just As I Am', and in the middle of that song, let's actually do an altar call, or a salvation call, where they can accept Jesus."
The song also features the backing vocals of the Clearbrook Hymn Sing Choir from Abbotsford, BC.
Bringing back memories through bringing back the hymns
"I think it's hitting that chord of those memories coming back to people, and the nostalgia and the reverence of that moment," said Siemens. "Our prayer was this hymn, and this salvation call, would bring back people's memories in the older generation, so they would then share it with their kids and their grandkids, and they could watch it together and hopefully share their testimonies of that time."
Siemens believes, based on the response to the video so far, it is a sign many people believe in her mission to "Bring Back the Hymns" to worship services.
"I know it's God that planted the seed for this video and the idea," she added ."I pray He gives us more ideas and more ways to get people closer to Him, and that we can change lives for eternity. I think that's the most important thing in my life, and in Eli's life, that we can make a difference."