Dan Herner, a gifted Christian musician and church music minister, performs a beautiful a cappella version of ‘When The Roll Is Called Up Yonder.’
Story Behind ‘When The Roll Is Called Up Yonder’
‘When The Roll Is Called Up Yonder’ tells a touching story from 1893.
James Milton Black, a Sunday School teacher, was taking attendance at his Sunday school class when he noticed one of his regular students was missing. This young girl, who came from a poor family, had never missed a class. Black learned that she had fallen very ill with pneumonia.
That evening, as Black sat in his home thinking about the day’s roll call and her absence, a deeper spiritual truth struck him. Just as he called names from his attendance book, one day God would call names from God’s Book of Life in heaven.
Those who had put their trust in Jesus would answer when their names were called. In those moments of reflection, God inspired him to write both the words and music for ‘When The Roll Is Called Up Yonder.’
Dan Herner’s Incredible A Cappella Performance
Dan Herner brings this meaningful hymn to life in a special way. He recorded himself singing four different harmony parts and then combined these recordings into one video.
You can see him singing each part in different sections of the screen, and when they play together, the harmonies blend perfectly. As he shares on his YouTube channel, Herner serves as a music minister in his local church.
Dan grew up in a family that loved both God and music, and now he uses his talent to create mostly a cappella arrangements that help others grow closer to God.
The main chorus speaks right to our hearts about heaven:
When the roll is called up yonder,
When the roll is called up yonder,
When the roll is called up yonder,
When the roll is called up yonder, I’ll be there.
These words remind us of what the Bible tells us in Revelation 20:12 – that God keeps a book of life with the names of everyone who believes in Jesus.
Jesus Himself spoke of this to His disciples in Luke 10:20, when they returned with joy after casting out demons. He told them, “Do not rejoice that the spirits submit to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven.”
When we hear this hymn, it makes us think about our own walk with God. If you believe in Jesus, you can feel joy knowing your name is in His book of life. And if you haven’t yet put your trust in Jesus, this song invites you to think about accepting His gift of salvation.
WATCH: Dan Herner’s A Cappella Cover of ‘When the Roll Is Called Up Yonder’
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