Gospel Hymns and Songs. The musical term gospel refers to a range of styles which grew from the popular-based music used in American camp meeting revivals of the early nineteenth century and the Sunday-school movement tunes of the late nineteenth century. The tradition has parallels in popular church music throughout the history of the church, such as the New Testament “spiritual songs” (Eph 5:19; Col 3:16), the hymns of early church evangelists, the Laude of St. Francis and the Dissenter’s hymns