Selected Bibliography for Worship and Music Ministry

Last week I taught at Worship Week at the Ridgecrest Conference Center and shared a selected bibliography for worship and music ministry resources that I believe will be helpful for all. They are listed below.

Resources

Worship
Bartley, James W. Worship That Pleases God: Biblical Perspectives. Akure, Ondo State, Nigeria: Baal   Hamon Publishers, 2008.

Best, Harold M. Music Through the Eyes of Faith. New York: HarperCollins Publishers, Christian College Coalition for Enduring Values, 1993.

Clark Jr., Paul B. Tune My Heart to Sing Thy Grace: Worship Renewal through Congregational     Singing. Crossbooks, a division of LifeWay, 2010.

Dawn, Marva J. Reaching Out without Dumbing Down: A Theology of Worship for the Turn-of-the-     Century Culture. Grand Rapids, MI: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1995.

Eskew, Harry and Hugh T. McElrath. Sing with Understanding. 2nd ed. Nashville, TN: Broadman, 1996

Harland, Mike. Seven Words of Worship: The Key to a Lifetime of Experiencing God. B & H         Publishing, Nashville, 2008.

Henderson, Daniel. Transforming Prayer: Everything Changes When You Seek God's Face.             Minneapolis, MN: 2011.

Iorg, Jeff. Is God Calling Me? Answering the Question Every Leader Believer Asks. B &; H Publishing  Group, 2008.
 
Liesch, Barry. The New Worship: Straight Talk on Music and the Church. Baker Books, 1996.

Kauflin, Bob. Worship Matters: Leading Others to Encounter the Greatness of God. Wheaton,  IL: Crossway Books, 2008.

Mitchell, Robert H. I DonМt Like That Music. Carol Stream, IL: Hope Publishing Company, 1993.

________. Ministry and Music. Philadelphia: The Westminster Press, 1978.

Morgan, Robert J. Then Sings My Soul: 150 of the World's Greatest Hymn Stories, Nelson

Music, David W and Milburn Price and William Reynolds. A Survey of Christian Hymnody. 5th ed.  Rev. Carol Stream, IL: Hope Publishing Co., 1999.

Noland, Rory. The Heart of the Artist. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 1999.

Owens, Ron with Jan McMurray. Return to Worship: A God-Centered Approach. (Nashville: Broadman   and Holman Publishers, 1999.

Peterson, David. Engaging With God: A Biblical Theology of Worship. Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity  Press, 1992.

Pass, David B. Music and the Church: A Theology of Church Music. Nashville, TN: Broadman Press, 1989.

Segler, Franklin M. and Randall Bradley. Christian Worship: Its Theology and Practice, 3rd ed., Nashville: Broadman & Holman Publishers, 2006.

Steele, Ed. Worship HeartCries: Personal Preparation for Corporate Worship. New Orleans: Worship   HeartCries Ministries, 2012. http://worshp-heartcries.com

Stewart, Sonja M. and Jerome W. Berryman. Young Children and Worship. Louisville: Westminster John Knox Press, 1989.

Towns, Elmer. Putting an End to Worship Wars (Nashville, Broadman and Holman Publishers, 1997.

Wiersbe, Warren W. Real Worship: It will Transform Your Life. Nashville, TN: Oliver Nelson, 1986.

William, William H. and Robert L. Wilson. Preaching and Worship in the Small Church. Nashville, TN:   Abingdon, 1980.

York, Terry W. America's Worship Wars. Peabody, MA: Hendrickson Publishers, 2003.

York, Terry and C. David Bolin. The Voice of Our Congregation: Seeking and Celebrating God's Song  for Us. Nashville, TN: Abingdon Press, 2005.

Worship &; Music Ministry
Barfoot, Phil. The Ultimate Idea Book for Music Ministry!: Volumes 1 & 2 ,104 Great Ideas from 150  Outstanding Music Ministries.

Bradley, Randall. From Postlude to Prelude: Music Ministry's Other Six Days. St. Louis, MO: Morning   Star Publishers, 2004.

Calvin Institute of Christian Worship, www.calvin.edu/worship [The Calvin Institute of Christian Worship has an exceptional website for locating resources addressing worship leadership, planning and renewal. Articles, audio files, bibliographies and numerous resources relevant to traditions across the Christian spectrum are here. Special attention is given to collaborative approaches to worship celebration and incorporating the arts actively in worship. Workshops and courses offered through the Institute are noted, as well as complete information on their annual Symposium on Worship and the Arts. Grant opportunities for projects oriented toward renewing worship are also included.]

Clark Jr., Paul B. Tune My Heart to Sing Thy Grace: Worship Renewal through Congregational Singing. Crossbooks, a division of LifeWay, 2010.

Eason, Tim. Media Ministry Made Easy: A Practical Guide to Visual Communication. Nashville:
Abingdon Press, 2003. With DVD.

Eiche, Jon F. Guide to Sound Systems for Worship. Buena Park, CA: Yamaha, 1990.

Gibson, Bill. The Ultimate Church Sound Operator's Handbook. Hal Leonard Music Pro Guide.
Indianapolis: Hal Leonard, 2007.

Herring, Brad. Sound, Lighting and Video: A Resource for Worship. Focal Press, 2009.

Hughes, Kent and Barbara Hughes. Liberating Ministry from the Success Syndrome. Crossway Books & Bibles, 2008.


Klassen, Ron, and John Koessler. No Little Places: The Untapped Potential of the Small-Town Church

Noland, Rory. Worship on Earth As It Is in Heaven: Exploring Worship as a Spiritual Discipline. Grand Rapdis: Zondervan Publishing Company, 2011.

Prentice, David A. Loaves and Fishes: Worship Team Training. Transforming Small Church Resources into Quality Music Ministry. Baltimore: Publish in America, 2007.

Scazzero, Peter. The Emotionally Healthy Church: A Strategy for Discipleship that Actually Changes   Lives. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2003.


Shelley, Marshall. Well-Intentioned Dragons: Ministering to Problem People in the Church. Bethany     House, 1994.

Wallace, Robin Knowles. Worshiping in the Small Membership Church. Abingdon Press, 2008.


Links:
http://www.counterpointmusic.org/
http://www.musicministrytuneup.com/
http://www.lifewayworship.com/
http://www.ccli.com/
http://jimfaull.com/
http://churchleaders.com
http://www.worshipmatters.com/
http://nethymnal.org
http://edsteeleworship.com

Released: Worship HeartCries: Personal Preparation for Corporate Worship!

I am grateful to announce the release of Worship HeartCries: Personal Preparation for Corporate Worship, a new ebook from Worship HeartCries Ministries.The seeds for Worship HeartCries were planted years ago as I sat in a seminary class under Dr. T. W. Hunt.  The Spirit of God used him to light a fire about worship in my heart that has been burning ever since.

Now, after teaching about worship for twenty years in Latin America as a missionary and over ten years  as a Seminary Professor, I am convinced there is a greater desire now to worship God than I have seen in years past. As great as the desire is, there seems to be more confusion as to what biblical worship is and even more confusion about what it looks like when we do it.

If information alone could transform our worship, then we should have long since seen a revolution in our church services. But information is only part of the solution. Learning how to apply what we know may be the biggest challenge we face.

One of the key issues is not so much the amount of content available about worship, but how to worship. My sincere desire is to help push back all the preconceived notions and give some practical helps as we gather together for corporate worship.

Regardless of who may be on the platform, only God’s Spirit can transform those moments together into what may be called “worship,” and there are some definite things that the Body must do so that worship may occur. What are they? That’s the heart of this book.

Available in formats for Kindle, Nook, PDF,  http://worship-heartcries.com

Working with Small Groups in Worship

Working with Small Music Groups in your church, whether a Praise Team, Small Choir, other just a group that volunteers for Christmas and Easter can be a headache or a joy. Here are some helps to make that challenge a positive experience.

1. Plan for those you have. Be faithful with the one talent person that may be there, rather than bemoan the five talent people that someone else’s church does have.
2. Do what can be done and do it well.
3. Provide some kind of training and preparation musically as well as spiritually. Heart of the Artist: Rory Noland. Perhaps a class on how to read music, weekend workshop, etc.
4. Help those who do not match pitch. Find out where there are and gradually build from there. Pitch known melodies in the key that the person can sing. Make recordings of warmups, etc., and have them repeat, repeat, repeat.
5. Always provide opportunities for success, not failure.  Never embarrass the group by letting the group sing unprepared.
6. Sing on a regular basis, at least every other week. Singers want to participate. If they only sing once a month or every other month, they will loose interest. It will take some time to build up to singing that often, but  will be worth it.
7. Rehearse on a consistent basis, regardless of who comes. Nothing will kill a group faster than hearing the director say, “Well we only have half the people hear, let’s not practice tonight.” This only  punishes the faithful few. You can reduce what you might have rehearsed, but don’t cancel, if at all possible.
8. Be consistent, positive, and add humor. Do not cut down; re-enforce small group feel.
9. Plan what you are singing for long term, then break it down into rehearsable segments. Use a 3-4  month calendar of music to sing. This becomes your rehearsal schedule: [Songs 1-12]
        Song 3        Sunday in three weeks
        Song 2        Sunday in two weeks
        Song 1        Next Sunday
        Song 4        Sunday in 4 weeks
        Song 5 [listen & sing along]   {For the next rehearsal take out Song 1 and rotate in Song 6}
        – Rehearsal format: warmup, modeling good vowel sounds
        – Listen and sing along
        – Play notes for parts by sections
        – Combine parts
        – repeat with accompaniment
10. Rehearse, don’t talk too much.  If you have 15 in the group and talk just one minute, you didn’t waste one minute, you wasted 15.
11. Have fellowship times together, especially after programs or special events.
12. Enlist volunteers to help with:
    – getting music out to rehearse and for Sunday
    – publicity for programs
    – contacting absentees
    – taking up an offering for flowers, bereavement, get well cards, etc.
13. Keep fresh with what is new.  Lifeway's Red Box, Word, Crystal Sea, Lillenas, Lorentz, etc. My favorite Christmas cantata: Glorious Impossible, Favorite Easter cantata: The Risen Christ

2012 Baptist Church Music Conference Insights

This week I was privileged to be able to participate in the Baptist Church Music Conference held at First Baptist Church, Tulsa, Oklahoma. This year’s president, Dr. Martha Hicks, from Southwest Baptist University in Bolivar, Missouri pulled together an educational and worshipful two days and nights that left a lasting impression in my heart and soul. I would like to pull together some insights from those who shared during this time that should provide food for thought for this coming week.  

Dr. Ray Leininger, Pastor Emeritus of First Baptist Church, Bolivar, Missouri, shared the importance of recognizing our “balcony people,” taking the idea from Hebrews 12, that we are “surrounded by a great cloud of witnesses” whose lives and words cheer us on. As Dr. Leininger was reflected on the “roll call of the faithful” in chapter 11, he reminded us that none of those listed were perfect people. They weren’t listed for their faultlessness, but for their faithfulness. For example, even though Noah got drunk after the flood, Hebrews 11:7 states: “By faith Noah, when warned about things not yet seen, in holy fear built an ark to save his family. By his faith he condemned the world and became heir of the righteousness that comes by faith.” One of his insights into the passage was that the working out of Noah’s faith meant a daily routine of sawing and hammering,– nothing glamorous. Being faithful at times, just means hard work, sometimes or perhaps even boring.  

Dr. Deron Spoo, pastor of First Baptist Tulsa, shared how Hezekiah destroyed the bronze snake that Moses had made to save the Israelites from the snakes that were biting them as a result of their disobedience. Though it had been an important reminder of God’s power among them, it had become an object of worship unto itself. “Things that held great meaning in the past as aids to worship can become objects that compete for our worship in the future. Anything that we have to have to worship besides Jesus Christ, be it guitar or organ, can become a bronze snake.”  

Dr. David Music, Professor of Church Music at Baylor University, shared a historical perspective of the development of Baptist worship practices from the turn of the 20th Century to the turn of the 21st Century. Dr. Music reminded us that the one of the needs addressed at the Southern Baptist Convention of 1918 was the deplorable state of music in the local churches. Most of the music leaders in local churches were untrained volunteers and each churches did what was right in their own eyes. A committee was named to address the issue and eventually B. B. McKinney, author of “Wherever He Leads” and many more older favorites, was named as head of a department of music for the Baptist Sunday School Board. One of McKinney’s first moves was to provide a worship tool that all Baptists could use. The Broadman Hymnal changed the face of Baptist worship by unifying Baptists under one book, the first collection to do so in a broad based manner. In the years that followed music education was an important development in local churches as well as the development of choirs, then later instrumental groups. This process continued until the late ‘60s when the youth musicals began and the style of music began to mirror popular rock. Charismatic influence mixed with the church growth movement continued to influence style and content, and the terms “contemporary,” “traditional,” and “blended” were used to describe worship style. As these influences grew, fewer churches followed a single denominational worship resource and more began to follow various models and use a wide range of resources. The result is that the present situation of worship in our churches is similar to what it was before 1925.  

Dr. Jon Duncan from the Georgia Baptist Convention and Dr. Joe Crider from Southern Seminary both shared insightful material, as well as incredible worship services led by Jeff Elkins of FBC, Tulsa, The Singing Churchmen of Oklahoma, Bruce Greer of FBC, Oklahoma City and Dennis Jerringan. These were very meaningful, but I decided just to focus on the previous three because of how they spoke to me personally.

I needed to be reminded of those who have gone before, those biblical heroes of the faith were normal people who trusted in an All Powerful God, and that we need to be encouragers for younger in the faith who might be watching us.

I needed to be reminded that I can let the very things that enhance worship become an object of worship.

I needed to be reminded that there is a great need to allow worship to unify us once again, not divide and separate us.

I would encourage anyone related to leading worship to attend the Conference next year and allow God to speak to the needs of your heart.

Do We Always Have to Learn Lessons the Hard Way?

When I was about 13 or 14, I reached into oven to retrieve a cast iron skillet my mother had asked for to make some cornbread. I had already turned on the oven some time before, and without thinking grabbed the handle with the force I knew it would take to pick up the heavy cast iron. Unfortunately, I forgot, or was not thinking about the fact that the skillet would be hot and proceeded to burn my hand. Obviously, a foolish thing to do, but I can assure you that I have never repeated that mistake.

We don’t always have to learn the “hard way,” but can learn from the mistakes of others so that we don’t have to “burn our hands” with every task that we are called to accomplish. I have been working through the lives of Saul and David in my personal Bible study time and the Spirit of God keeps bringing me back to some lessons that He wants me to learn by observing the failures in the leadership of Saul. I am deeply concerned that those who lead worship lead in such a way that glorifies God and avoids the tragedies exemplified in the lives of so many in Scripture. I would like to add four more lessons we can learn by understanding the failure from Saul, Israel’s first king.

 1. Saul confused manipulation with leading by a positive example. After Saul is crowned king, he received the news that the Ammonites were going to attack Jabesh in Israel [1 Samuel 11]. Notice Saul’s response in verses 6-8:  
“When Saul heard their words, the Spirit of God came powerfully upon him, and he burned with anger. He took a pair of oxen, cut them into pieces, and sent the pieces by messengers throughout Israel, proclaiming, ‘This is what will be done to the oxen of anyone who does not follow Saul and Samuel.’ Then the terror of the Lord fell on the people, and they came out together as one.”

  Saul is filled with the Spirit of God, but rather than saying that the pagans were defying the Living God [as David has done with Goliath], or even just sending pieces of the oxen out to everyone, he added a threat. In this initial call to arms, the fear of God came on the people and they follow “Saul and Samuel.” God used Saul to win the victory in spite of the method of his recruiting troops, not because of it. This fear was initially motivated by the fear of losing their own cattle. [Already God had touched the hearts of some men to follow Saul [1 Samuel 10:26], but in this case Saul doesn’t see them as enough, and Scripture is silent as to how many these early followers were.] Saul’s relationship with God seemed to be secondary in that it was through Samuel, not one based from a personal walk with God. Saul could not lead by example, he had to default to manipulation and fear. Unfortunately, there are very few signs that his leadership skills ever surpassed these methods.

 Worship leadership that stoops to manipulation and threats to “lead and motivate” others only proves that it can do neither: lead nor motivate. Such behavior reflects only great gaps of character and immaturity in their relationship with Christ.  

2. Saul confused winning a battle with winning the war. After Saul defeated the Ammonites, there was a shift in Saul’s battle plans. Where at first he responded in a defensive manner, his next move was offensive in character. In 1 Samuel 13, Saul and Jonathan made an unprovoked attack on a Philistine outpost and have incurred the wrath of the pagan army. Over confident in his own abilities as commanding general, his initiative proves his undoing. As the armies of the Philistines began to amass, fear overwhelmed the Israelite army, and Saul’s soldiers began to scatter. Tired of waiting on Samuel the prophet and God’s direction, Saul offers the sacrifice himself. This breach of practice was not a mere desire to have God’s blessing and thus couldn’t wait, it was direct disobedience to God’s command.

Following God’s instructions was not just an option, but an absolute necessity for the leader that God chooses. One victory doesn’t guarantee future victory, and such assumptions are foolish especially when done outside the direct command of God. One poor decision only leads to another.  

3. He shifted his focus to from defending the people to defending his position. Saul continued making poor choices, even when God gave him another opportunity by bringing retribution on the Amalekites for what they had done to Israel in the past. Unfortunately, Saul caved into his own fear of the men, and for shows his lack of leadership again by not being able to control his own soldiers. The prophet condemned the kings and pronounces his fate:  

Samuel said, “Although you were once small in your own eyes, did you not become the head of the tribes of Israel? The Lord anointed you king over Israel. And he sent you on a mission, saying, ‘Go and completely destroy those wicked people, the Amalekites; wage war against them until you have wiped them out.’ Why did you not obey the Lord? Why did you pounce on the plunder and do evil in the eyes of the Lord?” “But I did obey the Lord,” Saul said. “I went on the mission the Lord assigned me. I completely destroyed the Amalekites and brought back Agag their king. The soldiers took sheep and cattle from the plunder, the best of what was devoted to God, in order to sacrifice them to the Lord your God at Gilgal.” But Samuel replied: “Does the Lord delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices as much as in obeying the Lord? To obey is better than sacrifice, and to heed is better than the fat of rams. For rebellion is like the sin of divination, and arrogance like the evil of idolatry. Because you have rejected the word of the Lord, he has rejected you as king.” ... As Samuel turned to leave, Saul caught hold of the hem of his robe, and it tore. Samuel said to him, “The Lord has torn the kingdom of Israel from you today and has given it to one of your neighbors—to one better than you. He who is the Glory of Israel does not lie or change his mind; for he is not a human being, that he should change his mind.” [1 Samuel 15: 17-23, 27-29]

Saul’s focus began to shift from this point on looking for the one that God had chosen to replace him as king. On numerous occasions Saul attempted to kill David. The longer he was in power, the more effort he put in chasing down David to take his life.

When some leaders sense their position and power are being threatened, their focus changes from doing what needs to be done to self preservation. God is the ultimate protector of our reputation. The One who placed the leadership in the position they are in is well able to protect them or remove them as He sees fit.

4. He confused the mercy and grace of God with the approval of God. Perhaps one of the most bewildering things of all in this biblical account is that God left Saul in power for 40 years. Saul’s life was marked with a few great military victories and a series of tragic failures as a leader. He had lost the respect of those under him as well as the moral authority to lead. All he did have was the position. The longer Saul stayed in power, the more he assumed everything he did was right. He became his own standard for right and wrong. He misunderstood the mercy and grace of God that allowed him countless times and opportunity to repent and respond correctly.

God had even anointed David as the new king, but David does not take any initiative to remove Saul, allowing God to do this on His timetable. [Speculation that David was too young and lacked experience might be a valid consideration, as well as the fact that God was building His character into David by allowing him to go through the years of hiding from Saul. David needed to learn that God was his fortress and shield when being chased, he needed learn to seek God in discouragement, etc. Some of the most endeared psalms were written during these years. These may be valid, but only God knows why He did what He did.] Saul just never understood.

We must never confuse God’s mercy and grace with His approval. Sometimes God blesses us to bring us to repentance; sometimes he disciplines us to bring us to repentance. Saul’s life ended tragically, and ironically after a failed attempt at suicide, at the hands of an Amalekite. His great battle victories forgotten, Saul leaves a legacy of failures in character and leadership.  

Do we always have to learn lessons the hard way? What is the “take away” from the life of Saul as a leader? We must learn from the mistakes of leaders like Saul to help us avoid repeating similar failures. -We must lead by positive example, above reproach, never manipulating or in unethical ways. 
-We must not confuse one or two major victories and think that we are invincible. 
-We must focus on what God has called us to do, not on how to keep our power and position. 
-We must never confuse God’s mercy and grace with His approval.

{This is Part 2 of a Character Study on the Life of Saul. The first part is found at: Worship HeartCries: Are There Sheep Bleating in Your Ministry? http://www.edsteeleworship.com/2012/04/are-there-bleating-sheep-in-your.html }