More Than Music

A Training Course for Worship Team Ministry.
More than Music: Becoming a Highly Effective Worship Team is a biblically sound presentation of why and how singers, instrumentalists, and technicians can come together to lead the People of God in corporate worship.  Team members are shown how to find the dynamic center between cultural effectiveness and spiritual power.
 
More than Music: Becoming a Highly Effective Worship Team, focuses on the fundamental and perennial challenges of worship team ministry. Because worship is expressed by culture, these two things become almost inseparable in our thinking, but separate them we must. Culture is temporary, and worship is eternal; it is essential for an effective worship team to constantly monitor these differences. This book is written in two sections:
1. The Biblical Study of Worship
2. The Biblical Study of Worship Leading.
The biblical instructions and principles of worship are eternal and absolute, applicable to all cultures. The local praxis of worship leading is temporary and relative, applicable in one place at one time. I want to clearly set forth the differences between the two.
The Biblical Study of Worship
In the first half of the book, we explore biblical terminology and models of worship. The reader is introduced to the original biblical meanings of important worship terms:
• Worship in Spirit and Truth,
• Psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs, and
• Praise and worship.
Seven biblical models of worship are presented which illustrate vital and universal aspects of worship.
• The structure of worship,
• The identity of worshipers,
• The function of worshipers,
• The Throne of God in worship,
• The Office-place of God in worship, and
• The flow of the River of Life through worship.
The Biblical Study of Worship Leading
The second half of the book applies these truths to the ministry of the worship team. I do not speak to controversial issues in public worship. My goal is to make application of the biblical truths that have the power to solve these conflicts. This book is not about the style of music or of technical presentations. I want to point out the eternal things so that the temporary things can be clearly seen. This is my attempt to "prove all things and hold fast to the good." In this way, these biblical principles and instructions can be useful across cultural divides.
Topics explored in the second half of the book are:
• The Leadership of the Holy Spirit,
• The Heart of the True Worshiper,
• The Call of God to lead worship,
• Finding the Dynamic Center between competing demands,
• An Effective Prayer Life, and,
• Continuing the work of Worship Renewal into the next generation.

Suggestions for Use
More than Music is designed as a 12-week study course. I have tried to write each chapter to be read by team members before the class session and then taught by the worship leader. At the close of each chapter, there are seven discussion statements/questions to help the team process the truths presented.
Plans for Use:
• A 12 week Sunday School-type of class,
• A year-long monthly teaching fellowship,
• A personal study by each team member,
• Weekly chapter readings with rehearsal devotions discussing the end of the chapter study questions, and
• A supplemental text in college and seminar classrooms studying the ministry of the worship team and worship leader.