Worship Blog For Worship Leaders
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Friday 25 September 2009

Worship Books - Top 20 Books on Worship For Worship Leaders


*UPDATE: We've posted a more recent blog which covers the Top 100 Worship Books*

I've recently been following a few forum discussions about recommended books on worship. There seem to be plenty of worship books that have inspired and helped lots of worship leaders and worship pastors so I thought i'd include a list of them here for you.

I'm sure there are plenty more worship books out there but i'll start with the ones that have been recommended by lots of people as I think you'll enjoy reading them. These books on worship are not in any particular order. If you like the sound of them click the links to read the reviews on Amazon.


1. Worship Matters by Bob Kauflin



"Bob loves God, values theology, and cares about people. This mix is found throughout this wonderful and helpful book. Worship Matters will inspire you as a worshiper and spur you on as a leader of worship."
Matt Redman


2. The Unquenchable Worshipper by Matt Redman



The Unquenchable Worshipper issues a passionate call for a return to an unadulterated, first-love lifestyle of worship. In his first book release, respected worship leader and songwriter Matt Redman writes: "The revelation of God is the fuel for the fire of our worship. And there is always more fuel for the fire. When we open the eyes of our heart, God's revelation comes flying at us from so many different angles." Open the eyes of your heart and let the gut-level message of The Unquenchable Worshipper cause you, like martyred missionary Jim Elliot, to say, "Saturate me with the oil of Thy Spirit, that I may be aflame. Make me Thy fuel O flame of God."

It's time to dive into the heart of worship-will you take the plunge?


3. To know you more by Andy Park



Andy Park writes, "I've learned through the years that becoming a worship leader involves far more than developing a set of skills--it's all about developing a life in God."Here's your opportunity to sit at the feet of one who has for twenty-five years led contemporary worship services in the United States and Canada. In Park's book you'll get an inside look at how this worship leader has learned to follow the leading of the Spirit as he brings others into God's presence. And you'll find practical advice, experienced counsel and inspiring ideas on a variety of issues like

    * songwriting
    * pulling together a team
    * staying humble
    * planning the flow of worship
    * what to do in times of dryness
    * working with the pastor
    * and much more!

Above all, Park will help you discover what it means for you as a worship leader to be first and foremost a worshiper.


4. Facedown by Matt Redman



God wants us to be more than aware of His presence. He implores us to be awestruck by it-literally consumed with passion and adoration! How do we reach this state? By totally surrendering to God through worship. Facedown shows why we need to go deeper into the wonder, awe and mystery of God's presence. Only then will we find ourselves lying prostrate before the Lord-facedown in worship. The premise of Matt Redman's newest book is grounded in three biblical examples-Ezekiel 1, Daniel 10 and Revelation 7-which all reveal that the worship going on before the heavenly throne is facedown. All believers will be exhilarated by this heaven-sent beacon as it lights their way to being undone by God's eternal glory.


5. Holding Nothing Back by Tim Hughes



Holding Nothing Back is a book provoking us to worship God wholeheartedly - with all of our heart, mind and strength, giving everything we are in worship. Tim also writes on the themes of creativity, humility, adoration and the greatness of God


6. How Would Jesus Lead Worship? by Sam and Sara Hargreaves



This title shows how worship is less about our preferred music style and more an attitude of the heart towards God. It examines what we can learn from the life of Jesus about the foundational values for worship. It offers many practical examples and ideas to help creative worship flourish in the local church. It is written in a lively informal style, while rooted in mature biblical reflection. It includes 'worship experience' sections to encourage readers to pause and worship! It is suitable for those responsible for leading worship in the local church looking for practical material, worship leaders and team members looking for ideas to enhance creativity in worship, and church leaders wanting biblically-based reflections on the wider issue of why worship is a key part of growing as a Christian. The authors draw on their experience as worship leaders to offer both down-to-earth teaching and practical examples and ideas to help creative worship flourish in the local church. They remind us that if we allow Jesus to inspire our worship, we will find it becoming rooted in Christ-like attitudes towards God, one another, our community, and the wider world.


7. Warrior Poets by Robin Mark



This book is about worship. It s about how absolutely important worship is and how, perhaps, it is the highest calling and occupation of the believer. But it s not about excellence of musicianship in played and sung worship. It s not about personalities or individuals, or specially gifted folks, or style, or technique. It s not a how to book, or a work book, or a here s a service schedule that s bound to work type book. It s about how God calls us all to be His worshippers and how, perhaps, every single one of us can, through a deeper understanding of worship, make an impact and a difference in the society in which we live.


8. Whatever Happened to Worship?: A Call to True Worship by A. W. Tozer



Decrying much of comtemporary worship as entertainment, Tozer pleads for an insistence on making worship genuine and forsaking the compulsion to substitute work for worship.


9. Desiring God by John Piper



Scripture reveals that the great business of life is to glorify God by enjoying Him forever. In this paradigm-shattering classic, newly revised and expanded, John Piper reveals that the debate between duty and delight doesn't truly exist: Delight is our duty. Readers will embark on a dramatically different and joyful experience of their faith.


10. People in the Presence of God by Barry Liesch



This one-of-a-kind book offers biblical perspective, historical awareness, musical and artistic sensitivity, authentic reverence, and creative stimulation for anyone who is interested in appreciating and renewing worship according to biblical models.

Is there one correct way for the people of God to worship him? It turns out that Scripture offers many models and forms for worship, all of which are acceptable but not necessarily appropriate or functional in a particular setting. Barry Liesch, a professor of music at Biola University, helps his readers to grasp that fact and it's implications for worship in the church today. This is a one-of-a-kind book for many kinds of readers in all kinds of churches. It offers biblical perspective, historical awareness, musical and artistic sensitivity, authentic reverence, and creative stimulation for worship leaders, church musicians, study groups, pastors, worship committees, and a host of others who are interested in appreciating and renewing worship according to biblical models.


11. The Air I Breathe by Louie Giglio



Not everyone may frequent the church on the corner, but we each have a place of worship. For some, it’s at the office. For others, before the mirror. Still others, on the basketball court. You were created to worship! So you naturally find a place to do it. But to worship anything less than God robs both Him and us. It’s at the foot of the cross where we reel, trying to comprehend how a holy God could chase us down with kindness and redeem us from an eternity of futile gods. In this newly revised and refreshed edition of the original The Air I Breathe, you’ll find your sense of worship increasing beyond church walls or a Sunday routine. Soon all of life becomes your delighted response to God!

"Some of the most inspiring teaching on worship I’ve ever heard has come from Louie Giglio. This book has inspired me as a worshiper and as a worship leader."
Matt Redman


12. Exploring Worship: A Practical Guide to Praise and Worship by Bob Sorge



"One of the important books of this generation, it establishes balance, a strong theological base for the worship experience, along with very practical down to earth guidelines for developing worship within the local church". - Thomas F.


13. The Heart of the Artist by Rory Noland




"I wish I had your gift!"

How do you handle those words as a creative artist? When you’re good at what you do, is it really humble to hem and haw in the face of praise?

Between pride and self-abasement lies true humility—just one aspect of the balanced character God wants to instill in you as an actor, a musician, a visual artist, or other creative person involved in ministry. He’s interested in your art and your heart.

The Heart of the Artist is like no other book you’ve read. Written for artists by an artist, this frank, knowledgeable book deals head-on with issues every person in an arts ministry faces. With passion and conviction that come from personal experience, Rory Noland, music director for Willow Creek Community Church, addresses topics such as: Servanthood Versus Stardom, The Artist in Community, Excellence Versus Perfectionism, Jealousy and Envy, Managing Your Emotions and The Spiritual Disciplines of the Artist

The Heart of the Artist will help you gain a better understanding of yourself and your unique place in the body of Christ. You’ll find wisdom and encouragement that can help you survive the challenges and reap the rich joys of a ministry in the creative arts.


14. Extravagant Worship by Darlene Zcshech



"When church historians reflect on the worship revolution that happened around the turn of the 21st century, Darlene Zschech will be credited for playing a major role" - Bill Hybels

While challenging the Christian in the congregation to be an extravagant worshiper, Zschech also presents valuable insights and help for the worship leader. These are the words of a woman of God who lives what she writes.



15. The Power of Praise and Worship by Terry Law



You can get through life's tragedies when you praise and worship the Lord! With gut-wrenching honesty, authors Terry Law and Jim Gilbert detail the tragedies in Terry's life that led him to a deep dimension of Divine teamwork. Terry Law's journey took him throughout the United States, through war-torn Afghanistan, and ancient Egypt to discover three spiritual truths expressed in worship and praise. God put these three spiritual powerhouses in your personal arsenal to use against the enemy: 1.The Word of God. 2.The Name of Jesus. 3.The Blood of Jesus. Arm yourself praise and worship are tools that break through the heavenlies all the way to the throne of God. As the author proves the sacrifice of praise and the blessing of worship saved his life. You, too, will be healed from the past and enjoy new hope for the future. You can handle all of life's tragedies through The Power of Praise and Worship.


16. Engaging With God: A Biblical Theology on Worship by David Peterson



Worship is of immense concern in the church and ironically the source of controversy and dispute. Can we get behind the question of what style of worship we should engage in to understand the bedrock foundation for God's people--honoring him as he desires? Is the dissatisfaction with worship voiced by so many perhaps a result of our having wandered from biblical teaching on the subject?

Through careful exegesis in both Old and New Testaments, David Peterson unveils the total life-orientation of worship that is found in Scripture. Rather than determining for ourselves how we should worship, we, his people, are called to engage with God on the terms he proposes and in the way he alone makes possible.

This book calls for a radical rethinking of the meaning and practice of worship, especially by those responsible for leading congregations. Here is the starting place for recovering the richness of biblical worship.


17. Real Worship: Playground, Battleground, or Holy Ground? by Warren Wiersbe



With 50,000 copies sold, the first edition of Real Worship helped many pastors and worship leaders make biblical sense in the controversy surrounding worship and worship styles. This second edition contains new chapters on taking worship seriously, planning balanced worship, and tradition in worship. A question-and-answer section, a bibliography, and a Scripture index have also been added.

While many books deal with how to worship, they fail to give a definition of true worship. Warren Wiersbe defines what worship is and the four elements it involves: wonder, witness, warfare, and wisdom. As he discusses such controversial issues as art, liturgy, worship styles, and music, Wiersbe keeps the focus on God and demonstrates the balance of worship for which every church should strive.

Real Worship is both biblically based and autobiographical, containing personal testimony, anecdotes, and illustrations from Wiersbes pastoral experience.

The first edition of this book was published by Thomas Nelson in 1986.


18. Unceasing Worship: Biblical Perspectives on Worship and the Arts by Harold M. Best



Too often Christians have only thought of worship in terms of particular musical styles or liturgical formats. But a proper view of worship is far larger than what takes place in churches on Sunday mornings. All of us, Christian or not, are always worshiping, whether or not that worship is directed toward God. We are unceasing worshipers.

In this fruition of a lifetime of study, reflection and experience, Harold Best casts a holistic vision for worship as continuous outpouring in all settings and contexts. With careful exposition and eloquent analysis, Best addresses popular misunderstandings about the use of music and offers correctives toward a more biblically consistent practice of artistic action.

Incisive, provocative, profound and comprehensive, Best's landmark volume is one by which all other statements on worship and the arts will be measured.


19. Inside Out Worship: Insights for Passionate and Purposeful Worship by Matt Redman



I have really enjoyed this book. The worship team I am part of is currently using this as a study & it has been great. It has short sections, which are easy for a big group with lots of discussion. Redman asks thought-provoking questions to jump-start those discussions. It has provided lots of insight in how worship doesn't end when we leave church. We worship all the time, in everything that we do. It's been an eye-opening book for anyone, but especially those involved with worship leading. Plus it's so small, I can stick it in my purse and read it whenever I have a few spare minutes! - Reviewer on Amazon


20. Praise Habit: Finding God in Sunsets and Sushi by David Crowder




Praise is something we are, not something we do. This book reflects on psalms from The Message//Remix and explains how to develop a habit of praise in your everyday life. Learn a new way of thinking about praise––focusing on it as a lifestyle, not an event.

Back Cover: Be glad, good people! Fly to GOD! Good-hearted people, make praise your habit. Psalm 64:10 Praise is something we are, not something we do. So if you’ve always thought that praise consists only of singing a couple mediocre songs on Sunday morning, you’ve missed the point. In his first book, popular musician David Crowder introduces you to a new way of thinking about praise––focusing on it as a lifestyle, not an event. David reflects on psalms from The Message//Remix and explains how to develop a habit of praise in your everyday life. A praise habit is not just possible; it’s the very reason we were created. Live in constant awe of God and watch what He does next. "Here is a book about a guy who wants to give something back to God and is interested in helping you and me do the same. He might have accidentally stumbled upon the meaning of life. Dave Crowder is a good writer, and he dares to tell us the truth about himself and his calling.

This one is worth reading." - Donald Miller, author, Blue Like Jazz


15 comments:

  1. The book "The Praise and Worship Team Instant Tune-Up" by Douglas Flather is also a helpful read as well. It's more about the musical aspect of praise and worship.

    - Cyrus

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  2. For a light-hearted approach to the serious topic of lyrics in worship songs, read "And now let's move into a time of nonsense" by Nick Page

    -Jim

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  3. Also good reads for a look at the impact has had and does have on people's faith both now and throughout history:
    "Worship Old and New" by Robert E. Webber
    "Worship Evangelism" by Sally Morgenthaler

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  4. I really think "Worship His Majesty" by Jack Hayford belongs in the top 5!

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  5. Looks like i'll have to create a bigger list and add all these to it :-)

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  6. Hey Phil. My favorite book is older. I think you can find used copies on Amazon. It's called The Power Of Praise And Worship by Terry Law. I was just reading some of it again last night and being blessed by it. My old paper back copy is over 20 years old. It was given to me by a friends mother when I was in high school. She told me that God had told her to give it to me and it's up to me what I do with it. Check it out some time.

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  7. I just published a book called Authentic Worship 101. You can see at: http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/218362
    It focuses on the spiritual development of worship.

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  8. The book that has helped me develop amazing intimacy with God in my worship life more than anything (other than the Bible) I have EVER read is entitled: Romancing Your Creator, A Guide to Intimate Personal Worship by Angela Keeton. See it at www.keetonbooks.com. You can also read an excerpt from the book there.

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  9. Forgot to add...this book, "Romancing Your Creator, A Guide to Intimate Personal Worship" won the Christian Storyteller award in 2010 for Best Christian Inspirational book of the year.

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  10. You should try 'The Worship Kenbook' by Gangai Victor. http://goo.gl/JJhki1

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  11. Another vote for 'the worship Kenbook'.

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  12. Hi, I just published a very small book regarding worship in modern church. Please give me some feedback. http://www.amazon.com/Worship-God-Are-you-sure-ebook/dp/B00UNIS16O/ref=sr_1_13?ie=UTF8&qid=1426507779&sr=8-13&keywords=worship+god

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  13. Thanks for the list of great worship books. My sister has been wondering on how to worship more, and I definitely will recommend this post and these titles to her. I hope she finds the inspiration she needs. https://store.csspub.com/

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  14. I highly recommend "Tips for Tight Teams," by Sandy Hoffman, (Hal Leonard Publishing)
    http://www.amazon.com/Tips-Tight-Teams-High-Performance-Musician/dp/1458402916

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    ReplyDelete