Section: HIGHLY RECOMMENDED | TAKING IT DEEPER | THEOLOGY BOOKS l THE CROSS
HIGHLY RECOMMENDED
These are the books that all who are involved in leading gathered worship in Glenabbey must read - and perhaps even own!“Worship matters - leading others to encounter the greatness of God” by Bob Kauflin
 | Full of strong biblical principles, wide ranging in its subject matter, easy and engaging to read, challenging and encouraging, and full of great pracitcal advice for all involved in planning and leading corporate worship. There are few other books on worship that deal as thoroughy and refreshingly with the principles foundational to - and the practice of leading in - congregational worship. You must not only read this book, but study it carefully and prayerfully. If you only read one book from this list ... and all that! |
“The air I breathe” by Louie Giglio
 | Louie is founder of the Passion movement in the USA in which artists such as Chris Tomlin and David Crowder are very involved. In this book, Louie collects together his thoughts on the essence of worship. It is very easy to read, simple without being simplistic, and will challenge all involved in music to consider the extent to which we are worshipping God with all that we have and are. Biblically informed and thought-provoking, this is well worth a careful read. |
“Incomparable” by Andrew Wilson
 | This is a must read for anyone who is serious about getting to know the Object of our worship better. Andrew’s writing style is accessible yet profound and the short chapters (2-3 pages) makes this very easy to dip into, but you'll feel you're dipping into something with a lot of depth to it! Highly recommended for everyone serving in the Music Ministry in Glenabbey. |
“The Valley of Vision” by Arthur Bennett
 | The depth of spirituality you'll find in this collection of prayers from previous generations is impressive. If you feel that your prayer life is a little light-weight, then you'll find many wonderful examples of saints of old who have struggled to encounter God authentically and in a life-changing way. A great resource also for worship leaders as we consider how we might lead others in corporate prayer. You'll not only be inspired in your own prayer, but you'll find much you can adapt here for corporate use in Glenabbey. |
“And now let’s move into a time of nonsense” by Nick Page
 | Subtitle: "How worship songs are failing the church." Nick's book is extremely witty and you'll certainly be entertained by the one liners. But Nick uses his humour masterfully to help us ask some very searching questions about the nature of the songs being introduced into the church's song diet. Reading this book will help you to be more discerning about the songs you choose for congregational praise - and you'll have a good laugh at the same time! |
TAKING IT DEEPER
If you're interested in engaging more deeply with the Bible's teaching on worship, check out these books.“Worship by the book” edited by DA Carson
 | This great book deals in a robustly biblical manner with what biblical worship is. As one reviewer puts is, the first chapter by Carson contains ‘a lengthy definition of worship and a twelve-point examination of this definition. It is an unusually long and detailed definition of worship, yet one that for precisely those reasons is exceedingly useful.’ The remaining chapters discuss how these biblical principles are worked out in three contrasting church traditions. Of particular interest to us in Glenabbey is Tim Keller’s essay on how corporate worship can be both edifying to Christians and accessible to non-Christians at the same time. Every worship leader in Glenabbey needs to read at least these two chapters. |
“Worship in spirit and truth” by John Frame
 | This book discusses the role the bible plays in helping shape what our corporate meetings should look like. Frame starts by examining the foundational biblical principles concerning worship and the purpose of Christian gatherings before moving on to consider many practical aspects of what we actually do when we meet and why. This book will stimulate your thinking and is particularly recommended for all those involved in planning any of our corporate meetings. |
“Engaging with God” by David Peterson
 | A thorough and detailed biblical theology of worship. Peterson immerses himself deeply in the unfolding story of biblical worship, arguing that it's not up to us to determine how we worship God, but that we are called to engage with him on the terms he proposes and in the way he alone make possible. He emphasises the close connection between corporate worship and edification. |
“Created for worship” by Noel Due
 | Due outlines a biblical theology of worship, tracing the development of the concept from Genesis through to Revelation. If you want seriously to engage with the broad scope of biblical teaching on worship, this is a good resource to start with. Although it is light on application, you will gain helpful insight into the principles that inform our practice in corporate worship. |
“Music through the eyes of faith” by Harold Best
 | This is a fascinating and mind stretching read on the function of music in our corporate worship. It's also very helpful for anyone interested in the relationship between the musical styles we use in corporate worship and the culture we are reaching out to. Best has a style of writing that seems to just drip from his pen and his turn of phrase is superb. This is an intellectually stimulating book that will challenge you to think deeply on many issues related to music and worship. |
“Recalling the hope of glory” by Allen P. Ross
 | Simply epic in its scope, this is an informed and wide-ranging biblical theology of worship. While Ross acknowledges that worship impacts all of our lives, his emphasis here is to trace the development of corporate gatherings through the Old and New Testaments, from the Garden to the New Creation, to quote from the sub-title of the book. There is much reflection on biblical texts, a rich scholarship and knowledge, and a strong awareness of the glory of God in Ross' writing. |
THEOLOGY BOOKS
Without sound theology, worship too readily descends into idolatry, as we will tend to worship a god of our own creation, emerging from our speculation, rather than worshipping the God of scripture, the God of revelation. Worship leaders must be increasingly aquainted with the God we all worship. These books will help deepen your grasp of the character and works of God.“Knowing God” by JI Packer
 | The is a classic, with over 1 million copies sold since it was first published in 1973. Each chapter covers a specific aspect of God's character and, by the time you've read the whole book, the range of subject covered will so expand your mind that your view of God will be changed for the better. It will stretch your mind in a way that is readable and devotional. |
“The Knowledge of the Holy” by AW Tozer
 | A short but rich exploration of some of the basic attributes of God. It's both informative and inspiring, pointing clearly to the immense glory of God and leading us to a response of wonder and worship of the magnitude of our God. This book will repay a slow, meditative study and will enrich your grasp of the nature of God we worship - something all worship leaders need to aspire to. |
“Seeing and Savouring Jesus Christ” by John Piper
 | This short book is a theologically solid exposition of the person and work of Christ and yet, at the same time, is a wonderful devotional work that will increase your admiration and love for Jesus. The chapters are short and accessible (4-5 pages), but rich and profound. The prayers which finish each chapter are Christ-exalting, worshipful and strongly devotional in tone. |
THE CROSS
The gospel is not just something we preach to non-believers. It's the very centre of gravity of our faith and is the heart and basis of the entire Christian life. And at the heart of the gospel stands the cross of Christ. All effective worship leaders must have a good grasp of the theology of the cross if we are to help those we lead avoid the twin errors of legalism and licence when we meet for corporate worship.“Christ our Mediator” by CJ Mahaney
 | This short and accssible book was prompted by the movie the Passion of the Christ, which left Mahaney wanting to answer the question 'Why?' all this suffering? The books takes you throw the meaning behind the cross in an engaging and practical manner. If you're not an avid reader, then this book is a great one to start with. In fact, you would be well advised to check out this talk by Mahaney on the cross. If you've never heard him speak you're in for a treat. |
“The Passion of Jesus Christ” by John Piper
 | Another book written in response to Gibson's movie seeking to answer the 'Why?' question. The very short chapters give effective summaries of 50 reasons why Christ died. A very helpful place to begin if you're trying to get to grips with the meaning of the cross. The concise chapters make it a very accessible read for those who wouldn't normally tackle long or heavy books. A free online version is available here. |
The Jesus Gospel
 | Increasingly today the foundational meaning of the cross - that Christ died in our place, for our sins, bearing the wrath of God that should have been borne by us - is being questioned and debated. One author even refers to this concept as 'divine child abuse'. Into this climate comes this masterful work. Goligher takes us through the unfolding storyline of God's plan of salvation and shows us how the concept of penal substitution is woven inescapably into the bible story. Although this is a more considered read than the previous two recommendations, it is still written in an accessible and relevant style. It is authoritative yet readable and will help clarify your mind and warm your heart with the central truths of the gospel. |
“The Cross of Christ” by John Stott
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©Glenabbey 2004 - 2010
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