In the past, I would post only book reviews pertinent to worship, music in the local church, or general Christian leadership and discipleship. Recently, I've been studying many more general topics as well, such as history, economics and scientific thought, some of which end up as reviews here as well.
Tuesday, May 21, 2013 at 9:06PM 
I've spent the last 15 years evaluating and recommending resources for worship ministries, churches, leaders, musicians, vocalists, audio/video techs and pastors. I've even written a book highlighting the best of those resources that I've found relevant to worship and music. But in that time and search, I've yet to recommend a resource that completely covers the topic of how to lead worship. There are several books and DVDs and resources that drill down on specific details, skills, issues or ideas- all of them good and needed. But what I was looking for was the one book that could serve as the manual or textbook for those with a calling to leading worship. My search has ended.
In "How To Lead Worship Without Being a Rock Star", Dan Wilt has crafted a values-based approach to the calling, development and practice of worship leading. As the title indicates, Wilt is as concerned with answering the question of why to lead worship as he is to how. Right from the start, the author identifies the 800lb gorilla in church music: the fact that leadership of sacred worship has collided with the "American Idol" pop-culture on the Sunday morning music platforms of churches around the world. Wilt's pithy phrase brings these tensions into crystal clear focus in his introduction:
Excitement and danger - that is the privilege of worship leading.1
From that place, the book takes the reader on an eight chapter course that will engage all the necessary components of development to bring a person through detailed information, study, evaluation and questioning- all as a means to growth into worship leadership. The first chapter drills deep into the subject of why we worship and why leading is a part of local church expression of worship. This flows nicely into the second chapter which continues to carve out the foundations by addressing the core values that we must have undergirding our understanding and practice of worship leading. The final foundation stone of his book comes in chapter three, which is titled "The Character of the Worship Leader", in which the reader is made to face the hard questions of motivation, calling and desires in their hopes of participation in leading worship. These first three chapters are worth the cost of the book on their own, and as someone who has worked for years at developing other worship leaders the importance and value of these foundations can't be overlooked.
Chapters four and five kick into practical guidance on the skills, planning, practices and thinking behind great worship leading. Chapter four focuses on the functions, techniques and skills of the worship leader and chapter five drills down on the leadership of a worship band. Chapter six deals with the pastoral relationship and the role of mentorship as you help others in growing in worship leading. Chapter seven culminates this practical guidebook approach by articulating excellent points to helping you in "Becoming a Great Worship Leader". The final chapter revisits the main points of the book and returns the reader to foundational concepts of values that undergird this book.
Dan Wilt's book is as virtual "course in a book" on worship leading 101. If you are looking for a rock solid manual to help with teaching the foundational values of worship leading along with the essentials of practical worship ministry, you have struck gold with "How To Lead Worship..." by Dan Wilt. I would especially recommend this to those of you who may be training, mentoring or leading other worship leaders (whether Sunday morning or small groups)-- this is the one manual that can help you and those that you are mentoring! Because the book is laid out in eight distinct sessions (including salient points, chapter discussion questions and summaries), you can use it as you "ready-to-use" study that both you and your trainee will learn from. Wilt has used his years as a local church worship leader, pastor, college professor and mentor to worship leaders around the world to inform his very practical approach to creating and developing this manual- and it shines through.
There are certainly more things to learn and technical concepts to be drilled down on as a worship leader develops, but this book should be at the starting point as a foundational course text for churches, worship departments, and Christian colleges everywhere. It is practical, readable, honest, values-centered and encouraging! Get a copy of this physical printed book in your hands now! While it will be life-changing for the beginner, it can also serve as a great structural inspection for the values and operational architecture of those already operating in the call of worship leading.
Book Link: http://bit.ly/1a3U5w9
Review by Kim Gentes
1. Wilt, Dan (203). How To Lead Worship Without Being a Rock Star: an 8 week study. (Page 4). Wild Pear Creative.
book, book review, dan wilt, leadership, music, textbook, values, vineyard, worship, worship leader, worship leading in Book Review, Leadership, Ministry, Resource, Worship Tuesday, August 21, 2007 at 3:56PM 
In the last ten years few people would not recognize the impact that Saddleback Church, Rick Warren (its pastor) and the “Purpose Driven” books and ministries that have sprung up from this community. It’s no surprise then, when you talk to worship ministers in local churches around America that you hear them referring to Saddleback’s Rick Muchow (pastor and worship leader) and Tony Guerrero (Director of Creative Arts) for insights on music and worship. A few weeks ago, while at a worship conference, I was thumbing through a new book called “Attracting Quality Musicians” by Tony Guerrero. I was intrigued by the book because it spoke head-on to a specific topic that touches most churches in western culture. While I was standing at a vendor booth scanning the book, the vendor said to me “if you are interested in that book, you can ask the author, he’s right there”. Tony just happened to be walking by (he was teaching some classes at the conference I was at) so I had the chance to catch up with him and talk briefly. I was glad I did.
Tony Guerrero is a successful jazz musician of some notoriety, who has won popular acclaim in concerts, recording appearances and music reviews. He has quite a story of how God moved him into serving local churches, and eventually overseeing the music ministry at Saddleback church. Much of this story is shared in the pages of Tony’s book “Attracting Quality Musicians’, which is both enjoyable and well balanced in its treatment of the topic. In this work, Tony presents a concise, but complete, treatise for why and how a local church can go about “Attracting Quality Musicians”.
The book begins with several pages which address some philosophical and Biblical points related to the premise of putting quality music into the local church. I liked this because he took the approach of helping to bring everyone to the same place of understanding before launching into the mechanics of attracting and keeping quality musicians. Even if you don’t end up agreeing with his viewpoint, this book is an excellent scale on which to weigh your opinions. And in the end, there is plenty to discuss here. From foundations for why a church might want to improve their music, to identifying, engaging, pastoring, working with and keeping top notch musicians, Mr. Guerrero meticulously covers the gambit of issues that face anyone in local church music leadership.
Another thing I liked about the book was that Tony doesn't shy away from any hot button issues. Particularly, the topics of paying musicians, using non-Christian musicians, volunteerism and personal moral character is dealt with head on. This may be controversial to some, but Guerrero is upfront and clear about his agenda and perspective. Also refreshing was that the author presents the reader with other options, sometimes going so far as to articulate and explain how one could support alternate opinions. All along the way, we learn more about the author and the concepts by well placed personal stories and examples and quotes from others such as Tommy Walker, Buddy Owens, and Chris Falsom. The core of the book is a relatively short read at about 85 pages, so it is nicely manageable for worship leaders and musicians who (if they are like me) have limited spare time. But the book has an additional 40 pages of excellent interview material that helps to bring some additional voices to the discussion. Israel Houghton, Paul Baloche, Sally Morganthaler, Morris Chapman, Tom Brooks and others chime in with extended sections relating to the topics presented in the book. Not all of the opinions and feedback even agree with all of Guerrero’s points (though some of them do), which make the interviews a valuable part of this work.
Overall “Attracting Quality Musicians” is, as its subtitle suggests, “a guidebook and discussion” not a hard-line text for Tony Guerrero’s opinion. It is well-paced and invitational in its approach, leaving you feeling like you sat down and had a chat with Tony (ok, maybe several chats) about the topics covered. He clearly leaves you to make your own conclusions on how to approach church music, while presenting a fairly concise manual for the proven method they are employing in the ministry at Saddleback church. It is an important, well-thought, contribution to church music leaders everywhere.
Product Link http://amzn.to/ogKNDq
Review by Kim Gentes
Sunday, August 19, 2007 at 10:16PM 
Revelation is something that must not only be received by the mind, but lived in the present reality of our bodies and spirits. In "The Worship God Is Seeking", pastor, worship leader and songwriter, David Ruis takes this difficult road of attempting to connect theology and passionate service. He succeeds wonderfully! This is a book that should be read by everyone, not just pastors and worship leaders and musicians. This is a prophetic message for all of us in the Body of Christ.
In the first 3 chapters, Ruis examines God-centered devotion in which the centrality of the Cross, the foundation of God's love, the necessity of the power of the Spirit, and the essential gathering of the community of Christ are the basis of "The Worship God is Seeking". As the chapters continue, David argues convincingly that true worship will be a journey not only marked by discovering God more fully as the fuel of all things "spirit and truth", but the center of creativity itself, as initiated by His actions at the creation of the universe. He goes on to link our relational connection to God as "Abba Father" as an important truth in unlocking authenticity and freedom in worship, not just in our culture, but around the globe.
But do not think the book aspires to some unreachable utopia. Ruis takes careful aim to ground his theological outline (which is heavily influenced by theologians N.T. Wright and Don Williams) in a lifetime of personal experience. Ruis's constant call in this book is for the church to focus on God, remember the community of Christ and show the fruit of worship through the fragrance of justice.
On the whole, this book is substantially more challenging to pastors and leaders than a simple book on worship. On practical terms, he covers everything from the place of artists and musicians in our churches to the importance of expectation in our gatherings. But this book is not really a practitioners guide as much as it is a prophetic challenge to the church. It is a distinct call to complete surrender to Christ, who has done all that is needed for worship, and an ongoing welcome to those who would walk in step with the advancing kingdom of God as we become participants that "let justice roll".
Product Link http://amzn.to/omCmRp
Review by Kim Gentes
book, david ruis, leadership, music, pastor, review, ruis, teaching, the worship god is seeking, theology, worship, worship leader in Book Review, Leadership, Theology, Worship Friday, August 17, 2007 at 6:22PM 
The last few days has had me pouring through a book that is proving to be a great resource for worship leaders, pastors, and worshipers alike. The book is titled "To Know You More" and it is written by Andy Park. The reading is very easy, but the content isn't fluff. So many other books on the topic of worship and worship leading are just more volleys in the ongoing debate of the "worship wars", but Andy Park rises far above those entanglements with "To Know You More".
View an interview with Andy Park.
This book is many things. First, it is the most concise practitioners guidebook (especially in the area of pastoral development of the leader) ever written on the topic of contemporary worship leading. In contrast to other works by contemporary worship leaders, Park is exceptionally well thought as a pastor, while still maintaining the perspective and personal experience of an excellent musician and songwriter.
Also, the book is written with some excellent scriptural depth. Andy Park has the unique perspective of having served years as both a worship leader, pastor and senior pastor in various churches (big and small). He speaks candidly about the experiences of each role related to worship. While having a thorough grasp of Biblical underpinnings for his life's work, he is able to communicate scriptural truth from both reference text and real life. A rare combination to be sure.
But "To Know You More" is as much a story as it is a textbook. Conveying the life one of the most prolific worship writers in our time, this story is one we can all enjoy and learn from. From the endorsements of the all the well-known personalities (M. Redman, B. Doerksen, etc) that speak of the honesty of this book, I can assure you they must have also read the book. I would venture to say that you might even find this book too honest at times, because it will squarely challenge you on your own motivation.
Because Andy Park is so well known, I am sure many of you will be interested in this new book right off. But others may just be hearing for the first time about him. To help you get acquainted with him, we have also published a recent interview with Andy Park right on the website. To see an overview, list of features, and table of contents of the book, check out his book at the Amazon link below.
Also, remember to check out the new online interview with Andy Park.
This book should be required reading for all worship leaders and pastors. Really.
Run, don't walk, to get a copy of this great worship resource! This is such a great resource, I am giving it the Editor's Choice Award, and it is very deserving.
Amazon Link: http://amzn.to/o6p4OU
