Singing and Making Music: Issues in Church Music Today

by Paul S Jones D.M., Eric J. Alexander (Foreword by)

In thirty-two thought-provoking essays on church music, Paul S. Jones, Organist and Music Director at historic Tenth Presbyterian Church, Philadelphia, provides biblical reasoning and practical wisdom concerning the purpose and practice of church music. Topics addressed include corporate worship, hymnody and psalmody, composers, and composition, as well as: - Criteria for good church music - King David's praise team - Instruments in worship - Sacred music as prayer - Luther and bar song - What happened to hymns? - Should church musicians be paid? - J. S. Bach and musical hermeneutics

Genres: Music, Theology, Nonfiction, Christian, Devotional

336 pages, Paperback

First published April 21, 2006

Reviews

[Matthew · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was quite enlightening about the issues in music for the use of worship. I have learned quite a bit about issues in music in general since I read the book, and it provides a good Biblical reasons for performing music in a certain way during a worship service and outside of a worship service.

[Jonathan · Rating 2 out of 5]

It was alright. I didn't care for the essay format and wished he carried a sustained argument. He also didn't adequately explain to me why the Levitical music should be the pattern for worship music in the New Testament age. But still plenty of thought provoking insights and practical help for growing a congregation's musical service to God. Recommended with reservations.

[Nate Youtzy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Jones provides a great overview to several subjects in the area of music for the church. While his principles are often helpful, he seems to focus on one viewpoint, which may not be helpful for those who operate a music ministry differently than him.

[Connor Longaphie · Rating 3 out of 5]

I felt as though this dealt far less with issues in church music in the modern age than it does with how to write a hymn. I thought that was strange. But it wasn't a total waste of my time.

[John · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was difficult to rate. Paul Jones is clearly qualified as a church musician because of his experience as the lead musician at the 10th Presbyterian Church in Philadelphia. His interaction with men like James Montgomery Boice also add to his ability to converse on the theology of worship. Jones writes for both the layman and the accomplished musician. And so, depending on your level of expertise, the relevance will be evidently clear. That being said, his discussion of the theology of corporate worship and song are accessible to all. The section on Composers and Composition might be a bit technical for those not trained classically, but it is readable. For those who are interested in writing new hymns, he offers some excellent advice in how to do this. The book will be provocative for those who gravitate toward's gratification in worship. Jones reminds us that "Worship is not about us, but about the Almighty." This is a must read for those who are starting to re-evaluate their music philosophy, have a desire for a theological framework, or want to consider some corollary issues related to worship in general. I would rate the theological sections as five stars and the technical sections as three stars.

[Robert Murphy · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was lent this book by a friend because I'd sung several of the hymns the author has written with J.M. Boice. Being in a liturgy class this semester, I think my view of this book is significantly different than it would've been. I come from a very SATB/four-part harmony/organ/hymnal/psalter-kind of church background and so does Paul Jones. His defense of classical-music-based worship, however, seems very narrow to me now. His arguments all assume an upper-crust, white, rich, presbyterian culture, which is no longer the case, even in white, uppity, presbyterian churches. For example, his condemnation of clapping assumes an unexamined adulation for the worship team, which is by no means a given.

Worship must be a combination of immanence and transcendence, just as Christ is fully both. However, Jones is only interest in the latter, probably because the former dominates so much of what passes for church music these day. As church leaders, however, we can't let ourselves swing off the right side just because everyone is going left.

[Joel · Rating 3 out of 5]

Church musicians should read this book - a good overview on the philosophy/theology of church music as well as practical chapters on the musicians actual ministry in the church, and interesting historical chapters on hymns and Christan classical musicians as well. Not for the general reader, obviously. (Just to note: Jones is very classical in his approach to worship, so in some areas I disagree with how his accurate theology plays out specifically in worship)

[Marisha Caballero · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book is very technical and difficult to read through. I think that, for me, it will go back on my shelf and function as a reference book that I can go to from time to time. I did a lot of skimming because much of the information was not what I was interested in reading.

[Sam · Rating 2 out of 5]

It was a fairly good book. I got a little annoyed at his anti-accompaniment track music, but overall he has a lot of good things to say about church music as a protestant presbyterian.

[Brittany Petruzzi · Rating 4 out of 5]

An excellent and encouraging work, even if the last section got a little bogged down with technical jargon. Still: Read it.

[David · Rating 4 out of 5]

Although written from a different cultural and ecclesiastical background to my own, I found this book to be a valuable work, giving much food for thought. A must-read for every church leader.