A one-volume reference work designed to aid worship planners in the selection of contemporary song. Organized by the three- year lectionary cycle, this book also contains integrated scriptural, seasonal, and topical indexes. Song collections indexed include With One Voice; This Far by Faith; Worship & Praise; The Celebration Hymnal; Gather Comprehensive; Glory & Praise; Maranatha! Music Praise; Renew!; Spirit Calls, Rejoice!; and Worship Songs of the Vineyard.

Roy Oswald, who ministers to pastors with great compassion, perceptiveness, and skill, now brings eight more years of field experience to an updated edition of "New Beginnings." Important new material includes: More wisdom about how to take care of yourself in the midst of the stress of transition...how to get clear about your role in your new parish...how to get along with people you don't like (as well as people you DO like)...how to celebrate with the search committee. Getting off to a good start in your new pastorate is crucial. If you have moved or are about to move into a new parish ministry, this workbook will help you take advantage of the special opportunities and avoid the pitfalls in the first 18 months of a pastorate.

(Integrity). This instructional book by songwriters Paul Baloche and Jimmy & Carol Owens covers basic songwriting principles like how to develop a song after inspiration comes, 30 characteristics that make a song memorable, 16 shared qualities of great worship songs and 12 keys to unlock writer's block. You will also learn how to gain the listener's attention quickly, find fresh ways of expressing worship and choose just the right words. God Songs also contains advice on how to make your song its best before releasing it, how to get your songs heard and used by others, and ways to minister most effectively with your music. Song stories and advice from writers and publishers such as Darlene Zschech, Chris Tomlin, Matt Redman, Bart Millard, Craig Dunnagan and Rita Baloche are also included. Softcover, 304 pages.

The definitive guide to the meaning of today's most popular praise and worship songs. Few things influence Christians' understanding of the faith more than the songs they sing in worship. The explosion of praise and worship music in the last fifteen years has profoundly affected our experience of God. So what are those songs telling us about who God is? In what ways have they made us more faithful disciples of Jesus Christ? In what ways have they failed to embody the full message of the gospel? Working with the lists of the most frequently sung praise and worship songs from recent years, the authors of this book offer an objective but supportive assessment of the meaning and contribution of the Christian music that has been so important in the lives of contemporary believers.

Contemporary worship continues to gain strength as the form of worship of choice for many churches across the country. The Art of Worship is a complete resource to which a musician or pastor can turn when asked to lead contemporary music. It provides in-depth instruction to every aspect of contemporary worship leadership--from assembling the team to choosing the music to conducting rehearsals. Author Greg Scheer takes a balanced, holistic approach, embracing the contemporary style without denying older traditions and encouraging excellence without ignoring the realities of the local church context. Worship team leaders, musicians, and pastors looking for a quality, comprehensive resource need look no further.

This book was born out of necessity and desire of the author to learn about proper church music in regards to melody, harmony, lyrics, instrumentation, and rhythm. The necessity is for clearer guidelines for pastors and musicians since there are many debates and divisions over worship music. The author desired a deeper understanding since he is a professional musician who was criticized for his choice of instruments, style, and genre. This book informs the reader of the musicological and theological aspect of worship music. It examines and explains the role of electric instruments and drums in 21st century worship. It helps music leaders make better decisions when it comes to building a church band and selecting proper music. This book also helps answering some myths people have about instrumentation, style, rhythm, lyrics and harmony in respect to theology, culture, and musicology vs. personal preference. This book will encourage today's musicians to explore, invent, develop, and enrich worship with their music. It will also help mend the gap between generations in regards to change, as good Christians will realize that drums were not invented by the devil and, if rightly used, could be a wonderful addition to the church band.