Customer Reviews

Enter the Worship Circle

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I didn't know what to expect in this book, but was drawn immediately to the design and artistic concept. I have always been fascinated by icons and symbolism; the use of icons ('voices') in this book coupled with an "other-worldly" atmosphere reminded me of playing immersive computer games such as Myst and Riven--a sense that all was new, and yet somehow strangely familiar.

I read this book in one sitting (interrupted by a late-night nap), and then promptly proceeded to read it again, annotating wildly (I couldn't even stop long enough during the first reading to underline!) The stories are compelling and do indeed draw the reader from one point-of-view to the next in one uninterrupted convergence of radically different journeys. The author's skill in creating and sustaining a wide variety of voices, temperaments and personalities in the book is impressive and convincing.

This is the first worship book I have read that (in my humble opinion) adequately addresses the call of worship and spirituality upon the postmodern seeker. It has been my experience that many books on worship and seeking God on the market today are written in either extremely academic and archaic language, or (worse) are written as easy "7 steps to.." solutions manuals for goal-oriented people. This book is their polar opposite. From the opening pages I was not sure where the author was going, and that momentary lack of orientation actually gave me a sense of comfort! It takes courage to write about God and leave more questions than answers in the mind of the reader, and in that Mr. Pasley has certainly succeeded.

Whereas many moderns seem unsuccessfully devoted to the left-brained, cognitive approach to Christianity and God, this book focuses upon many approaches and orientations. Logical thinking is included (in a style reminiscent of C. S. Lewis in a contemporary tongue), but is made to share time with emotions, dreams, visions, and, as always, the questions. In contrast to our answer-rich "how-to" culture, this book dares to invite its the reader to ask questions on his/her own. This to me is the essense of true spirituality--to dare to ask God, and to believe that He has an answer for each of us.

So I had listened to the cd's, and I became fairly intrigued to learn that the same singer of 100 portraits had written a book titled: "Enter the Worship Circle." I'm one of those people who have to plunge into something all the way, and then, whether I sink or swim, I know I gave it my all. So, a few days later, I held the book in my hands, and I began to read.

And it caught me off guard.

You see, the book wasn't written the way that I had ever expected it to be written. Simply, the book travels in this order: The author uses seven different view points in his story to bring you through his stories, thoughts, and revelations on worship. He also begins moving from 'outside' the worship circle, to the very heart of it. Using creative stories, logical statements, and beautiful language, he paints a clear picture of who God has to be if we are to worship him, and why Jesus is that God. I won't spoil it by saying what reading is like, Except that you definitely will not walk away from it without having an idea of where you stand in worship. In fact, I recommend this to Christians, and Non Christians, who are willing to say that maybe, just maybe, Jesus is God. And if he is, maybe he is even a loving God.

Ben Pasley has always been such a storyteller. Listen to him speak, listen to his and his wife's music (100 Portraits), they paint pictures in your mind and tell you a beautiful story.

So Ben writes a book, and his storytelling is just as beautiful as it ever was.

Simply put: This book is amazing.

When speaking on the subject of spirituality and more specifically worship, it's very easy to come off very religious, lose people in all kinds of archaic terminology and just be very uninteresting. Ben does an amazing job of talking about spirituality in such way that you can barely wait to read the next chapter and find yourself complaining that each chapter is too small. The one thing I didn't run into was fluff. Too often it seems people get an interesting notion about spirituality and decide it needs to be a book. Then in the first three chapters, you know what the rest will say... This is not true with Enter the Worship Circle. I found myself being surprised until the very end. Ben draws you in throughout the entire book. The pieces of narative sometimes seem non-linear and unrelated, but all pieces have a consistancy about them. Ben seems to weave these threads together and the end picture is beautiful.

How refreshing! Reading this book will make you stop and think about who you really are, why it is that we worship the way we do. All of us do by the way, some of us are more centered on who and what it is that we worship, since we know that it is the one thing that we were created for that brings us the most outrageous joy and peace and since of wholness.

Author Ben Pasley took a huge risk in writing this book. It just does not follow the norm in any way! His book is an experience in worship itself. Not written in humdrum chapters or some chronological order but rather written what Ben calls a Table of Voices. This book comes at us the way Life it self does, the way God does, from all different directions and every aspect of our lives. If you are religious and like pat answers this book is not for you and you will most likely be greatly offended.

In Pasley book the Table of Voices include:

Java Boy - Here we listen to the thoughts of an obsessive coffee love who narrates his own journey into the separate worlds of expresso and worship.

Worship - People from all walks of life and different points of history and different religious backgrounds look onto themselves, into worship and into the texture of their experiences.

Thoughts - Where the author speaks in open conversation. From the places in the mind where external things are considered and truth is searched out.

Mountain - A singular voice, an aspiring mountain climber, journals his experiences to the achievement of a lifetime, leaving clues for those who would follow along the way.

Vision - A Seeker of Truth is taken up into a vision so powerful so clear, that we are able to see through her eyes and hear through her ears into the world beyond - the world of the supernatural.

Arts - The creative arts are given a voice to speak. They reveal the tensions of their birth, their role in connecting humanity with the eternal, and their passion to be involved in worship.

Seven - An encourage places a collection of seven challenges at different points along the journey - each collection opening up a new experience in worship.

If you are a seeker of Truth want to experience worship in its highest and purest form I highly recommend this read. If you have been at war with yourself, addicted to technology, but craving the spiritual, demanding knowledge but longing for mystery then you will find this book drawing you deeper into that place. Enter The Worship Circle will draw you deep into the mystical world while at the same time dealing the the practical aspects of life.

So if you've divorced religion and still spiritually hungry and find yourself desperate to build a relationship with God. This book is for you. You really can enjoy Him who your hear so loves!

I also highly recommend Gene Edwards book The Divine Romance (Inspirational)

In a world where the "religion salesmen" reign (and are subsequently rejected as unnecessary and distasteful), Ben Pasley has revealed a breath of fresh air. I say "revealed" and not "breathed" because indeed the author has simply caught something in his heart that comes from another, truer, place, where the air the clearer and you breathe in life.

Weaving a beautiful web of images, truth, expression, and mystery, Pasley simply offers seekers a glimpse of his own journey. And in a world of "self-help-infomercial-televangelist-meets-politician-I-have-exactly-what-you-need-now-all-I-need-is-your-credit-card-number", that is indeed a fresh thing. Innovatively written (there are pictures! fun pictures!) from different angles, different visions of the same image, the book draws the reader along into a world of the human heart, a world of the divine, and a world where the two are intrinsically joined: the real world.

If you like to read, or if you just like to, well, LIKE, then I recommend this book to you. You just may touch God in the process, if you're willing to reach out for Him.

-a traveller