The Unquenchable Worshipper: Coming Back to the Heart of Worship (Worship Series) [Hardcover]

Matt Redman (Author)

Book Description

Series: Worship Series | Publication Date: September 11, 2001

The Unquenchable Worshipper issues a passionate call for a return to an unadulterated, first-love lifestyle of worship. In his first book release, respected worship leader and songwriter Matt Redman writes: "The revelation of God is the fuel for the fire of our worship. And there is always more fuel for the fire. When we open the eyes of our heart, God’s revelation comes flying at us from so many different angles." Open the eyes of your heart and let the gut-level message of The Unquenchable Worshipper cause you, like martyred missionary Jim Elliot, to say, "Saturate me with the oil of Thy Spirit, that I may be aflame. Make me Thy fuel O flame of God." It’s time to dive into the heart of worship—will you take the plunge?

Editorial Reviews

From the Back Cover

This book is about a certain kind of worshipper. Unquenchable. Unstoppable. Undignified. Undone. On a quest to bring glory and pleasure to God, these worshippers will not allow themselves to be distracted or defeated. They long for their hearts, lives and songs to be the kind of offerings God is looking for. At life's apex or at it's lowest ebb, an unquenchable worshipper is one who rests in an underlying trust in God and worships before an audience of One. Enter the place where your fire for God cannot be washed away.  Become an unpredictable, undivided, unquenchable worshipper.

About the Author

MATT REDMAN has quickly become one of the most respected worship leaders >and songwriters in the praise and worship and youth revival movements. Songs such as “The Heart of Worship," "Better Is One Day," and "Let Everything That Has Breath" are featured on countless worship projects and at worship events around the world. Matt’s newest solo project, Where Angels Fear to Tread, is his fourth American release. Matt is also the general editor for The Heart of Worship Files, a collection of articles from some of today’s most well-loved worship leaders.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 128 pages
• Publisher: Regal (September 11, 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0830729135
• ISBN-13: 978-0830729135
• Product Dimensions: 6.4 x 4.5 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 5.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (23 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #37,013 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #49 in Books > Religion & Spirituality > Other Practices > Ritual

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

27 of 27 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A wonderful little book, November 8, 2002

By 

David W. Jones "ntfellow" (Palatine, IL United States) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: The Unquenchable Worshipper: Coming Back to the Heart of Worship (Worship Series) (Hardcover)

This is a wonderful little book (only 126 small pages) that packs a punch beyond its size. Redman does not seek to give practical advice on leading worship ("If you are looking for tips on song selection, chord sequences or selecting and training a band, you will be disappointed," p. 13). Rather, he attempts to set out a whole philosophy of worship ministry, geared toward worship leaders--or, as he would say, "lead worshippers."

Clearly, Redman has thought about worship a great deal. He is familiar with the most important Scriptures that deal with his topic, and has interesting insights into many of them. Some of these insights are based on the meanings of Greek and Hebrew words, which he gets correct every time. He also sprinkles in some pithy quotes from well known authors like C. S. Lewis, G. K. Chesterton and Dietrich Bonhoeffer that address the subject at hand. The book is well-written and interesting to read.

Some of the best material deals with a worship leader's temptations of pride and losing one's spiritual edge. He is open about his own failures, and yet shows again and again how God brought him back to a place of humble dependence on Him. Good stuff.

The only theological concern that I had involved Redman's use of the word "revelation" (see in particular pages 25-27). He talks about how God reveals Himself in nature and in the history of His people and in the cross and in fellowship with others. He also includes God's Word in this, but I would have liked for him to emphasize it above the others. The way it is written now, it almost sounds like God's Word is one of any number of places where we can receive revelation about God, rather than the primary place with the others supplementing.

He definitely holds that prophecy is for today. He speaks of receiving "pictures" from God about different things. I was not particularly troubled by this, but someone without a solid biblical background could go to town on such revelations while ignoring God's Word. I would stress to the worship leaders who read this that we must submit all subjective revelations we think we receive to the objective Revelation of God's Word, not the other way around.

With that said, this is a wonderful little book that should be read by everyone who leads worship. It promises to produce much good fruit.

18 of 19 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Definitely a positive and worthwhile message, November 13, 2003

By 

C. Stephans - See all my reviews
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This review is from: The Unquenchable Worshipper: Coming Back to the Heart of Worship (Worship Series) (Hardcover)

Matt Redman leads the worship band Soul Survivor and has written several popular worship songs, including "The Heart of Worship," "Better is One Day" and "Let Everything that Hath Breath." The Unquenchable Worshipper however is not a book about music or song writing. It is about worshipping God and the attitude and posture of worship.

Worship music stands out as a key factor in church services today. When we discuss churches, we ask about the praise and worship music--the songs, the band and singers. We want to know how long praise and worship lasts, how loud it is, whether people dance, clap their hands or stand quietly.

In this book, Redman takes the focus of worship off the external issues listed above and focuses on the heart of the worshipper. He guides the reader into the understanding that worship is not something Christians do only during a church service, but worship is what we do when we're alone, at work, or at play; worship is how we live our life before God. This all sounds obvious, and maybe it is, but the book helped me by reminding me of some principles of worship and teaching new perspectives on worship.

Redman recites a story from his experience as a worship leader in his church. The pastor and leaders of the church agreed that the congregation was missing the purpose of the worship time; they were becoming distracted by the environment and were failing to enter into God's presence. The pastor decided to remove the music, the sound system, the band and worship leaders from the service for a season.

Redman writes that after initially being discouraged by the awkwardness of the change, "we soon began to learn how to bring heart offerings to God without any of the external trappings we'd grown used to. By stripping everything away, we slowly started to rediscover the heart of worship." (103)

From his reflection during that time, Redman wrote the song "Heart of Worship." The song indicates Redman's view that true worship pours from the worshipper's heart to the heart of Jesus.

The Unquenchable Worshipper does not delve into complex issues but attempts to lead the reader into an honest examination of his or her relationship with God. I think it does this successfully by serving as a mirror to the reader's spiritual condition.

Most Christians participate in some form of worship of God, usually in church but also in private-maybe even in the car (I've seen some of you driving, and I know your singing along to worship music), but probably few of us regularly consider that we are called to live a life of worship. This book teaches how to worship God more sincerely and passionately in everything we do. It is an easy read; it's a small book with short colorful chapters addressing different characteristics of the kind of worshippers God desires.

I think it will challenge you to make adjustments in your life that will help you draw nearer to God and experience him more fully. It is definitely a worthwhile read.

Craig Stephans, author of Shakespeare On Spirituality: Life-Changing Wisdom from Shakespeare's Plays

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great look at the areas of Worship, December 10, 2003

By 

Monica Van Horn (NY United States) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: The Unquenchable Worshipper: Coming Back to the Heart of Worship (Worship Series) (Hardcover)

This is a phenominal book for worship leaders, or anyone who wants a closer worship relationship with God. There are so many areas that touched my heart and drew me closer to our Lord. I enjoy reading, but sometimes I will take a break from a book, and never pick it back up again. This was not one of those cases. I finished it in one setting. It is a short book, and would be appropriate for teens all the way up to the most seasoned Christian.
I hope you enjoy it.