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Worship Matters: Leading Others to Encounter the Greatness of God

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Worship Matters: Leading Others to Encounter the Greatness of God is a book written primarily for those who lead music within a church setting. The goal of the book is to give guiding prinicples and practical advice to help the music leader see the essence of what their ministry is about and do that within whatever church context they find themselves.

For the worship leader: This book is a must read. I can think of no circumstance a worship leader may find himself in which he should not read this book. It is the best on the topic of which I am aware, combining into one well written, heart-shepherding book all of the good things that before you would have had to read a dozen separate books to find. The book is both practical and theological, realistic and idealistic. It is God-centered, God-exalting and man-minimizing, while realizing that man must play a role. I have only rarely seen a book that so skillfully and thoughtfully combines rich doctrine and practical advice.

For the band member: Must read. The book is not only about how to lead those who perform, but about what the goal of the music portion of the worship service must be. The book will help you evaluate and redirect your heart in what you may have grown comfortable with. Maybe you

For the pastor/elder: Must read. Know how to encourage, direct, and come alongside your worship leader. I would recommend that the worship leader, band, and pastor(s) read this book together. The book so accurately describes the Biblical vision for worship that all who are involved in how a Sunday service, smallgroup gathering, or other meeting unfold should do so in light of the thoughtful, biblically informed direction Bob Kauflin lays out. There is even a chapter specifically for non-music-oriented pastors.

For the church member: Should read. I do not lead worship; I can't even sing on pitch, but what I was gained from the book made an immediate and palpable difference in the entirety of my worship (singing, participating in the Lord's Supper, listening to the sermon, and interacting with others) on Sunday. There are certainly other books that can benefit you in this regard, but this book is certainly one that can benefit all members of the body of Christ. Wayne Grudem recommends the book with the following words, "Worship Matters is an outstanding book borth for those who lead worship and also for every Christian who wants to worship God more fully. The book is biblical, practical, interesting, wise and thorough in its treatment of the topic."

The 260 pages of Worship Matters is laid out in a very convenient manner: Each of the 32 chapters are generally 4-7 pages in length, focus on a single topic, and can easily be read in a single sitting, even for slow readers. It reads much like a devotional and could easily be read in one month using only 10-15 minutes per day.

The book is broken into four parts:

Part 1: The Leader - Focusing on what kind of man the worship leader must be, touching on the heart, mind (doctrine), hands (practice & skill), and life.

Part 2: The Task. Each chapter takes a phrase from Kauflin's definition of a worship leader to define his task:

A faithful worship leader
magnifies the greatness of God in Jesus Christ
through the power of the Holy Spirit
by skillfully combining God's Word with music,
thereby motivating the gathered church
to proclaim the gospel,
to cherish God's presence
and to live for God's glory.

Part 3: Healthy Tensions - Bob identifies that many of the debates that surround music in churches tend to polarize people and points out that as a response to incorrect emphasis placed on one aspect of worship, that aspect may be neglected and too much weight given to the other extreme. We should rather see the wisdom in each of the two poles and using Scripture as a guide find ourselves in a healthy tension between them not as a response. The poles discussed, each in a chapter are:

* God's transendence and immanence
* Head and Head
* Internal and External
* Vertical and Horizontal
* Planned and Spontaneous
* Rooted and Relevant
* Skilled and Authentic
* For the Church and For Unbelievers
* Event and Everyday

Part 4: Right Relationships - Lays out some biblical guidelines and practical advice for how the various groups of people and the worship leader can interact in the most edifying, God-glorifying way possible. Groups addressed are people in general, the church, the worship team, and the pastor. The book finishes with a chapter written specifically for the pastor(s) of the church.

I cannot sum up my thoughts any better than D.A. Carson did in his endorsement: "Here is a rare book: a practical treatment of corporate worship that nevertheless reflects deep theological commitments. One may disagree here and there with some of the judgments, but it is demonstrably unfair to imagine that Bob Kauflin has not through about these matters deeply." Bob's life and ministry at sovereign grace have demonstrated that he is a worship leader and pastor from whom we want to learn. C.J. Mahaney writes, "I know of no man more qualified to write this book than Bob. And I know of no more important, useful work for those who would lead God's people than Worship Matters." I agree.

I can't say enough about this book, and at the same time I can't say too much. As I've attended and served in a Sovereign Grace Ministries church for the better part of the decade, I've had the benefit of Bob Kauflin's teaching on worship filter down to me in my capacity of intermittent worship leader (and more importantly as a worshiper) in many ways: articles and columns, messages on mp3 and CD (the "Theological Foundations for Worship" and "Practical Foundations for Worship" series), and even by word of mouth from my own pastor and worship leader. Enough about me. Bob wrote the book - and contrary to reviewing practice, I cannot bring myself to refer to him as `Kauflin' - and so to Bob we turn.

Bob's heart for biblical, passionate worship pervades every page of this book. His writing is littered with Bible, especially the psalms, that manual of Old Testament worship. But this isn't merely a devotional on a few aspects of worship. No, this is a handbook about how to pursue more biblical, more humble hearts in the midst of a task pregnant with tensions. Earlier in this review I said that I can't say enough about this book; that's because it accomplishes what it sets out to do in a biblical and humble manner. It practices what it preaches. I also said I can't say too much about it; that's because it is a wide-ranging and valuable lay-of-the-land guide with far too much content to convey in a mere review.

There are four main sections in the book:

1: The Leader

2: The Task

3: Healthy Tensions

4: Right Relationships

Following a foreword by über-worship leader Paul Baloche, Bob begins his discussion of worship by honing in on the worship leader's heart, mind, and life. All of this flows out of a leader's devotion to the gospel of Jesus Christ.

In the second section Bob unpacks the following working definition of worship, constructed with aid from his good friend Jeff Purswell. The definition is not only written in verse form to effectively highlight each line, but because each subsequent chapter in this section explores a fragment of the definition.

Simply reiterating this definition arouses my soul in worship of God through Jesus Christ:

A faithful worship leader
magnifies the greatness of God in Jesus Christ
through the power of the Holy Spirit
by skillfully combining God's Word with music,
thereby motivating the gathered church
to proclaim the gospel,
to cherish God's presence
and to live for God's glory

Section three wades into the most fraught of all church matters: reconciling seemingly opposing preconceptions of worship. Again, this review does not warrant an exposition of the book's teaching on these areas. Suffice to say that Bob advocates the need to hold many, if not most, of these areas in healthy tension. Like J.I. Packer, he seems to dislike the term `balance,' so misused for so many years.

Finally, the fourth section explores the common cause of the tension in the third section: people. More specifically, people with ideas rubbing up against people with different ideas. A pastor himself, Bob recognizes the tensions that can arise on both sides of the pastor-worship leader relationship, and provides many suggestions for an improved and thriving relationship.

This book is primarily intended for worship leaders, but is also directed at pastors - even unmusical ones. No matter which tradition you practice, liturgical or free-flow (to use Bob's nomenclature), charismatic or somber, Bob's wisdom will benefit. Worship team members will profit from every page, and pastors and worship leaders may consider employing the copyright fair use policy (within reason) to disseminate relevant pages among their congregations at key junctures in the process of building a worshiping community. Worship Matters should also probably become requisite reading for all worship studies programs in North America, and I daresay should displace some, if not most, of the current primary textbooks in those programs.

I've never seen a book on worship featuring such a mix of god-glorifying theology and biblically-sound methodology. I have a feeling this is Bob's magnum opus, and every pastor, worship leader, and worship team member must invest in a copy, to read over and over and over. Because...worship does matter.

I am not a worship leader. I'm a pastor. No, wait - that makes me a worship leader, just not in the realm of music. That's an important distinction to make, and one which Bob Kauflin makes in this valuable book: "Anyone who encourages others to praise God can be referred to as a 'worship leader.' Worship can involve music, but it can happen without it as well." Careful thinking like that make this book a treasure-trove of biblical wisdom and practical insight on worship.

Kauflin unpacks what a worship leader does (see other reviews for the definition - I don't want to be needless repetitive), discusses healthy tensions in our theology and practice of worship, speaks specifically to the relational dynamics in which every worship leader is involved (with the church, the team, the pastor), and more.

The book is rooted in the Gospel, robust in theology, and well-written. I was encouraged and instructed. And I'm committed to making sure every present and future member of our church's worship team gets a copy. This is a great book for pastors, worship leaders, and worship teams. In fact, it's a great book for any one who wants to worship God in spirit and truth. It is practical enough to be of real use to musicians and leaders, but it is general enough to encourage and help any believer.

Spread the word. This is a great book on worship! Thanks Bob Kauflin for serving the church with this book.

Great book, and thoughtfully written. Having a problem with a team member? Why are you waiting to confront them? Arguing with an influential member of the church about the style of music? Don't fight these battles in the flesh. Where does your knowledge of God come from? Kauflin makes a point to challenge you to really KNOW God, especially if you are leading his people into worship. I've met so many worship leaders (including myself if I'm completely honest) that really don't care to read any other books besides the Bible or music-related articles. How can we lead in worship when we don't really know God outside our own personal experience? I was definitely challenged. Search the scriptures, know them-- In the multitude of counselors there is wisdom. I'm taking a master's course through West Coast Bible College and Seminary and this is a textbook for one of classes I'm in. I'm thankful that I was introduced to it. While a great book for a textbook (that was not it's original purpose), it is a great read for anyone who is trying to wrap their minds around what exactly it means to Lead Worship.

Regardless your position on Church corporate worship is, contemporary worship (CW) or Historical Worship (HW), Bob Kauflin addresses the principles of Holy Scripture dealing with the important aspects on worship: Your love to God, your believes in sound doctrine, your way of life aiming for obedience to God, and your role modeling as a Christian leading others to worship God through Christ with spiritual music in your local church. Personally, I was impressed by the honest approach the author observed along the book realizing his own church weaknesses and acknowledging the learning he could find in other historical/traditional churches. What I liked the most, was what he called "Healthy Tensions" in worship: "Transcendent and Immanent", "Head and Heart", "Internal and External", "Vertical and Horizontal", "Planned and Spontaneous", "Rooted and Relevant", "having in mind believers and unbelievers", etc. I think these healthy tensions give you the key secret for musical ministry in the church that will be pleasant to God and his creatures.

Kauflin spends time in both practical and theological realms in the book. There's a lot of citations so you're not just hearing from him. His view on musical worship is spot on in terms of encouraging missional living and building up truth in the congregation. In fact, in my church I'm training up worship leaders using this book as the curriculum. There's some really good stuff in here and I definitely recommend it for people wanting to learn more about leading worship.

I have been a church musician since I was a kid, and play both traditional and contemporary music. I was introduced to this book at a worship conference last year, and from the perspective of church music and worship, it is the most useful book that I have ever read. It is NOT a "how to" book that says to do steps 1, 2, and 3 and everything will work. It IS a thought-provoking, Bible based book that lays out the areas and issues that must be considered and forces you to think and prayerfully consider what you are doing. The book introduced new things for me to consider, but also helped me to clarify my existing thoughts and beliefs on some things. I highly recommend it for anyone involved in leading church worship, and am getting ready to order a copy for a young man in my church who is just starting to lead worship.

Books on worship are almost as numerous as worship CDs. Good books on worship are almost as rare as good worship CDs. Thankfully, Bob Kauflin's new book Worship Matters: Leading Others to Encounter the Greatness of God (Crossway, 2008) is not just a good book on worship; it's great! Kauflin serves as the worship leader for Covenant Life Church in Gaithersburg, Maryland and the director of worship development for Sovereign Grace Ministries.

"Worship matters. It matters to God because he is the one ultimately worthy of all worship. It matters to us because worshiping God is the reason for which we were created. And it matters to every worship leader, because we have no greater privilege than leading others to encounter the greatness of God. That's why it's so important to think carefully about what we do and why we do it." (19)

Whereas many books on worship emphasize skill and performance while other books stress the fervency and sincerity of the leader's heart, Kauflin refuses to pit one against the other. He spends considerable time speaking to the skill and excellence of the leader, but he also reminds leaders that "the greatest challenge is what you yourself bring to the platform each and every Sunday: your heart" (21).

What I found most helpful in Worship Matters was the dual emphasis Kauflin places on worshipping with the head as well as the heart. He stresses the importance of knowing God through his Word. He critiques worship leaders for rarely reading theology books (29) and says:

"The better we know God through his Word, the more genuine our worship will be. In fact, the moment we veer from what is true about God we're engaging in idolatry. Regardless of what we think or feel there is no authentic worship of God without a right knowledge of God." (28)

But Kauflin does not advocate a mere head-knowledge of God. He insists that "mind and heart belong together. Strong passionate desires for God flow from and encourage the faithful, thoughtful study of God - his nature, character, and works" (32). Rarely do you find worship leaders who so easily bring together fervent emotion and a passion for theology.

Kauflin defines the worship leader this way:

"A faithful worship leader magnifies the greatness of God in Jesus Christ through the power of the Holy Spirit by skillfully combining God's Word with music, thereby motivating the gathered church to proclaim the Gospel to cherish God's presence in to live for God's glory." (55)

He then spends most of the book unpacking each phrase of this definition. He devotes two chapters to music, helpfully teaching that "it's the gospel that blends us together, not music" (105). He divides worship songs into four categories:

"Don't Use"
"In Private"
"Could Use"
"Should Use"

Regarding the Regulative Principle that teaches us to only do in a worship service that which is explicitly commanded in Scripture, Kauflin offers three nuanced and balanced principles:

Do what God clearly commands
Don't do what God clearly forbids.
Use Scriptural wisdom for everything in else.

Perhaps the most helpful section of Worship Matters comes toward the end. Kauflin lists what he calls "healthy tensions" in worship. For example: "Transcendent and Immanent. Head and Heart. Planned and Spontaneous. Rooted and Relevant. Skilled and Authentic." He shows how these tensions are good when they are properly balanced in pastoral wisdom and Scriptural teaching.

The last section of the book focuses on the worship leader's relationships. Regarding the role of the pastor, Kauflin says,

"God has given the pastor, not the worship leader, the ultimate responsibility for the direction of the church. That includes the musical portions of the meeting. When we are at odds, Scripture is clear: I am the one who needs to submit." (242)

Worship Matters is one of the best books on worship I have come across in recent years. Kauflin's wisdom and passion shine through on every page. If you had to read just one book on worship this year, choose Worship Matters. You won't be disappointed.

Most of the readers who will crack open this book will tell you that worship matters, but most of them will not be able to tell you why it matters so much. For this reason, Kauflin sets out to demonstrate the significance of worship and the biblical teaching regarding it. The book is far more than a theology of worship, but is an extremely practical guide to worship. Rather than focusing on the theoretical, Kauflin dwells on the practical and gives many personal illustrations of the challenges of crafting a worship service.

The work is divided into four parts. The first focuses on the person who leads the congregation in worship. From the very beginning, the writer points us past the show and glamour of the stage and the Sunday morning presentation to the important things. What really matters? Is it the performance, or is it something greater. The greatness of worship, Kauflin points out, should lead the worship leader to a depth of humility because all are inadequate for the task ahead of them. Following this, the writer demonstrates four areas in which all worship leaders struggle (viz., heart, mind, hands, and life). In each area, significant applications are made. The reader is challenged to a number of tests to reveal whether he has made an idol out of ministry or is desiring God first and foremost. The worship leader is also challenged to recognize the significance and importance of sound doctrine. Kauflin also offers here an excellent challenge on the importance of skill in worship. He presents as a careful balance between distracting from worship (failure to have skill) and self-exaltation (idolatry of skill). In regard to life, the reader is reminded that the worship leader must model a life worthy of the Lord. These applications are of great import and spill out in the broader discussion of the book.

Section two moves from examining the worship leader and moves to the discussion of the task of corporate worship. Kauflin defines the task of the worship leader as follows: "A faithful worship leader magnifies the greatness of God in Jesus Christ, through the power of the Holy Spirit, by skillfully combining God's Word with music, thereby motivating the gathered church to proclaim the gospel, to cherish God's presence, and to live for God's glory" (55). The following eleven chapters expand on the particulars of this definition.

Part three is entitled "healthy tensions" and the writer walks the reader across the tightrope of a number of tensions such as trancendance and immanence, head and heart, internal and external, vertical and horizontal, planned and spontaneous, rooted and relevant, skilled and authentic, for the church and for unbelievers, and event and everyday. No worship leader has failed to see the significance of these tensions in the weekly routine of preparation for corporate worship and it is for this reason that the writer's discussion of these tensions is so powerful for those considering the topic.

The final section dwells on the relationship between the worship leader and the people, the church, the worship team, and the pastor. Kauflin pushes the worship leader to be an example in his public and private testimony. In order to do this, the worship leader is urged to be deeply involved with the people of the church. A number of very helpful suggestions are also given in regard to effectively leading a worship team. The practicality of this chapter is incredible. Lastly, the relationship between the worship leader and the pastor is, according to Kauflin, of great importance. In spite of the worship leader's skill and desires, he must be willing to submit to the leadership of his pastor.

This reviewer found the following points of great significance in the first section:

"Worship matters. It matters to God because he is the one ultimately worthy of all worship. It matters to us because worshipping God is the reason for which we were created." (19)

"...far too little has been said about the worship wars going on inside us. And they're much more significant." (21)

"...worship isn't primarily about music, techniques, liturgies, songs, or methodologies. It's about hearts. It's about what and who we love more than anything." (25)

What you love six days of the week will influence how you worship on the 7th. (26)

"...music expands the soul and opens us to new ways of experiencing God. But being moved emotionally is different from being changed spiritually." (30)

"When we're dodgy about our theology, we're really saying we want our own Jesus." (31)

"If our doctrine is accurate but our hearts are cold toward God himself, our corporate worship will be true but lifeless. Or if we express fervent love for God but present vague, inaccurate, or incomplete ideas of him to those we're leading, our worship will be emotional but misleading--and possibly idolatrous. Neither option brings God glory." (32)

Overall there is no point in which this reviewer can find fault with the theology, instruction, or approach of the work. The book is unparalleled in its depth and breadth on the topic. In a similar vein, this reviewer would recommend that the reader also read Bryan Chapell's Christ-Centered Worship: Letting the Gospel Shape Our Practice for a number of practical methods for achieving the challenges set forth in this work.

Extremely well-written in a most enjoyable and readable style, Kauflin has presented the church with powerful direction for a new generation of worship leaders. This generation of worship leaders will take their responsibility with pious reverence in light of the significance of the task ahead, because...worship matters.

Such a theologically and practically solid book for training worship leaders and also bringing veterans back to God's calling. Matters of Heart, Mind and Skill are all addressed by a true leader in the ministry of worship, Bob Kauflin... I'd recommend this book above almost any other for the worship leader (besides the Bible!!)