The Art of Worship: A Musician's Guide to Leading Modern Worship

Very helpful book, especially if you are in a traditional context working to bring in contemporary elements or an entire contemporary service. It is also a particularly worthwhile read if you are strong on general musicianship (esp. music theory) but struggle a bit with the contemporary worship style. Scheer does a good job of guiding you through the how-to's of developing a contemporary style that still reflects solid theology. Nevertheless, much of the content seems to be out-dated, as is the case with much literature on the topic. If you approach the book knowing that, there is still a lot to gain from the book-- namely, worship leading paradigms, forming a repertoire, theology in worship, utilizing hymns, etc.

Really enjoyed Greg's insights and conversational writing style. Covered important issues that often aren't discussed in classes, or in "the field" as we weigh the pros and cons of current worship styles and practices.Gives practical musician advice and techniques and examples of "how-to", not just theory and review of what's going on.Highly recommended for all music leaders and especially younger students and professionals needing to retool their efforts.

This book did a very good job of covering aspects of leading worship in today's congregations. It blended very well both the musical & spiritual side of worship, and methods to handle all the preparation and people that are involved. I had hoped for a little more of a discussion with scripture references related to worship, but this is really the only negative about the book. I would recommend it to anyone put in the position of worship leader.

met my needs

I don't need to say too much about this book. It doesn't delve into the theology, philosophy, or spirituality of worshiping God very deeply, however, it prescribes great, practical insight on many different aspects of worship; whether it is instrumental, stage set up, sound, etc. I believe this book should be in every worship leader's bookshelf! Read it, and I am sure that you will agree!

Knowledgeable and capacious view of the evolution of traditional protestant worship in an age for which the status quo just won't do. Greg Sheer is a voice that stands out from the crowd.

True and honest to many church music problems

This is a great resource for the starting worship leader or director. The musical examples are somewhat dated, but you can insert more modern music instead.

As a member of a worship band, I'm always trying to improve my knowledge about worship and its role in the church and our lives. The author is knowledgeable, with plenty of experience and the chapters are easy to read. However, the whole perspective of the book is aimed towards people who are setting up a band from scratch, new to leading a band or who are changing the identity and/or style of music. The topics are very practical and offer lots of tips on working with others and things to consider, though not so much to do with the meaning and point of worship itself. Chapters outline such topics how to choose suitable band members, evaluating new songs, understanding and working with the vocal range of the singers and congregation, and evaluating the suitability of various instruments in the band. While many of these topics are ones that are useful to keep in mind no matter how old the band is, more experienced readers looking for a deeper theological understanding might be better off looking elsewhere. (suggested reading; books by Matt Redman, Delirious and Darlene Zschech.)

good book

A really helpful book for anyone involved in Church music, whether contemporary or traditional, looking at both practical and spiritual side of things.