Church Music and the Other Kinds: A Musical Manifesto of Sorts

Onslaught #6

by Douglas Wilson

"Music is far more central to our lives than we perhaps assume. We come into contact with music all the time-sometimes explicitly as in worship, and sometimes implicitly as with the background music in restaurants that you scarcely notice, and other times explicitly (but still thoughtlessly), as with the music that many have loaded on their iPhone." What does God think about guitars? Why is it that everything from Europe is more liberal? These and other issues are addressed in this short series of punchy pamphlets.

Genres: Theology, Music, Nonfiction, Christian, Audiobook, Christianity, Ecclesiology

72 pages, Paperback

Published September 28, 2016

About the author

I write in order to make the little voices in my head go away. Thus far it hasn't worked.

Reviews

[Rusten]

Really good. This kind of thinking on subjects like this is rare.

[Michael Collings]

This book (pamphlet really) is very helpful in navigating the intersection between music culture and church culture. Answering the question, “what kinds of music are appropriate for worship?” actually takes some thought. This book is essential reading for worship leaders and musicians, but all church members would benefit from it. Something tells me that there are a bunch of these pamphlets in the front of Doug Wilson’s church, placed there specially for any well-meaning church music critics!

[Adam Duell · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’ve been looking for a resource that I could give out to/study with my music team at church. I think I’ve found it.

We have already made a lot of great progress in this area, but I believe that in the process of reforming the singing portion of corporate worship, you can only go so far without first capturing the hearts and minds of your people, to bring them alongside you in the mission to worship more faithfully in every aspect, including the singing. I say “singing” rather than “music,” because I do believe that it is, in fact, the singing that is the highest call to musical worship that the Lord commands of us.

Anyhow, I am looking forward to sharing this with our team, who, to their credit, has followed myself and our church leadership very cheerfully and diligently through this reformation.

Thanks Pastor Doug!

[Sal · Rating 4 out of 5]

A short and sweet book that’s more like an elongated blog post or manifesto that works perfectly for reaching my yearly goodreads goal.

I appreciate the views espoused within this poignant little book and happen to agree with most of them. I’d like a longer dive into Doug’s thoughts on music outside of the church. But as far as his views on music within, I’m on board.

[Daniel · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good little book. A bit disjointed from my reading, but I think it could be more a me problem than an authorial problem.

My big takeaway: Singing to God is important. We should do it loudly, proudly, with excellence (so far as we can), and with reverence.

[ValeReads Kyriosity · Rating 4 out of 5]

A little collection of exhortations on why we do music the way we do around here.

I suppose I should just add every Canon audiobook to Goodreads the day it comes out so I can be sure of the publication date. But since I didn't do that with this book, I'm putting in the month Caleb reviewed it. Figure that's close enough! 😛

[Donald Owens II · Rating 5 out of 5]

More of a booklet; but that just makes it easier to read, which I would suggest. Repeatedly.

[Wade Stotts · Rating 5 out of 5]

Audiobook coming soon.

[Caleb M. Powers · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well-written and easily digestible. I don't think I was won over by every argument, but in the generalities, Wilson did a great job of giving me concrete reasoning to go along with him.

[Sean Kewley · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wilson gives an incredible primer on music, logically defining its purpose in both covenant renewal services and at large. Would recommend to anyone who is concerned about music in the Church and otherwise.

[David Bruyn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wilson's characteristic clarity and broad grasp of matters makes this a concise and useful approach to thinking about music anodising music for worship.

[Seth Goodale · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great

[John Rimmer · Rating 3 out of 5]

This, together with all the other entries in the "Onslaught" series were great discussions of often ignored subjects. Read all six over the course of 2023.

[Winnie Thornton · Rating 4 out of 5]

Super helpful. I’ve grown up singing traditional hymns and psalms all my life, so praise music naturally grated on my soul, but this book taught me scriptural, not just emotional, arguments against contemporary worship bands.

[Noah · Rating 3 out of 5]

Pretty good. Could have used some more sandpapering in spots. But was far more helpful that some books that have been buffed and shined with 10,000 grit.

[Robin · Rating 5 out of 5]

A very quick audiobook, but the points he makes are good ones. I'd love to know more about the singing of psalms, but having grown up Baptist, that wasn't really something we did so much. There were contemporary renditions of psalms, though. I wonder how and if that would fit the bill. I need to read through this one again, possibly as a study topic. But I really enjoyed it. One thing I might disagree on to a certain extent is that when our hearts, by which I mean our desires, line up with God's Word, and there is a need, God supplies the surrendered soul with the ability needed to accomplish the task. So I have to wonder if the reason more churches don't sing cantatas is less about the complexity and more about the lack of desire to sing long programs of music. That was only one of the things I pondered as I listened to the audiobook. If you're a Christian who loves to sing in church with other believers, then I recommend reading through this. It did make me think.

[Mwansa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very nice little book about the place and role of music within the framework of a Biblical worldview. There are direct implications to all manner of things because Jesus is Lord and our worship of this Lord Jesus becomes even more important because of who he is.

Doug Wilson lays down, in simple terms what God ordained music to be and how it must be viewed in the church setting as well as in the home. Basically music like all other things broken down in Ecclesiastes chapter three has a time and place. Different kinds of music for different times and places and because we know this as believers we must be clear to communicate this to all people, particularly those under our authority. The reason we do this... because Jesus is Lord of all.

I could go on but the book is small enough for anyone to read and enjoy so go ahead. You won't regret it

[Josh Sieders · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good quick read. As someone who appreciates but doesn't necessarily always love "higher forms" of music, I agree with much of Wilson's sentiments, but not everything. I did appreciate his emphasis on many kinds of music being lawful, but not all are appropriate. I think he also leaves room for different cultural preferences for what IS appropriate. Finally, this book did make me think about music quality, and how a church need not appeal to the lowest common denominator, but can aspire to something bigger, greater, and work at it.

[Josiah Richardson · Rating 3 out of 5]

Wilson provides his insights and reasoning to why he and the church he ministers worships the way they do. There is intent and thought put into it. A big part of that, to Wilson, is the music choice. We intrinsically know when music is appropriate and when it is not. You don’t want to play a ragtime piece at a funeral or a lullaby in a war battle. The chapters are super short and easy to read.

[Laurie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thought-provoking and fair

Wilson makes excellent points about the role of music in worship. He makes no bones about what genre he prefers therein, but also proves his quite catholic tastes in music more broadly. I found the last chapter especially balanced and helpful. This is a quick read I’d recommend to anyone serious about music in the worship service.

[Nathan Dowd · Rating 3 out of 5]

It's good but a bit disconnected. Most of the chapters are important thoughts that aren't developed as fully as they should be. One of those attempts to make blog posts into a book that just doesn't really work.

[Jonah · Rating 3 out of 5]

Pithy. A nice addition to understanding music in God's world.

[Olivia · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed the broad scope of this book. It offered many challenging thoughts on the application of music in the life of every believer. All with the typical Wilson wit and whimsy, of course!

[Daniel Woodworth · Rating 5 out of 5]

An excellent brief treatment of how and why Christians ought to sing, and why it's important to do it right.

[Josiah Pitts · Rating 4 out of 5]

A thoughtful and helpful book on the purpose and outworking of music, particularly in the worship of the church.

[Anita Deacon · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good stuff. Brief, but I think that was the point. Perhaps too charitable at points, in my humble opinion.

[Jared Goff · Rating 4 out of 5]

Finished audiobook June 2022 - Helpful to hear this perspective.

[Jesus Salgado · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good. I want to say more but I’ll just leave it with that for now. :)

[Shea Stacy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Just fine.

[Nate Roberts · Rating 4 out of 5]

Short and straight forward but well thought out and written.