Where was this book twenty years ago? I sure could have used it! And well done, it is.
This musician and pastor team from Advent Lutheran in Orange Park, Florida have asked all the big questions, and have come back with solid, well researched answers and illustrations. If you want to know some basic philosophies of contemporary worship, they are here. If you want to know different forms of contemporary services out there, you will find them here. If you need suggestions for setting up the band, where to place your monitors, and what kind of microphones to use for different situations, look no further. Do you need a list of music repertoire suggestions? Do you need to know where to look for, obtain, and duplicate resources for your praise team? Confused by the world of copyright permissions? This is your book.
This team has written and illustrated (pictures and music illustrations abound) this subject matter thoroughly. You may want to share this book with others in your ministry because it covers basics with sound systems, off-site events, effective planning, and successful rehearsals. It’s all here: everything you wanted to know about contemporary worship/music but were afraid to ask.
Well done, gentlemen. Well done.
Mark Glaeser
Minister of Music
Christ Evangelical Lutheran Church
Charlotte, NC
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I've been a Worship Leader at a church for 24 years, and truly wish I'd had a resource like "A Field Guide to Contemporary Worship" when I started. Beginning with the Introduction that says this book is NOT to help get a decision made about contemporary worship, all the way through the tremendous technical details for equipment and sound systems, this is a resource that every "band-based" worship team should have and use. The Field Guide does an amazing job of balancing the mechanics (e.g., making a set list, outfitting the band, etc) with the human/emotional side (e.g., Good Leadership, Good Rehearsals, etc) into a single book that's easy to read and is not overdone. There were multiple places where the material affirmed what I've been doing for years that has made our worship successful, and also many things that I had not considered and can put to use with my worship team today.
Because of years of experiencing contemporary worship, I'm also frequently asked questions when other people and places are trying to either start or revitalize their contemporary worship. Many of the questions that are posed to me are well-answered in this book. I intend to heartily recommend this resource to two churches I know to be in the midst of this process, and will also do so with future connections I make. I think that sometimes out in the field, Augsburg is thought of as an old-school/traditional organization supporting long-time synods like the ELCA, but this book completely debunks that. It is up-to-date and effectively addresses numerous issues and questions that are part of every-day contemporary worship to today's world.
Congratulations on a wonderfully assembled resource that every worship team should have in their toolbox today!
Kurt Schwedler
Worship Leader
Maple Grove Lutheran Church
Maple Grove, MN
