Church Music: For the Care of Souls (Lexham Ministry Guides)
Church music for the care of souls
The Lord’s song sings faith into people’s hearts.
Music is central to the life of the church. In Church Music: For the Care of Souls, Phillip Magness helps the church to recover the primary instrument in worship: congregational voices. With voices raised, we sing praises to our God and King for his Son, Jesus Christ. Singing calls for a special kind of leadership—not only on the part of musicians but also among pastors and lay leaders. Together, leaders can help congregations find their voice and reclaim the power of music for the care of souls.
Praise for Church Music
Many churches today lack a theological vision of corporate worship, and in particular, of congregational singing. This book helps cast such a vision as a biblical, theological, and pastoral aid for us to sing with greater understanding—and gospel joy!
—Matt Boswell, pastor, The Trails Church
This book wonderfully blends a principled approach to the church’s song (valuing its heritage) with flexible creativity (expressing the heritage) in ways that will help any congregation to be faithful, authentic, and impactful in its worship life.
—Bryan Gerlach, director, WELS Commission on Worship
This needed and necessary book will benefit all Christians making music in the church—those in the choir loft, pulpit, and pew.
—Katie Schuermann, author and musician
The church is desperately in need of rearticulating the wonder, the role, the purpose, and the power of music in her worship beyond pragmatism, and Magness helps his readers expand their vocabulary in expressing God’s gift of music to his people.
—Joseph R. Crider, dean and professor of church music and worship, Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary
Lexham Ministry Guides
The Lexham Ministry Guides, edited by Harold L. Senkbeil, offer practical, proven wisdom for the church. But wisdom takes time. The authors in this series developed their wisdom through years of ministry experience and conversations with colleagues. These books invite you to enter into these conversations to better serve the Savior’s sheep and lambs with confidence. You will find hands-on tools, lessons from years of ministry experience, and an array of resources to apply to your own ministry context.
Learn more about the other titles in this series.
- God Calls Us All to Sing
- You Shall Have a Song
- God’s People Want to Sing
- The Lord’s Song
- Substance Over Style
- The Newness of God’s Song
- Finding the Right Mix
- The Lord’s Song (Con)Textualizes Us—In Every Context
- There Is No Holy Sound
- Fides Quae, Fides Qua
- Discovering One’s Voice
- The Importance of Listening
- Knowing What It Takes
- The King of Instruments
- Going to War with the Army You’ve Got
- Don’t Be a Hero
- Summoning the Song
- Comfort and Joy
- The Art of Listening
- Many Will Put Their Trust in the Lord
- Be Prepared
- Where to Begin
- Title: Church Music: For the Care of Souls
- Author: Phillip Magness
- Series: Lexham Ministry Guides
- Series Editor: Harold L. Senkbeil
- Publisher: Lexham Press
- Publication Date: 2023
- Pages: 280
- Format: Logos Digital, Hardcover
- Trim Size: 4.25x7
- ISBN: 9781683597100
About Phillip Magness
Phillip Magness is a church musician and missionary of The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod. He set Luther’s Small Catechism to music for the Growing in Christ curriculum (Concordia Publishing House). In addition to serving as a parish musician, he works in international missions as a sacred music educator in Africa.
About Harold L. Senkbeil
Harold L. Senkbeil is executive director emeritus of DOXOLOGY: The Lutheran Center for Spiritual Care. His pastoral experience of nearly five decades includes parish ministry, the seminary classroom, and parachurch leadership. He is author of numerous books, including award-winning The Care of Souls, Christ and Calamity, and Dying to Live.
