Book Recommendation: Paul Clark -- Tune My Heart to Sing Thy Grace

Paul Clark, Jr., Director of Worship and Music Ministries for the Tennessee Baptist Convention, has authored a new book on congregational singing, Tune My Heart to Sing Thy Grace: Worship Renewal through Congregational Singing.

I met Paul a few years ago, when he invited me to lead four sessions at the TBC's bi-annual worship conference. I was very encouraged by his views on the centrality of corporate worship and its place in the church and life of Christians. I expect this book to be well-worth reading.

David Dockery writes the foreword, which you can read through the preview option on Amazon's page. Dockery confirmed my expectations about the value of Paul's work and increased my excitement about the book.

Keith Getty offers this endorsement:

"Paul Clark is a church musician who is equally committed to the glory of God, the building up of his church, and using the best of creativity of the past and present to look towards the future. I cannot recommend him highly enough."

David Platt, pastor of The Church at Brook Hills and author of Radical, writes:

"Paul Clark reveals biblical, theological foundations for radically God-centered worship, and then he gives us clear, practical guidance for how God's people respond congregationally to God's greatness. I wholeheartedly recommend this book for pastors, worship music leaders, and Christians who long to see God-honoring, Christ-exalting, Spirit-led worship in the church."

Here is the publisher's description:

Music has a way of speaking into our lives, giving unique expression to the highest moments of celebration, the lowest depressions of the human spirit, and the common experiences that define an average day. We all know that music is an integral part of the worship experience, but Paul Clark takes it a step further, urging readers to seek actual worship renewal through congregational singing. What does it mean to "sing in tune with God's grace"? How does singing by oneself, in private worship, differ from singing with a small group of fellow worshippers, with congregations, or during festival worship? What criteria should be used when selecting music for each kind of experience? Distinguishing between worship that is people-centered-that is, that meets our needs and is pleasing to us-and worship that is God-centered, Clark offers pastors, lay leaders, and music ministers biblically sound guidelines and inspiration for their thinking as they plan and lead worship. Along the way, he sheds new light on the dynamics of what is happening when a congregation finds its voice and sings. Tune My Heart to Sing thy Grace goes beyond simply dealing with issues of music style. Through biblical reflection and practical considerations, it encourages the reader to plumb the depths of one of the most cherished activities of spiritual endeavor: singing worship. With greater understanding comes bolder, more enthusiastic participation and the potential for continuous renewal of the worship experience.