The Power of Music by Michael L Brown

Brown begins this book reminding us how much singing is found in the Bible. Then he goes into the power of music in reflecting and shaping culture. He writes of his own personal experiences with secular music. He says of a Jimi Hendrix concert for example, “You didn't just listen to their music, you experienced it.” (p.2) He also writes of studies of music and the brain.

Brown includes much about secular music, such as rock music, protest music in the Viet Nam war era, the civil rights era, rock and roll, heavy metal, punk, and rap. He writes about the spiritual and sexual side of that music too. I read lots more about bands and individual musicians in those areas than I ever wanted to. In fact, I skimmed over much of that information because it was mostly information I was not at all interested in. There is much about the power of music in this book but not the power and the music I want to know about.

Brown spends a great deal of time proving the power of music using secular music. He argues periodically that if Christians want to get a message out to society, that message needs to be put to music. (p. 119) A little over half way through the book, he returns to the importance of music in the Bible and Jewish tradition.

Brown wants to see music used more powerfully in the church such as in worship services. He also desires songwriters use their work as a prophetic force.

This is, perhaps, a book for those in the church who are musically or lyrically gifted. Brown urges them to write songs that will shake society, captivate hearts and impact souls. (p. 164) He is convinced God wants to use music as a part of a holy revolutionary movement. (p. 166) He gives suggestions for laypeople, ministers, and worship leaders, musicians and songwriters.

My rating: 3/5 stars.

Michael L Brown has a PhD from New York University and is the bestselling author of over thirty books. He is the founder and president of FIRE School of Ministry, the founder and president of AskDrBrown Ministries, and served as a leader in the Brownsville Revival from 1996 to 2000. He is the host of the nationally syndicated talk show The Line of Fire. He came to faith in 1971 as a hippie rock drummer.

Charisma House, 224 pages.

I received a complimentary egalley of this book from the publisher. My comments are an independent and honest review.