Book Review: Now To Him

Regular readers of this blog will know that I am passionate about worship, in every sense, and write about it in various ways. Whether it is reflections on what it means to be Charismatic and Intimate with God, or reviewing an album, or thinking about how worship and unity work, I've blogged about it before! I've also read a few books on the topic, and todays book review is of one of those. "Now To Him: Putting Christ Back at the Centre of our Worship". By one of my favourite authors, Simon Ponsonby, and New Wine Worship Leader Neil Bennetts, this is one of the most helpful accessible books on worship I have read.

I not above that this is 'accessible', and this is in contrast to books that deal with the theological mechanics of worship/prayer, such as James K. A. Smith's 'Desiring the Kingdom' (review coming soon!) or Bob Kauflin's "Worship Matters". This, then, is a far more readable book, better suited to more people, yet with the resonance of depth that we expect from Ponsoby - anchored in worship practice by Bennetts!

In just over 220 pages, this book packs a lot in! the 12 chapters - each with important sub-sections - are written alternatively by Bennetts and Ponsonby. By and large, Bennetts tends to write about what happens when we worship (with a particular highlight for me being chapter 4, 'Sing: Holding on to the gift of corporate worship') whilst Ponsonby deals perhaps more with the what and why. That is not to say that either author does not wonderfully infringe on each others territory!

Bennetts and Ponsonby model beautifuly what I call 'Charismatic Clarity', and particularly a balance between head and heart, Spirit and Truth. Simon's sections - particularly the powerful 3rd chapter, 'The Scent of a Woman: Personal Devotion in Worship' - speak as much to the heart as to the head, coming as they do from a place of profound engagement with the subject material that goes beyond the intellectual. Similarly, Neil does not shirk some of the trickier questions, and provides a great model for worship leaders to 'do theology'. Readers may know that I am married to a woman who is very gifted in leading musical worship - this book models for us a way to honour God in a coherent and comprehensive way in the way we worship.

Clearly, as this short review has implied throughout, I am a fan of this slim book. I think it would be a worthwhile read for those involved in leading worship - from stadiums to small groups, but it also has important lessons for those of us who tend to believe in a more 'wordy' way. In a similar vein, I wonder whether this might be a book that could help make worship, in the essentially charismatic evangelical sense, understandable to those outside of that tribe. 

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I hope you enjoyed reading this book review! I've reviewed some of Simon Ponsonby's books before - his excellent book on Holiness "The Pursuit of the Holy", and his superb overview of the end times, "And The Lamb Wins". Check them out, but please do enjoy my review of what I think is his most important book, 'MORE'.