God's Mind in That Music


Book Description

As part of the growing literature on theology and the arts, God's Mind in that Music explores the substantial theological insight expressed in the music of jazz legend John Coltrane. Focusing on eight of Coltrane's pieces, themes under consideration include lament ("Alabama"), improvisation ("My Favorite Things" and "Ascension"), grace ("A Love Supreme"), and the Trinity ("The Father and the Son and the Holy Ghost"). By attending to the traditions of theology and of jazz criticism, and through a series of interviews with musicians, theologians, and jazz writers, Jamie Howison draws the worlds of theology and jazz into an active and vibrant conversation with each other. Built around a focused listening to John Coltrane's music as heard against the background of his life and social context, and interacting with the work of a range of writers including James Baldwin, Dorothee Soelle, Jeremy Begbie, and James Cone, God's Mind in that Music will be of interest not only to those interested in the intersection of music and theology, but also to Coltrane fans, students of jazz studies, and anyone who believes that music matters.




Does Prayer Change Things?


Book Description

When a Christian prays, does it make any difference? Does it change anything? Though our prayers do not change God's mind, He ordains prayer as a means to accomplish His will. We can be confident that prayer does change things--including our own hearts. In this booklet, Dr. R.C. Sproul argues that prayer has a vital place in the life of the Christian and calls us to come before God's presence with joy and hope. Dr. Sproul shares practical wisdom and helps us understand the purpose, pattern, practice, prohibitions, and power of prayer. The Crucial Questions booklet series by Dr. R.C. Sproul offers succinct answers to important questions often asked by Christians and thoughtful inquirers.




The God Equation


Book Description

#1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • The epic story of the greatest quest in all of science—the holy grail of physics that would explain the creation of the universe—from renowned theoretical physicist and author of The Future of the Mind and The Future of Humanity. When Newton discovered the law of gravity, he unified the rules governing the heavens and the Earth. Since then, physicists have been placing new forces into ever-grander theories. But perhaps the ultimate challenge is achieving a monumental synthesis of the two remaining theories—relativity and the quantum theory. This would be the crowning achievement of science, a profound merging of all the forces of nature into one beautiful, magnificent equation to unlock the deepest mysteries in science: What happened before the Big Bang? What lies on the other side of a black hole? Are there other universes and dimensions? Is time travel possible? Why are we here? Kaku also explains the intense controversy swirling around this theory, with Nobel laureates taking opposite sides on this vital question. It is a captivating, gripping story; what’s at stake is nothing less than our conception of the universe. Written with Kaku’s trademark enthusiasm and clarity, this epic and engaging journey is the story of The God Equation.




The Power of Music


Book Description

Music can either Connect You to God or Drive You to the Devil. God created the human race to enjoy music and to make music, and through music the world has been dramatically changed—for good and for evil. In this fascinating book Michael L. Brown takes the reader on a journey through the history of music—from classical to rock and from hip-hop to gospel—showing just how transformative music has been and how much God wants to use it to change the world again. Brown contends that it is time for all Christians to make a concerted effort to recover the potential of anointed music and song—in our assemblies and in society, in our services and on the streets, in studios and in schools. The counterculture revolution of the 1960s only succeeded with the help of satanically inspired music and mind-altering drugs. Could it be that today’s Jesus revolution can only succeed with the help of Spirit-inspired music and a life-altering encounter with God? What else will produce the necessary change in our perspective? After reading this book, believers will never again listen to music the same! They will finally understand its power and divine origin, but more importantly they will know how God wants to use it to usher in a global outpouring that will change the world forever. This book will show you how music can either indoctrinate or educate you, spark rebellion or patriotism, and drive you to the devil or draw you closer to God.​ “This book will stir up musicians, artists, and worshippers everywhere to dive deeper into an appreciation and adoration of the One Himself who created sounds, songs, and melodies!” —BECKAH SHAE, Dove Award-Nominated Singer/Songwriter “Musicians and non-musicians alike will be inspired by the powerful ways God intends to use music in today’s end-time drama.” —BOB SORGE, Author of Exploring Worship: A Practical Guide to Praise and Worship “Dr. Brown has written a must-read for all musicians, singers, and songwriters who desire to harness the power of music to glorify Jesus, change the atmosphere, and release heaven’s sound on the earth.” —KELANIE GLOECKLER, Worship Leader and Songwriter, Executive Director of Access Worship International




MUSIC AND THE MIND


Book Description

Why does music have such a powerful effect on our minds and bodies? It is the most mysterious and most tangible of all forms of art. Yet, Anthony Storr believes, music today is a deeply significant experience for a greater number of people than ever before. In this book, he explores why this should be so. Drawing on a wide variety of opinions, Storr argues that the patterns of music make sense of our inner experience, giving both structure and coherence to our feelings and emotions. It is because music possesses this capacity to restore our sense of personal wholeness in a culture which requires us to separate rational thought from feelings that many people find it so life-enhancing that it justifies existence.




The Book of Psalms for Singing


Book Description




God’s Battle Plan for the Mind


Book Description

During the seventeenth century, English Puritan pastors often encouraged their congregations in the spiritual discipline of meditating on God and His Word. Today, however, much of evangelicalism is either ignorant of or turned off to the idea of meditation. In God’s Battle Plan for the Mind , pastor David Saxton seeks to convince God’s people of the absolute necessity for personal meditation and motivate them to begin this work themselves. But he has not done this alone. Rather, he has labored through numerous Puritan works in order to bring together the best of their insights on meditation. Standing on the shoulders of these giants, Saxton teaches us how to meditate on divine truth and gives valuable guidance about how to rightly pattern our thinking throughout the day. With the rich experiential theology of the Puritans, this book lays out a course for enjoying true meditation on God’s Word. Table of Contents: 1. The Importance of Recovering the Joyful Habit of Biblical Meditation 2. Unbiblical Forms of Meditation 3. Defining Biblical Meditation 4. Occasional Meditation 5. Deliberate Meditation 6. The Practice of Meditation 7. Important Occasions for Meditation 8. Choosing Subjects for Meditation 9. The Reasons for Meditation 10. The Benefits of Meditation 11. The Enemies of Meditation 12. Getting Started: Beginning the Habit of Meditation Conclusion: Thoughts on Meditation and Personal Godliness




God's Mind in That Music


Book Description

As part of the growing literature on theology and the arts, God's Mind in that Music explores the substantial theological insight expressed in the music of jazz legend John Coltrane. Focusing on eight of Coltrane's pieces, themes under consideration include lament ("Alabama"), improvisation ("My Favorite Things" and "Ascension"), grace ("A Love Supreme"), and the Trinity ("The Father and the Son and the Holy Ghost"). By attending to the traditions of theology and of jazz criticism, and through a series of interviews with musicians, theologians, and jazz writers, Jamie Howison draws the worlds of theology and jazz into an active and vibrant conversation with each other. Built around a focused listening to John Coltrane's music as heard against the background of his life and social context, and interacting with the work of a range of writers including James Baldwin, Dorothee Soelle, Jeremy Begbie, and James Cone, God's Mind in that Music will be of interest not only to those interested in the intersection of music and theology, but also to Coltrane fans, students of jazz studies, and anyone who believes that music matters.




This is Your Brain on Music


Book Description

From the author of The Changing Mind and The Organized Mind comes a New York Times bestseller that unravels the mystery of our perennial love affair with music ***** 'What do the music of Bach, Depeche Mode and John Cage fundamentally have in common?' Music is an obsession at the heart of human nature, even more fundamental to our species than language. From Mozart to the Beatles, neuroscientist, psychologist and internationally-bestselling author Daniel Levitin reveals the role of music in human evolution, shows how our musical preferences begin to form even before we are born and explains why music can offer such an emotional experience. In This Is Your Brain On Music Levitin offers nothing less than a new way to understand music, and what it can teach us about ourselves. ***** 'Music seems to have an almost wilful, evasive quality, defying simple explanation, so that the more we find out, the more there is to know . . . Daniel Levitin's book is an eloquent and poetic exploration of this paradox' Sting 'You'll never hear music in the same way again' Classic FM magazine 'Music, Levitin argues, is not a decadent modern diversion but something of fundamental importance to the history of human development' Literary Review




Rock Stars on God


Book Description

Rock Stars on God is a collection of hard-hitting interviews about spirituality, the afterlife, and our purpose here on earth with some of rock's biggest names. Not only will you discover insights about each artist's spirituality, but you'll find a training ground for engaging others in conversations about Jesus. Book jacket.