Writing and Performing Christian Music: God's Plan & Purpose for the Church, is for songwriters, worship leaders, musicians, composers, church leadership, radio station programmers, and record company executives.
It's the first book to answer the question, "What is Christian music?" through researching each use of the Hebrew and Greek words for song, praise and worship. The result is a practical guide giving you direction on lyric content, writing effective lyrics, 22 types of Biblical songs by content (including traditional love songs), and performance considerations.
Also reviewed is the position of worship leader from the Temple to New Testament times, why Joseph is the worship leader's role model, how the music department was structured including roles, duties and responsibilities. This is a doing book, not a theory book.
TABLE OF CONTENTS - Writing and Performing Christian Music
Foreword by TV composer Robert Kral (Angel, Miracles and Superman: Doomsday)
Introduction by Dr. William L. Hooper, former Dean, School of Church Music, New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary
What Is Christian Music?
God's Organizational Model for the Church - The Ekklesia
The First Formal Purposing of Song
The Prophetic Song
How God Uses Music to Edify
22 Types of Biblical Songs by Content
Thanks, and the Three Types of Praise Songs
Eight More Types of Biblical Songs
Biblical Techniques of Lyric Writing
Standards and Performance Practices in Paul's Model for the Church
Music Leadership and the Large Church
Basic Performance Considerations
Wisdom's Role
Picking Music for the Western Church Service
156 pgs.
PRINTED BOOK INFORMATION
A paperback edition of this title is available to order from Amazon or through most major bookstores using the information below:
Title: Writing and Performing Christian Music: God's Plan & Purpose for the Church
Author: Peter Lawrence Alexander / ISBN: 978-0-939067-77-0
Endorsements: Writing and Performing Christian Music
Worship Leader Magazine March/April 2008
Writing & Performing Christian Music is a book for the local worship leader, because you aren’t a professional recording artist (and that’s a good thing). But even industry heavy-hitters would benefit from reading a commentary on worship songwriting, and its importance in the Church. The book is comprehensive, covering everything from basic performance techniques to the biblical intentions of music. But instead of focusing on rhyming patterns and rhythm, Alexander provides biblical examples of how God wants to be praised. It’s a refreshing perspective. One chapter includes over 20 types of worship songs found in the Bible and how they can be adapted into modern contexts. Another has Biblical translations for every possible word pertaining to praise and worship. Peter Alexander tackles worship songwriting from the ground-up, providing the Biblical building blocks for worship leading.
The idea for the book emerged from Alexander’s own pursuit of knowledge regarding all things praise. It’s this question-and-answer approach that makes Writing & Performing Christian Music so accessible – you’re engaged in the worship dialogue. The book is interactive with instructions for applying and connecting with each of the topics fully.
Writing & Performing Christian Music is the perfect read for both aspiring songwriter and seasoned worship leader; it provides a stimulating discussion that will undoubtedly mold your service of worship. So sit down with a guitar and notebook, and prepare to be schooled.
Bayless Conley, Founding Pastor, Cottonwood Christian Center,
Answers BC, Trinity Broadcasting Network
I have found Peter Alexander's teaching on music and worship to be thoroughly Biblical, inspiring and practical. Through his writing we are given a comprehensive look at what the scriptures (both Old and New Testament) have to say about music, song writing and worship. I heartily recommend this book to Pastors, worship leaders, musicians or anyone with a hunger to understand how to apply Biblical principles to modern day worship.
Gerrit Gustafson, Songwriter (Only by Grace, Mighty is Our God),
Worship Teacher (worshipschools.com) and Author (The Adventure of Worship)
Songwriters and artists thrive on creativity, and an essential component of creativity is being able to view what everyone else is looking at from a fresh perspective. For all of us who desperately need fresh, God-inspired perspective, Peter Alexander has done a great service. Addressing the very complex subject of Christian music, Peter Alexander combines a hefty analytical ability with the conviction that God is the ultimate Creator and the Bible, the narrative of His unfolding creativity, to offer a new way of looking at how Christians do music. Finding clues where you may think you have already explored, and connecting dots between what may still remain unconnected in your thinking, Peter gives a view of music that is driven by mission and sustained by character. Eager to have your own creativity stimulated? Open these pages.
Sally Morgenthaler, Author, Worship Evangelism
If you're stuck in the two-crayon world of hymns and choruses, you're about to get a really big upgrade. This is a veritable encyclopedia on biblical songs: their origins, uses, and amazing potential for today's worshiping church. Depth and faithfulness in technicolor. I've never seen anything like what's been created here. May God bless this loving and comprehensive work as it resources the Davids of the new millennium.
About the Author: Peter Lawrence Alexander
Peter Lawrence Alexander is the author of the critically acclaimed Professional Orchestration™ and Applied Professional Harmony™ Series, which have been endorsed by winners of the Academy, Grammy, Emmy, G.A.N.G, BAFTA, Telly and AVA Gold Awards. He has also authored many other books and courses in the area of music education.
Prior to coming back to music full time, Peter had many years of ad agency experience where he developed the techniques for radio marketing and song testing firm Ram Research which later became Arbitron Information on Demand, a tool giving broadcasters and advertisers the ability to project radio ratings by station or style down to the zip code level. This information is also useful for planning artist tools and plotting music technology sales. Working with Mediamark Research, a leading consumer studies firm in New York City, a detailed study of the Christian music buying market was implemented and is still being monitored more than 20 years later.
Peter also produced and directed TV commercials and performed voice overs for radio commercials. He has significant audiobook direction credits, including directing Emmy Award actor David Warner in two audio dramas, Gift of The Magi and the Christmas Story, Grammy Award winning vocalist Amick Byram in The Unchosen, and Kathy Grable in The Unfaithful Wife: The Untold Story of Hosea and Gomer.
While more publicly known for his marketing and music education/writing activities, Peter was an active composer/songwriter with experience in conducting choirs and performing in his own Christian band.
A polio survivor, Peter came down with post-polio in his early ‘40s, which reparalyzed him, causing him to lose his ability to play piano and hold a pencil to write music. This ended his career path as a film composer in Los Angeles. After years of work, Peter credits prayer and faith as the only reason he was able to again play piano at a basic level and hold a pencil to write music.
A passionate educator and researcher, he dedicated the rest of his life to training others in the area of music.