Last week I wrote about the books I’ve been reading, so naturally (to me, anyway) I thought this week I’d write about the music I like to listen to while reading those books. I recognize that everyone has their own preference where music is concerned, but as with introducing you to new books I’m reading, I hope that maybe you’ll come across some new artist in this reading and be better for it.
I have varying tastes in music depending on what I’m doing at the moment. My running playlist has a lot of U2, Beatles, Rich Mullens, and Billy Joel – just to give you a sampling. While working around the house on the weekends, I like to turn on Spotify and listen to 70’s and 80’s playlists. But while writing and reading, I like to listen to music that is fitting for the moment.
I have, for a while now, enjoyed listening to Indelible Grace Music and the music of Stuart Townend and Keith and Krystin Getty. I think it was while listing to a radio station on Spotify based on their music that I found many of the following artists. If you’ve never heard their music, they are all on Spotify or Youtube, and I would encourage you to listen to a couple samples (I’ll provide the links where possible).
So here’s a list of some of the artists I like to listen to while writing and reading:
Josh Garrels
I like to think that I have a pretty eclectic taste in music, and Josh Garrels is a pretty eclectic musician. His description on wikipedia says, “Josh Garrels is a singer-songwriter, hip-hop, pop producer, and orchestral folk composer from South Bend, Indiana. His music combines traditional folk music with other musical elements and the nontraditional exploration of Christian themes.” I don’t really know how to classify his music, but I can say that it speaks to me. He doesn’t give a candy-coated, top 40 Christian message in his music; but the imagery of the struggle and hope in this life is real and richly Biblical. With songs like Don’t Wait for Me and Beyond the Blue, Garrels articulates a longing for completion that is only met in Christ, but that it is met completely in Him. My favorites would have to be The Resistance and All Creatures, two hip-hop influenced songs that have great messages.
Audrey Assad
As I was listening to Audrey Assad just this morning, I realized what it is I like about her music. She sings like Amy Grant did when Amy Grant was just starting out. Innocent, beautiful, heartfelt expressions of faith in the midst of real life. Her song The House You’re Building is especially Amy Grant-esque. She has a wonderful cover of His Eye is On the Sparrow in Sparrow, and her song Good to Me is an excellent reminder of God’s steadfast love and faithfulness.
Page CXVI
Their name is a reference to Page 116 in their copy of C.S. Lewis’ book, The Magicians nephew, the passage where Aslan begins to sing Narnia into creation out of a black void. Starting as worship leaders in church, Page CXVI’s self-stated purpose as a band is to make hymns accessible again. All of their songs are re-writes of familiar hymns, accentuating different themes that the hymns, with their traditional tunes, might not convey. Some of my favorites include O Sacred Head Now Wounded, Wash Me Clean, and Be Still My Soul.
Sons of Korah
Sons of Korah is an Australian based band that sings the Psalms – and that’s all. On their website they explain, “The Psalms have been the primary source for the worship traditions of both Judaism and Christianity going right back to ancient times. With their unique acoustic, multi-ethnic sound Sons of Korah have given this biblical songbook a dynamic and emotive new musical expression. They endeavour to lead their listeners into an impacting encounter with this book that is often described as the ‘heart’ of the bible.” Often times I will turn on Sons of Korah and read the Psalms as they sing, word for word. Their on my running playlist, and I’ve found that by singing the Psalms, I’m learning them by heart too. A few of my favorites are Psalm 148, Psalm 73, Psalm 51, and Psalm 1.
Ludovico Einaudi
“One of these things is not like the other…” There are times when I am looking for quiet background music, instrumental or piano music, while reading or writing. through Spotify I cam across Ludovico Einaudi. Not under the Christian Music label at all, Einaudi is an Italian pianist and composer who uses a wide variety of styles and genres including pop, rock, world music, and folk music. I don’t know how to describe his music other than stunningly beautiful. A couple that really stand out to me are I Giorni and Nuvole Bianche.
I’d love to hear your thoughts on these artists and their music. If you have any recommendations, please make sure to give them in the comments below.
SDG
The King in His Beauty: A Biblical Theology of the Old and New Testaments (Baker Academic) by Thomas Schreiner. Biblical Theology studies the unifying themes of the Bible in their own historical setting, in its own terms, and forms; learning who God is and what God is doing through the ongoing story of Scripture. I have just started The King In His Beauty, but already I am loving the study of Scripture and the emerging themes that will unfold through the rest of the book. It’s almost ike reading a commentary that was written in story form.
Walking with God (GLH Publishing) by Richard Baxter. I try to always have an old pastoral book on my reading list to keep me well rounded, and Baxter is one of my favorites. Baxter was an English Puritan of the 17th century (i.e., Presbyterian), a theologian and pastor most noted for his book, The Reformed Pastor. Reading the Puritans is not always easy, they love to make lists (and lists within lists), and they exhaust a topic before moving on to the next, so you really have to commit to ploughing through the reading. But the treasure is worth he work. “Walking with God” studies what it means to be in communion with God and to love him above everything else. Baxter’s work is challenging, but encouraging all the while.
Finding Faithful Elders and Deacons (Crossway), by Thabiti Anyabwile. It’s that time of the year again when we as a church prayerfully consider nominating men to serve as Deacons and Elders. This is not light work, and I’ve been studying and praying, not just about who should serve, but how I can work to develop discipling relationships to help identify and train future leaders in the church. Anyabwile’s book is a quick read, but incredibly informative and practical.
e Christ: Legalism, Antinomianism, and Gospel Assurance—Why the Marrow Controversy Still Matters (Crossway), by Sinclair Ferguson. Admittedly, when I bought this book for a reading group I’m in, I had never heard of the Marrow Controversy, but I love Sinclair Ferguson, and I have thoroughly enjoyed everything I’ve read of his. The Whole Christ included. Recounting the Marrow Controversy of the 8th Century Church of Scotland which was essentially a divide over Legalism, Antinomianism, and the proper relationship between God’s grace and our works, Ferguson shows us that the antidote to the poison of legalism on the one hand and antinomianism on the other is one and the same: the life-giving gospel of Jesus Christ, in whom we are simultaneously justified by faith, freed for good works, and assured of salvation.
Name above all Names (Crossway), by Sinclair Ferguson and Alistair Begg. I picked this one up because I wanted to read something that wasn’t necessarily a theological study of Christ, but a biblical study on who Christ is and what He has one. Name above all Names is a reflection on 7 key qualities of Jesus’ identity and ministry, offering a meditation on the character of Christ. In case you didn’t notice, it’s another book by Sinclair Ferguson, with my second favorite scotsman preacher, Alistair Begg as well.
Preaching Christ from Daniel (Eerdmans) by Sidney Greidanus. – In Preaching Christ from Daniel Sidney Greidanus shows preachers and teachers how to prepare expository messages from the six narratives and four visions in the book of Daniel. Using the most up-to-date biblical scholarship, Greidanus addresses foundational issues such as the date of composition, the author(s) and original audience of the book, its overall message and goal, and various ways of preaching Christ from Daniel. Throughout his book Greidanus puts front and center God’s sovereignty, providence, and coming kingdom. (from the website)
The Gospel According to Daniel (Baker) by Bryan Chapell. (From the cover) Often we read the book of Daniel in one of two ways – either as a book about a heroic man whose righteousness should inspire us to keep the faith, or as a roadmap to the end times that can, through careful study, tell us the day and hour (or nearly so) of Christ’s return. Both, says Bryan Chapell, are sadly missing the bigger picture – that God is the hero of the story, and he is in the midst of his unrelenting plan to rescue his people from their sin and its consequences. Pastors, teachers, and any Christian who wants to learn how to faithfully understand the book of Daniel without getting derailed by hero worship or prophetic mystery will value this grace-centered approach.
Daniel: An Expositional Commentary (Baker), by James Boice. Boice was the pastor of Tenth Presbyterian Church (PCA) in Philadelphia, and his sermons were heard around the world on The Bible Hour. His commentaries give a verse by verse study of the text, and help apply the text to the readers experience. Reading Boice’s commentary is like reading his sermons, and it has been very encouraging as I approach the difficult task of preaching through Daniel.
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