Michael L. Brown - The Power of Music: Gods Call to Change the World One Song at a Time

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! It challenges your eternal perspective on music and its power to revolutionize the world. It has set my soul on fire with even more desire to partner with the sound of heaven to write lyrics that would pierce and captivate hearts to purity, renew the minds of listeners, pave a path to freedom, and create sanctified atmospheres to see people experience divine encounters with God!

BECKAH SHAE, DOVE AWARD-NOMINATED SINGER/SONGWRITER

Once again Dr. Brown has outdone himself with the amount and scope of the research/information and the impact, bringing this work to the obvious conclusion for all of us who have dedicated our lives to just this purposemaking Him known and experienced through powerful and anointed music and vessels! I was brought to tears with the experiences of G. F. Handel and the incredible victory of the Messiah, remembering that his music still plays to sold-out audiences in Israel!

PAUL WILBUR, MESSIANIC WORSHIP ARTIST, SONGWRITER, SPEAKER, AND AWARD-WINNING AUTHOR OF TOUCHING THE HEART OF GOD

Michael Browns experience and research combine to give a compelling perspective on rock and rolls seismic impact as it crashed on the shores of history. Musicians and non-musicians alike will be inspired by the powerful ways God intends to use music in todays end-time drama. Grab a mug and enjoy!

BOB SORGE, AUTHOR OF EXPLORING WORSHIP: A PRACTICAL GUIDE TO PRAISE AND WORSHIP

This is a well-researched and thought-provoking look at an important topic. I particularly appreciate Dr. Browns reminders that the musical revolutions of the past fifty-odd years, though they introduced a degree of chaos into the culture, were also expressive of a deeply felt spiritual need that was not satisfied by traditional religion.

SPENCER KLAVAN, LECTURER IN GREEK AND SCHOLAR OF ANCIENT MUSIC, UNIVERSITY OF OXFORD

As long as Ive known Dr. Michael L. Brown, which is for more than twenty years, Ive never known him to give less than 100 percent in any aspect of his life. This translates into his private devotion and his studies into the art of worship. This book is for all ages, musician or non-musician, quiet or loud, kneeler or dancer. It doesnt matter as long as its 100 percent.

LEONARD JONES, FOUNDER OF MORNINGSTAR 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 heavens sound on the earth. I will be using The Power of Music in our worship school to equip students with an understanding of musics influence throughout history and to encourage them to fully step into partnership with God to shift culture and make history through music and song.

KELANIE GLOECKLER, WORSHIP LEADER AND SONGWRITER, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF ACCESS WORSHIP INTERNATIONAL

Most CHARISMA HOUSE BOOK GROUP products are available at special quantity discounts for bulk purchase for sales promotions, premiums, fund-raising, and educational needs. For details, write Charisma House Book Group, 600 Rinehart Road, Lake Mary, Florida 32746, or telephone (407) 333-0600.

THE POWER OF MUSIC by Michael L. Brown, PhD

Published by Charisma House

Charisma Media/Charisma House Book Group

600 Rinehart Road

Lake Mary, Florida 32746

www.charismahouse.com

This book or parts thereof may not be reproduced in any form, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form by any meanselectronic, mechanical, photocopy, recording, or otherwisewithout prior written permission of the publisher, except as provided by United States of America copyright law.

Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, English Standard Version. Copyright 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a division of Good News Publishers. Used by permission.

Scripture quotations marked ISV are taken from the Holy Bible: International Standard Version. Copyright 1996-forever by The ISV Foundation. All rights reserved internationally. Used by permission.

Scripture quotations marked KJV are from the King James Version of the Bible.

Scripture quotations marked MEV are taken from the Modern English Version. Copyright 2014 by Military Bible Association. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Scripture quotations marked NIV are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version, NIV. Copyright 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc. Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide. www.zondervan.com. The NIV and New International Version are trademarks registered in the United States Patent and Trademark Office by Biblica, Inc.

Scripture quotations marked NKJV are taken from the New King James Version. Copyright 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Scripture quotations marked PHILLIPS are from The New Testament in Modern English, Revised Edition. Copyright 1958, 1960, 1972 by J. B. Phillips. Macmillan Publishing Co. Used by permission.

Scripture quotations marked TLB are from The Living Bible. Copyright 1971. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Wheaton, IL 60189. All rights reserved.

All emphasis in Scripture noted with italics is the authors.

Copyright 2019 by Michael L. Brown, PhD

All rights reserved

Cover design by Justin Evans

Visit the authors website at https://askdrbrown.org.

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data: An application to register this book for cataloging has been submitted to the Library of Congress.

International Standard Book Number: 978-1-62999-595-3

E-book ISBN: 978-1-62999-596-0

While the author has made every effort to provide accurate internet addresses at the time of publication, neither the publisher nor the author assumes any responsibility for errors or for changes that occur after publication. Further, the publisher does not have any control over and does not assume any responsibility for author or third-party websites or their content.

CONTENTS

WHENEVER I TELL one of my friends that Ive written a book on the power of music, the reaction is almost always the same: Really? They associate me with books on Jewish apologetics or biblical scholarship, books on revival and cultural revolution, and books on doctrinal error and reformation. But a book on the power of music? Really?

As youll see in the pages that follow, music has had a great impact on my life over the years, at first for the worst and for many decades now for the best. It is an incredibly powerful tool, a world-changing tool, and when it is put in the hands of anointed men and women of God, it is an indescribably glorious tool. Have we fully recognized the amazing power of music?

Virtually every day of my life Im writing something new. It could be an article on moral and cultural issues. It could be part of a chapter of the current book project. It could be some scholarly research, part of a commentary or academic article. But virtually every day I am writing, feeling a divine calling and grace to do so, whether Im flying overseas or in a hotel between preaching meetings. But I dont always feel intensely gripped. I dont also feel powerfully moved by the Spirit. (Trust me. Working on a commentary on Job or Jeremiah has its moments of extraordinary exhilaration, but for the most part its like climbing a mountain, one hard step at a time.)

That was not the case with this book. I truly felt gripped and moved and stirred to write. I felt an unusual burden to get the message out. And as I wrote, not only was I writing for every member of the body who loves and appreciates music, I was writing especially for worship leaders, for singers and musicians, for lyricists, for prophetic poets. Somehow, I wanted to get this into their handsyour handsto inspire even greater creativity, greater vision, and greater devotion to producing life-changing, Jesus-exalting music. Songs to heal a dying world. Songs to challenge a rebellious society. Songs to comfort the afflicted. Songs to teach divine truth. Songs to wake up sleeping saints. Songs to take us into the heavenlies!