Essential Music: A Biblical Strategy for Worship in the Urban Church

Essential Music is music that supports the vital agenda of winning souls to Christ and fostering compassionate discipleship. The book is written for anyone who enjoys music, has an interest in the theology of worship, its remarkable and chronicled healing effects, and its impact on the next generation. Whether pastor, music pastor, music minister, or audiophile Essential Music is for you.

Executing essential music gives God great glory and improves our lives spiritually, mentally, and physically. Essential Music reviews some of the many medical benefits of singing reported in scientific journals.

Singing and playing instruments have been shown to lower blood pressure, combat depression, kill certain bacteria (sonic waves), and even help one recover motor skills faster after a stroke. These physiological benefits flow naturally from a rich and steady devotion to God and from enlarging our understanding of the scriptures.

Physicists discovered about 60 years ago that Sun-like stars 'sing', emitting ultra-low frequency acoustical waves. 'Stars singing' is mentioned in the book of Job nearly a millennium before the scientific discovery. The very heavens declare the glory of God, (Ps. 19); let us take a cue from them. Psalm 150 says if you have breath, you can praise the Lord. Another psalm says that the praise of God is to be continually in our mouths. There is continual music in nature and in the heavens. Essential Music examines and reiterates our invitation to offer a holy music to a worthy God.

Listening to and singing essential music can radically improve our daily lives and mitigate its stresses. Invoking essential music is a game-changer for the patterns of our lives, relieving us of bad habits and increasing the frequency of victories. Our corporate worship and relationships with each other can benefit greatly from the immense power that flows from our private worship.

Music orchestrated by the Holy Spirit is a tremendous change agent for healing and tearing down walls of strife and hatred. There is no force greater than God's love. So here’s the million-dollar question: Is our worship atmosphere altering? Does it produce light, or just heat?

Authentic Christianity, the kind Jesus has in mind, is trans-generational and must be evident in our lives and passed on to the next generation. This is true of music as well. Young people are looking for authenticity. This gifted future generation needs to know what music ministry is really about...They must hear both musically and spiritually. They need to hate sin and wrong notes.

Finally, it is the intent of Essential Music to bring insight on how to incorporate the practices of singing or playing an instrument in worship to shake off the distractions of the day, connect with our wondrous God, and through that priceless, precious connection, experience new mercies and unprecedented victories.

Willetta Greene-Johnson, Ph. D., is physicist, Grammy award winning songwriter, arranger, orchestrator and producer. She received her degrees in physics from Stanford University (B. S.) and from the University of Chicago, specializing in theoretical statistical mechanics and surface physics. Dr. Greene-Johnson is currently Senior Lecturer and Master Teacher in the College of Arts and Sciences on the faculties of physics and chemistry /biochemistry at Loyola University Chicago.

Dr. Greene-Johnson's works have been performed or premiered by the Chicago Sinfonietta Orchestra, the Memphis Symphony Orchestra, Old St. Patrick Catholic Church (Chicago), the Brooklyn Tabernacle Choir, Yolanda Adams, Marvin Sapp, Mary Mary, and many others.

A sought-after speaker, facilitator, and consultant, Dr. Greene-Johnson is well-versed to address the intersection of
* science and theology
* music and social justice
* conviction and reconciliation as well as
* recent scientific investigations that confirm the many healing benefits of music.

She enjoys nearly thirty years of experience in Biblical instruction, music ministry and administration, production, orchestration, bridge building via the creative arts, as well as making physics and chemistry less intimidating to students. In 2007, she founded StrategicMusic Inc. for artistic productions and problem solving. Her dedicated and culturally savvy team has developed unique and transformative videos, presentations, and conferences that provide viable resources for liturgical development, community building and message branding.

A classically trained pianist and cellist, she has a special love for strings, guitars of any sort, woodwinds and harp. Her writing is also informed by gospel, jazz, rock, country and Latin styles.

Dr. Greene-Johnson has been married for thirty years to Arnold Johnson Jr., a hair salon owner, colorist, and image stylist.