Church musicians' compensation obfuscates many religious people. One commentator of a nationally syndicated religious radio program stated that from all the religious questions, none is as controversial as Should church musicians should be paid? Darrell Alexander resolves the answer through fundamental Bible texts. If you are a church musician, minister of music, soloist, instrumentalist, choir member, church member, trustee, finance committee member, music workshop organizer, teacher, music workshop presenter, praise team member, interested in becoming a church musician, choir president, organist, pianist, choir director, chorister, church board member, deaconess, pastor, asst. pastor, deacon, professors, a bishop, a priest, a member of the leadership system for your congregation, denomination, and/or any religious organization, students of Theology, Music, Worship and Praise, Sacred Music, or just have a curiosity about whether church musicians should be compensated, then this book is a MUST READ for you! Darrell Alexander, the author, discusses the foundations of the creation of the world, Lucifer and the war in Heaven, the Levites, tithes and offerings, and ways to bridge the gap between ministers, musicians, choir members, administrations, and leadership systems of churches, and religious denominations. How do we differentiate between who is compensated in the church or not compensated? The author prays that Excellence in Worship: Should Church Musicians Be Paid?, helps to transform any assumptions of ideations, paradigms, and traditions, within churches and denominations and their leaders and members concerning the subject, so that we all may continue to strive for excellence in worship to God. Every church and its members and officials should have a copy in their library Excellence in Worship: Should Church Musicians Be Paid? is "straight talk" concerning, music, excellence in worship, tithes, offerings, and the church.

The Encyclopedia of American Gospel Music is the first comprehensive reference to cover this important American musical form. Coverage includes all aspects of both African-American and white gospel from history and performers to recording techniques and styles as well as the influence of gospel on different musical genres and cultural trends.

Although writers on film music frequently allude to specific parts of scores, comprehensive examinations of entire scores are rare. In addition, most analyses of scores composed for the screen are discussed outside their cinematic context. To best understand the role music plays in the production of a motion picture, however, it benefits the viewer to consider all of the elements that comprise the film experience. In The Synergy of Film and Music: Sight and Sound in Five Hollywood Films, Peter Rothbart considers the aural and visual aspects of five representative films: West Side Story, Psycho, Empire of the Sun, Altered States, and American Beauty. For each film, the author demonstrates how a variety of elements work together to create a singular experience. After reviewing the various roles that music can serve in a film, as well as providing an overview of the film scoring process, Rothbart looks at each film, examining them one musical cue at a time, so the reader can watch the film while reading about each cue. In these analyses, timecode markings from commercial DVDs are provided in the margins alongside the text, which allow the reader to correlate the on-screen drama to the second. Rothbart explains how music is used in a specific cue and why the decision was made to use that particular musical idea at that moment. Consequently, film music aficionados--as well as students and composers of film music--can gain real-world perspective of how music is used in conjunction with other elements. In this way, the author raises awareness of music's relationship to virtually every other aspect of cinema--dialogue, sound effects, costuming, set design, and cinematography--to deepen the viewer's experience. Written in a deliberately nontechnical way, this book is intended for anyone interested in film to easily follow along. At the same time, the information can benefit professional filmmakers or composers because they can see with great detail how each cue unfolds along with all of the visual elements of the film. This unique analysis makes The Synergy of Film and Music a fascinating and instructive volume that both casual viewers and students of cinema will appreciate.

The Resource Guide to Getting Published A unique guide to publishing for Christian readers, the Christian Writers’ Market Guide 2008 offers the most proven and comprehensive collection of ideas, resources, and contact information to the industry. For more than twenty years, the Christian Writers’ Market Guide has delivered indispensable help to Christian writers, from a CD-ROM of the full text of the book so you can easily search for topics, publishers, and other specific names; to up-to-date listings of more than 1,200 markets for books, articles, stories, poetry, and greeting cards, including forty-three new book publishers, fifty-one new periodicals, and fifteen new literary agencies. Perfect for writers in every phase, this is the resource you need to get noticed–and published. “An indispensable tool. The reference you have to buy.” Writers’ Journal “Essential for anyone seeking to be published in the Christian community.” The Midwest Book Review “Stands out from the rest with its wealth of information and helpful hints.” Book Reviews for Church Librarians Completely updated and revised the Guide features more than… 1,200 markets for the written word * 675 periodicals * 405 book publishers * 240 poetry markets * 114 card and specialty markets * 37 e-book publishers * 120 literary agents * 332 photography markets * 98 foreign markets * 98 newspapers * 53 print-on-demand publishers * writers’ conferences and groups * pay rates and submission guidelines * more resources and tools for all types of writing and related topics.

Is anything sweeter or more precious than a treasured dream? In Chocolate for a Woman's Dreams, 77 all-new, real-life tales celebrate the power of dreams to shape our lives at any age, whether we are exploring new possibilities, achieving long-sought goals, or making long-held wishes come true. Here are stories of women who overcome adversity to start anew, and women who gracefully take on the inevitable changes that each stage of life brings. Whether the goal is enhancing their personal lives with friends and families, improving their professional lives by pursuing new challenges, or learning to see the joy in all things, the women here show that anything is possible when we listen to our hearts and follow our dreams. With its irresistible subject and its abundance of cheer, humor, and encouragement, Chocolate for a Woman's Dreams is sure to be on the top of your wish list.

The first full-length study on the subject of Dickens and work, this book argues that, rather than engaging with work as an abstract, quasi-religious and entirely benign value, Dickens’s writings demonstrate the varied ways in which it shapes gender identity and personality.

In this follow-up to his bestselling The Gospel According to The Simpsons: The Spiritual Life of the World's Most Animated Family, religion journalist Mark Pinsky explores the role that the animated features of Walt Disney played on the moral and spiritual development of generations of children. Pinsky explores thirty-one of the most popular Disney films, as well as recent developments such as the 1990s boycott of Disney by the Southern Baptist Convention and the role that Michael Eisner and Jeffrey Katzenberg played in the resurgance of the company since the mid-1980s.