[Full disclosure: I was asked to do this review by the book’s author, Danny Corbitt. Danny and I knew each other in school at Abilene Christian University. I obtained the book for free… because everyone can. It is a free download at http://missingmorethanmusic.com/. A hard copy can also be purchased from AuthorHouse, and is available on Amazon.]

Missing More Than Music: When Disputable Matters Eclipse Worship And Unity was self-published through AuthorHouse, and this shows at times. There are some things that an editor would have caught (lack of consistency chapter to chapter, an omitted word or two, etc.), but I only notice those things because I’m naturally picky. Overall, the book is well-researched and thoroughly presented.

Why was the book self-published? Basically because if a Church of Christ publishing house published it, they would receive too much criticism and would probably see other sales affected. Publishing houses outside of our brotherhood probably wouldn’t find the subject matter of interest. Corbitt had little choice but to self-publish. (Doesn’t hurt to remind people that “self-published” doesn’t mean poor quality; The Shack was originally self-published. It’s done all right.)

Corbitt identifies five “disputable matters,” views that he identifies as being held by “Exclusion.” They are:

1. The early church believed God wanted them to praise him a cappella only.
2. Ephesians 5:19 specifically concerns the singing of praise during “public worship,” but not in other settings like our private lives.
3. The Greek vocabulary of this passage demands that the psalms it calls us to sing should only be sung without instruments.
4. Ephesians 5:19 demands that in our worship assemblies everyone must always sing together (“congregationally”) — no choirs, no solos.
5. We must separate ourselves from those whose praise allows instruments and choruses.

Corbitt considers and presents a refutation of each of those views. Each chapter ends with paragraphs entitled “Were you surprised?“, “Who changed praise?“, and “Are you missing more than music?”

The book is especially intended for those who hold to the five beliefs that he discusses or to people who have had negative dealings with those who hold those beliefs. I don’t particularly fall into either of those categories, so I didn’t find myself as emotionally involved as some others will. Corbitt is one who has suffered through negative experiences with those he disagrees with. That colors his writing at times. Some of his descriptions of a cappella worship don’t match what I’ve lived through. But I think enough people can identify with Corbitt that his book may well be of great service to many.

You don’t have to agree with Corbitt’s views to benefit from reading through this study. Even if you were to end up disagreeing with all of it, you would be the better for having participated in this scholarly examination of views commonly found in Churches of Christ. I won’t say that it’s an easy read (because it’s not), but it’s well worth your time.