Let Our Words Become Flesh

This book is meant to be a bridge connecting Sunday’s worship to the following week’s daily life and work by means of words that sound and shape a Christ\-like worldview. After an overarching introduction that creates the environment for all that follows, the book is divided into six sections: Prayers, Blessings, Child Dedication, Litanies, Benedictions, and Poetry. Each section includes its own introduction as well as illustrative examples that can be used in worship.

Terry W. York is Professor of Christian Ministry and Church Music at Baylor University’s George W. Truett Theological Seminary. He joined the faculty in 1998 after serving three years as the Associate Pastor of Park Cities Baptist Church in Dallas, TX. He received the Bachelor of Arts degree from California Baptist College (now University) and the Master of Church Music and Doctor of Musical Arts degrees from New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary. He has been Minister of Music in churches in California and Arizona. From 1984-1995 he served in the Church Music Department of the Baptist Sunday School Board (now LifeWay Christian Resources) in Nashville, TN. His duties there included being the Project Coordinator for The Baptist Hymnal, 1991. In all, Dr. York has published more than 40 hymns including the well-known Worthy of Worship. His hymn Give Us Courage was commissioned by the Truett Seminary administration and approved by the Truett Seminary faculty as the official Seminary Hymn in 2006. In addition to his hymns, Dr. York has published more than 80 choral anthem texts set by a number of composers including Mark Blankenship, David Bolin, Bob Burroughs, Vicki Tucker Courtney, David Danner, Taylor Scott Davis, Tom Fettke, Dan Goeller, Benjamin Harlan, Mark Hayes, Victor C. Johnson, Mary McDonald, Joseph Martin, Anna Laura Page, John Purifoy, Joel Raney, Earlene Rentz, Jay Rouse, David Schwoebel, and Vicki Hancock Wright. In collaboration with composer Taylor Scott Davis, Dr. York has published two Choral Services: for Lent Return to Me (MorningStar) and for Advent Small, Dancing Light (MorningStar). His book titles include The Worship Matrix, co-authored with David Bolin (Celebrating Grace, Inc.), The Voice of Our Congregation, co-authored with David Bolin (Abingdon, Celebrating Grace), Rehearsing the Soul (Abingdon), Observing the Rests (Abingdon). In June 2008 it was his privilege to be one of two featured plenary speakers at The World Association of Chinese Church Musicians’ biannual conference which met in Kuching, Malaysia. In June 2009, the Baptist Church Music Conference gave Dr. York the W. Hines Sims Award, its most prestigious recognition.