But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. If we live by the Spirit, let us also keep in step with the Spirit. Let us not become conceited, provoking one another, envying one another. ESV (Galatians 5:22-26)
Spirit-Filled Singing has an extremely specific target audience. The book is primarily for worship leaders, church musicians, church choirs, etc. Or perhaps expanded to those in the process of studying to become professional musicians who also happen to be Christian and are considering working in churches. The book DOES unpack, if you will, Galatians 5:22-23--the fruit of the Spirit. But it does so specifically through the lens of how that fruit of the Spirit might apply directly to church musicians, song leaders, worship leaders, choir members, etc. It is not a general book examining the fruit of the Spirit. Nor is it a book about how the HOLY SPIRIT is essential to worship. (I saw the title Spirit-Filled Singing and immediately made the jump that it was about the role of the HOLY SPIRIT in worship). Though I don't think the author would argue that point that the Holy Spirit IS very much essential to worship.
ONE point that I thought was great was that she argues that ALL the fruits of the Spirit can be summed up in one--love--and ties that with 1 Corinthians 13. Read about love's description in that famous chapter and you can find traces of joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.
The book is weighty in musical expertise. I don't necessarily think this book is for non-musicians. It's a whole other world. That being said, it's not bad that this book is specifically for musicians and only musicians. There are probably dozens if not hundreds of other books about the fruit of the Spirit that are for the rest of us.
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