Hear No Evil by Matthew Paul Turner

Hear No Evil: My Story of Innocence, Music, and the Holy Ghost by Matthew Paul Turner is a look inside the mind of a young man who grew up in a fundamentalist baptist household where salvation was all about "fire insurance". The series of stories told are smart, poignant, and funny with a degree of compassion for those still living with that belief thrown in. He uses his music industry experience to tell the story of how music touched his life showing him that Jesus is more than a "good thought" to be put upon a pedestal and dusted off once in awhile.

I loved this book. I read it in one sitting, laughing out loud at the absurdity and honesty of the stories that were told. I highlighted passages that made me think about the way church people "do" church and how it must appear to the outsider looking in.

While there are some parts with which I disagree, there are many more statements made that need to be shouted from rooftops to anyone who will listen. One of my favorites was, "Anyone was welcome to join us for worship on Sundays, as long as they never emotionally pooped on the carpet." Wow! MPT reminds us that we, being the church, need to get over ourselves and remember that being "real" means people feel welcome regardless of the emotional baggage they carry.

If you love music, you will really enjoy this book. Turner's accounts of his dealings with Sandi Patty and Amy Grant are akin to my own feelings about the music they have created throughout their careers. They have the ability to touch the lives of many, and obviously transform one's beliefs as they did with Turner.

This book was provided for review by the WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group.

If you are interested in purchasing this book or reading more about it, please visit:

http://www.randomhouse.com/catalog/display.pperl?isbn=9781400074723