Review: Matthew Paul Turner’s “Hear No Evil”
Think about your favorite song.
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I’ll be honest with you: “Hear No Evil“ is the first of Matthew Paul Turner‘s books I’ve ever read. However, I do read his blog and have for several years. Any every once in a while, he’ll post something I actually agree with. Ha!
But “Hear No Evil“ resonated with me ways that few books ever have. And that is because it speaks about something I am greatly passionate about: MUSIC
“Good music changes me, shocks me, makes me feel uncomfortable, and drives me to think and hope and believe differently. And once in a while, it makes me cynical and sarcastic.” (page 10)
“Hear No Evil” by Matthew Paul Turner (MPT) is a satire-filled but heartfelt (beautifully) written journey of a young man’s love affair with music.
MPT grew up in a Independent Fundamental Baptist home, cut off from the world of contemporary music. His journey to musical freedom spanned years of Sandi Patty infatuation to being “called by God” to become Christian music’s Michael Jackson to ultimately discovering the freedom that genre means very little.
In fact, that God and faith can be found in virtually all music.
“…don’t you think the Holy Spirit can tell the different between a song that’s being sung to God and one that’s not?” (page 74)
Something I’ve known and believed for a very long time.
My journey with music was very different. The love of music was instilled in me by my mother from a very early age. In all tense and purposes my mother raised my brothers and I quite conservatively. But when it came to music, she lightened up.
Having grown up in the home of an abusive alcoholic father, I believe my mother turned to music as a way of escaping. Even to this day she will speak of her days in marching band… and cry tears of joy and great remembrance. Or we’ll be listening to a local 60s & 70s radio station and she’ll say, “oh I was in 3rd grade when this song came out!”
3rd grade? How on earth does she remember this? Because music took her away: to place of innocence, security and not to mention… fun.
So, even though growing up I couldn’t watch The Smurfs, trick or treat or believe in Santa Claus… I could listen to the music I wanted to listen to and she highly encouraged me to make music a big part of my life.
When I handed my life over to Christ, music became the most powerful way I connected to Him. Still is. And I truly believe that is because of the passion I had for music my whole life.
“Hear No Evil“ by Matthew Paul Turner is a quick read and is definitely worth your time.
If you are a Christian who has ever felt stifled by the music available to you… or you are a Christian musician putting on act… or a non-believer who thinks that being a Christian means trashing your iTunes collection… read this book.
Share your favorite song below…
“Freedom is an amazing thing…”
About the Author
Matthew Paul Turner is a blogger, speaker and author of The Coffeehouse Gospel, Provocative Faith, Beatitude: Relearning Jesus, the What You Didn’t Learn from Your Parents About… series, and several other popular books. He has written for Relevant, HomeLife, Christian Single magazines and was the former editor of CCM magazine. Matthew and his wife, Jessica, live in Nashville, Tennessee. He can be found online at www.matthewpaulturner.com.
Very interesting review.
I am actually having my sister read and review it for me, but after reading this I will probably read it myself.
i’m almost done reading it. LOVE it too :)
Mine is on the way from Amazon! Music was an escape for me, too! Never really thought about that until now. I, too, remember what grade I was in when a certain song was a hit! There are still times when a certain song will bring tears. Even after 40 years. Can’t pick a fav.
Thanks for the review, Crystal.
I’d like to get my hands on a copy to give it a read.
It sounds like I can relate well to his story.
So much of what Matthew posts on his blog seems very detrimental to the cause of the Gospel though. I hope this doesn’t fall into that category…