Let Us Draw Near: Biblical Foundations of Worship

“Let Us Draw Near is a book we’ve needed for decades. As we seek to train students from around the world in transcultural principles of worship, we’ve always relied on Ron Man’s insightful, biblical instruction and his global experience as a missionary and ethnodoxologist. Now his many great articles have been integrated into a cohesive, rich resource on the theology and practice of worship. It should be required reading for pastors, seminary educators, missionaries, ethnodoxologists, and worship leaders of all kinds.”

—Robin Harris, president, Global Ethnodoxology Network



“Worship focused on God’s story of redemption in Christ, God’s covenantal table of grace, and God’s mission of love to the world is the source and summit of the very life and hope of all humankind. Ron Man presents a superb magnum opus that delineates multiple aspects and principles of this great climactic act of reconciling friendship with God. This book is a must-have for any serious theologian’s library.”

—James R. Hart, president, Robert E. Webber Institute for Worship Studies



“If you are looking for a biblically grounded, thoroughly comprehensive, meticulously researched, historically connected, vibrantly relevant, and engagingly written work on Christian worship, look no further than Ron Man’s Let Us Draw Near. While he expertly teaches about worship, Man masterfully guides the reader through biblical, theological, historical, cultural, and global tributaries that engage the reader to respond as worshipers of Jesus Christ, to the glory of God the Father in the power of the Holy Spirit.”

—Joseph R. Crider, dean of the school of church music and worship, Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary



“The best resource on the crucial subject of godly worship is the Bible. And now, the best guide to those scriptural resources is Ron Man’s newly published book, Let Us Draw Near. Thorough enough for theologians, pastors, and worship leaders, yet readable enough for people in the pew, may this faithful investigation of biblical truth richly inform—and thereby transform—the worship of many a Christian for years to come.”

—A. Duane Litfin, president emeritus, Wheaton College



“I have longed to read this book, having treasured the ministry and music of Ron Man for decades. His great heart and profound insights have been instructing and inspiring Christians around the world for decades. Now we get the distillation of his years of missionary endeavor and instruction in book form through Let Us Draw Near, a masterful work that roots its concepts in God’s word and finds its glory in Christ’s honor.”

—Bryan Chapell, author of Christ-Centered Worship



“Clear, thorough, practical, accessible, and brimming with Bible, I have never seen so many of the foundational biblical concepts about worship gathered into one place. All this can only come together over a lifetime of teaching, reflection, and most importantly: worshipping. Ron Man has offered a tremendous gift to the church!”

—Zac Hicks, author of The Worship Pastor



“This legacy volume is a testimony to Ron Man’s unwavering commitment to being a resolute student and passionate teacher of worship, always grounded in the clear proclamation of God’s word. Now these lessons are available as a gift to the church. On each page of this book, you will find practical lessons that demonstrate incredibly insightful, biblically based, and theologically astute principles for worship. I plan on using this resource with my undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral worship students for many, many years.”

—Vernon M. Whaley, author of Called to Worship



“This is a much-needed textbook for pastors, theologians, and students of Christian worship. Ron Man approaches the topic of worship by looking at God’s perspective of worship from a comprehensive study of God’s word. I have personally grown in my theology and practice of worship as a result of Ron’s talks and writings, and I cannot wait to let my students discover and understand God’s heart through this book, so that they will join me in responding to God rightly and willingly.”

—Myrleene Grace Yap, associate professor of church music and worship, Singapore Bible College



“Ron Man’s years of global worship education has honed this pastoral, practical, biblical study of worship. He is clear, systematic, and thorough; professorial, without being pedantic; and generous, with quotations from the many authors, in his extensive, select, up-to-date bibliography. I am eager to use Let Us Draw Near in my undergraduate and seminary teaching.”

—Charles King, adjunct music and worship educator, Trinity International University and Wheaton College



“From a lifetime as both worship leadership practitioner and theological thinker, Ron has compiled a valuable, complete resource for all worshipers, whether pastors, leaders of worship, or congregants. This large volume of writing offers important perspectives not often found in a single volume, such as the primacy of worship throughout the Scriptures, local and global perspectives, and practical applications for everyday church ministry. Let Us Draw Near will be a go-to resource for both academic and ministry applications.”

—Edwin (Ed) M. Willmington, director, Fred Bock Institute of Music



“Let Us Draw Near is a gift with the heart of a sage and the mind of a scholar who has invested his life in educating, engaging, and equipping in cross-cultural contexts. Ron Man invites all seekers of true worship to quench their thirst from the well of theologically truthful, culturally curated, and missionally motivated resources. The book will be an ideal resource for students and scholars of Christian worship, practical theology, and biblical studies, as well as for interested laypersons.”

—Eric Sarwar, president, Tehillim School of Church Music & Worship, Pakistan



“With this book, Ron Man adds his voice to the number of quality studies dealing with the biblical material on worship; and his is a welcome voice for the church today. Ron’s helpful ‘examination of the centrality of worship to all of life and ministry’ encourages us in our responses of worship to God’s revelation, both as individuals and as the church. Let Us Draw Near is sure to become an essential text for the study and understanding of biblical worship.”

—Steven Brooks, director, Worship Quest Ministries



“Drawing upon relevant Scripture texts and a broad body of thought by noted scholars, Ron Man presents a comprehensive biblical foundation of worship for the Protestant church. While written from a distinctly Reformed point of view, this book crosses denominational boundaries well, as true foundations of worship transcend ecclesial differences. This book is a fine resource not just for clergy and lay worship leaders but for every Christian worshiper.”

—Constance M. Cherry, author of The Worship Architect



“Transcending the gap that sometimes exists between biblical and liturgical studies, Let Us Draw Near is an evocative book that engages both the intellect and the heart. Ron Man masterfully weaves together scriptural insights, historical perspectives, and theological principles of worship as he invites readers to contemplate the meaning and purpose of worship, to explore the inherent connection between worship and Christian living, and to engage the Triune God in fresh, life-giving ways. Whether you are a theologian, a worship leader, or a seeker longing to deepen your understanding of worship, this book is an invaluable resource.”

—Jonathan A. Powers, assistant professor of worship, Asbury Theological Seminary



“For a biblical teaching to be a principle, it must apply in every culture, time, and circumstance. Ron Man is one of the few privileged to have the opportunity to test his teaching in multicultural settings on a regular basis. What he presents in Let Us Draw Near can be confidently asserted as truly transcultural biblical principles.”

—Johannes Schröder, lecturer in practical theology, Bibelseminar Bonn



“Congratulations to Ron Man for offering a biblical theology of worship that is both comprehensive and generous. Plenty of books on worship offer robust reflection on its deep purposes and theological insights, while neglecting the practical application of such principles. Man has accessibly woven biblical, historical, and theological material together for readers, while also supporting their responsible discernment of a biblical vision of worship practice. This book is well suited to offer an inspiring model to worshipers seeking to ground their thinking and practice in Scripture.”

—Emily Snider Andrews, executive director, Center for Worship and the Arts, Samford University



“Drawing on a career traveling the planet and teaching on worship, Ron Man has sifted through his lectures, his years of monthly updates, his exhaustive quotations files, along with his in-depth survey of the Scriptures to create a monumental, comprehensive volume, a go-to manual, a virtual encyclopedia of the major themes of biblical and theological worship. Like a huge orchestral score, Man weaves the Revelation-Response continuum along with other recurring motifs throughout this remarkable book.”

—Frank Fortunato, co-director, GROW (Global Renewal of Worship) Center for the Robert E. Webber Institute of Worship Studies



“Ron Man provides a fresh, systematic, thorough, and distinctive survey of biblical teaching about worship, especially with reference to its congregational expression. He writes as one who is passionate for the glory of God and offers practical advice to those responsible for leading God’s people in this vital pursuit.”

—David G. Peterson, author of Engaging with God



“The reader senses in Let Us Draw Near an undercurrent of music—Ron Man’s passion for the beautiful, expressed via voice and instrument, bears his narrative along with a cadence that makes his writing not only substantive, but memorable. Biblically based and rooted in a lifetime of practical ministry experience, here is a manual you can use. It will inspire you to experience the freedom that can come with deep and theologically consistent worship—worship that leads us to the throne of grace as we magnify the Lord Jesus Christ.”

—Reg Grant, chair and senior professor of media arts and worship, Dallas Theological Seminary



“As a musician working in Japan, I sat under Ron Man’s teaching of the principles laid out in these pages and participated in the lively discussions that followed. Various debates erupted, but Man continually brought us back to the biblical foundations of worship—which remain the same, no matter the place or situation. This perspective is so needed for those of us leading worship around the globe and trying to navigate issues as numerous and nuanced as the nations of the earth.”

—Roger W. Lowther, founder and director, Community Arts Tokyo



“Ron Man’s Let Us Draw Near shows us that ‘worship is central’ in God’s program—from the Old Testament to the New Testament and in the mission of the church today. It is a book with biblical and theological depth that provides foundational principles for worship applicable to a wide range of church contexts, including cross-cultural ministry contexts. I recommend this as an invaluable resource, textbook, and guidebook for the study, teaching, and practice of Christian worship.”

—Joshua A. Waggener, professor of church music and worship, Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary



“Let Us Draw Near contains a rich exploration of biblical worship. With tremendous facility, Ron Man has provided a synthesis of heart and mind, spirit and truth, beauty and reason. For those desiring greater understanding, this substantive manual provides both rigor and clarity regarding the nature of Christian worship.”

—Stephen Martin, director of worship studies, Azusa Pacific University



“We are created to worship God. Most of the time, we human beings miss this important truth. In his book Let Us Draw Near, Ron Man expounds worship in a captivating way as a response given by God’s creation to his revelation. The book brings the reader close to true biblical worship. It is a treasure that can be used for personal edification or a textbook in theological institutions.”

—Frew Tamrat, principal, Evangelical Theological College of Addis Ababa, Ethiopia



“Ron Man lives what he has written in these pages. Having served with him over many years in numerous international contexts, I’ve also witnessed Ron’s heart for mission-related ministry—an important aspect found in this book. Ron’s love for God and his word shines brightly in his teaching as well as in this volume—a culmination of years of faithful service all over the world.”

—Richard Mauney, Jubilate Foundation, Romania



“For anyone wondering what the Bible has to say about worship, Ron Man delivers a comprehensive and balanced guide. Let Us Draw Near is a God-centered, Bible-saturated resource rife with significant implications for the church. Moreover, this book does what good conversations about Christian worship should do—it stirs postures and practices of heartfelt devotion to God. Here are essential ideas for church leaders and students of Christian worship today.”

—Jonathan S. Welch, assistant professor of Christian worship, Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary



“Ron Man has likely taught worship courses at the seminary and Bible college level in more nations than anyone else. I love his commitment to both theological orthodoxy and methodological flexibility. In this book, he presents a rigorous exploration of God’s transcultural instruction on worship. A combination of biblical and systematic theology, historical survey, and practical advice, this book is a treasure trove for those pursuing more biblically faithful worship.”

—Ken Boer, pastor of worship, First Evangelical Church of Memphis, TN



“Let Us Draw Near thoroughly unfolds core elements of worship and the purpose of Christ’s Church. Ron Man is deeply committed to the responsorial implications of evangelical thought. This work is very much his while it successfully amalgamates the thoughts of dozens of our most trusted voices in the tradition regarding worship. He accomplishes this while framing New Testament paradigms that call for the pursuit of God’s glory. Highly recommended!”

—Paul Rumrill, associate dean, Center for Music and Worship, Liberty University



“One of the great needs of our day is a renewal in understanding biblical and theological foundations of worship. I am thankful that Ron Man has curated his wisdom and life work into a comprehensive volume. I trust this book will be a helpful guide for any who seek to grow both as worshipers and leaders of worship.”

—Matt Boswell, hymnwriter



“I am overjoyed that Ron Man has finally written this book. Let Us Draw Near is the fruit of countless hours mining the riches of Scripture and hundreds of books and articles on the topic of worship. It is at once biblically faithful, comprehensive, thoughtful, Christ-centered, and pastorally driven. I have no doubt that Ron’s book will serve pastors, music leaders, musicians, and church members as a resource on worship for decades to come.”

—Bob Kauflin, director, Sovereign Grace Music



“Expansive in scope and grounded in years’ worth of hard-earned wisdom, Ron Man’s book is a beautiful invitation to the breadth, length, height, and depth of worship and to the God whom we worship as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. May it invigorate and inspire you afresh.”

—W. David O. Taylor, associate professor of theology and culture, Fuller Theological Seminary



“Ron Man has uniquely combined biblical theology of worship through both Testaments, worship in church history, and practical considerations for church worship in a global context. This book is a gift and a welcomed resource for all of us who teach God-centered, biblical worship to seminarians and aspiring church worship leaders.”

—Chuck Steddom, pastor for worship and ministry development, Bethlehem Baptist Church



“We have been honored by Ron Man providing the pinnacle of his study of the Scriptures and twenty-five years of experience in a valuable book, Let Us Draw Near. Its message has impacted students at our seminary over many years, as it traces the repeated pattern of divine revelation and human response through the Scriptures. Man stresses the danger of the church losing the reality of the present work of Christ: the Savior is present at every church meeting as the real teacher about the nature of God, leader of worship, energizer of trust, and motivator for service.”

—Imad Shehadeh, founder and president, Jordan Evangelical Theological Seminary