HEAR NO EVIL – My Story of Innocence, Music and the Holy Ghost by Matthew Paul Turner (A Book Review and A Give-Away!)

UPDATE: Beth...One Blessed Nana is the winner of Hear No Evil!!! YAY Beth! I will try to get in touch with you over the weekend to get your book to you! The winner was chosen by random.org!


Have you ever been afraid that listening to a syncopated drumbeat would cause evil spirits “ to shimmy their way inside” your head?

Have you ever been part of “covert operation, See Sandi Sing” so that your fellow church members would not be aware of your love for all things Sandi Patty?

Have you ever questioned, “Should I know who Dylan is?”

If you can answer yes to at least one of these questions, then you should read Matthew Paul Turner’s latest memoir, Hear No Evil and be prepared to laugh!

I would say Mr. Turner had been a fly on the wall of my life as I grew up in Fundamental Baptist churches in the Southeast but I can’t because he is younger than I am. However, our experiences with music and culture are very similar! The difference is, he can tell his story with humor and make us laugh!

After graduating from his small Christian school in Maryland, Matthew chose to go to Belmont College in Nashville to study music business. While there, he was confronted with different theologies and ways of relating to God. He also was exposed to secular culture and lost his “movie-theater virginity.” His fellow students questioned his beliefs and his upbringing and he questioned theirs. Then, he began visiting a church that some fellow students attended, and it wasn’t a Fundamental Baptist church…it was Presbyterian!

He went to church with his friend, Josiah, who was a Calvinist. Matthew says, “Talking to Josiah made me feel dumb,” only because Josiah knew why he believed a particular theology. Matthew responds in the book with, “I didn’t study God. I just memorized scripture verses and practiced Bible Trivia….I knew a thousand Bible verses by heart, but I couldn't explain why God’s story was important to me personally. At least not without using hell as a starting point.”

Matthew went on to manage a Christian coffee house in Nashville, booking Christian talent and hosting open mic night for people trying to become Christian talent! Oh, the stories he has to tell...I'm sure he left out more than he included in the book! He was also editor of the popular CCM, a magazine dedicated to Comtemporary Christian Music. While working for CCM, Matthew had opportunity to interview several well-known gospel artists, including Amy Grant. He even tells a bit about that interview in a chapter of the book titled "Chasing Amy."

While Matthew’s writings stir up many memories in my own life, I appreciate the fact that he can do so with laughter and wit. I also appreciate the heart this man now has for God…you can get to know Matthew a bit by reading his blog and visiting his website.

This book, Hear No Evil, is seriously funny and worth reading!

I'm excited to say I have been given one copy of Hear No Evil to giveaway!!! Just leave a comment below by Thursday, Feb 18, and I will have random.org choose a winner on Friday, Feb 19. Thank you to Matthew Paul Turner, Ashley Boyer and WaterBrook Press for this opportunity to bless one of my dear blog readers!

Praise God from whom all blessings flow....like really good books and really cool authors!

God's girl, Pamela

This book was provided for review by the WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group. If you would like to purchase this book or for more information please visit Random House.

I've been officially Churched

I did finish the book, but not without some laughter, a few tears and a nightmare....seriously!!!

If you know what the actual name of "Fyles Sanderson College in Indiana" is, you should probably read the book!

Matthew Paul Turner writes with such humor and wit that it makes me believe he and Wendy Bagwell would be friends! The common thread between them: they both take God and their relationship with Him seriously, but not religion! I think if Wendy were still alive, he would give Churched his stamp of approval!

I had to laugh as Matthew wrote about his first visit to the barber, after becoming Baptist! Oh, yes, the Fundamental Baptist haircut! I've seen a lot of them because the guys in my Christian school, much larger than MPT's, had to have their hair cut the same way! And my Daddy being a barber, he was really good at the Baptist hair cut!

Reading MPT's memory of A Thief in the Night apparently brought too much information to the front of my mind because I really had a nightmare about it!
I watched the movie as a 12 yr old. That movie scared the bejeebies out of me!!! I remember lying in bed on several occasions watching out the window as airplanes crossed the sky, praying it was not the Russians on their way to take part in Armageddon!

My absolute favorite part of the book is in the chapter titled Seven, not chapter 7, but the chapter titled Seven. The one phrase, "...put his love for people before his love for rules.", is to me the crux of Christianity! God desires us to follow His rules, not ones made up by man. Luke 10:27 NIV
He answered: Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind; and, Love your neighbor as yourself. It seems to me the first 'rule' is LOVE! Yes, I am still struggling with this one, but I pray I am growing closer to God through the process!


I will end with the Christian Character Award! Reading Matthew's account sounds somewhat like my story except mine wasn't given by the leadership but rather by peers - in the choir...still bigger than MPT's Christian school!!! The funny thing is, when we first moved overseas that plaque hung on the wall but I have not seen it in years....and I haven't missed it either! If those choir kids had really known me, they would have NEVER chosen me as the recipient! While I was a goodie-goodie on the outside, the inside was not so good! I was more like the parable in Matthew (the book of the Bible!) about the white-washed tombs.

So, yes, I have laughed and cried my way through this book! It has been a healing balm for me in many areas. I thought I had worked it all out over the past several years but some memories would come out of nowhere while reading and I knew the Lord really wanted me to deal with them, NOW!!! His healing touch is so sweet!

Note to my Momma: I know y'all did the best you knew how to do and I do not hold you responsible in any way for the memories this book brought to mind. We are imperfect people, living in an imperfect world, led by imperfect people. What y'all did was give me a good foundation so that when I was ready to seek out God, I knew where to find Him!

I hope you have a chance to read the book! I am looking forward to reading more of MPT's works in the near future!

Y'all have a fantastic day!

Praise God from whom all blessings flow...

God's girl, Pamela

PS...On Saturday night, Bunny's band came in 10th place overall. They were pretty bummed about that but they redeemed themselves last night by once again, 18th year in a row for the school and director!, getting a 1 at regioinal UIL!!! I think a week from Saturday they head to area UIL and when competition is over, Bunny will get to march in the Halloween half-time!
Tomorrow night, the girls schools play one another in football! Oh, yah, I'm a Rander Mom for sure!!!