Back in 2000 some folks from Relevant Media/Books, then relative newcomers in publishing, approached Ben Pasley about writing a book for the emerging generation of seekers and non-churchgoers. Several ideas were kicked around but the white-hot success of the Enter The Worship Circle recordings made the choice easy--enter the Enter The Worship Circle book!

Ben pulled away from traveling and hid away in a small space in Ohio while Robin was pregnant with their first child and used the quiet cold winter and early spring of 2001 to complete the work. The vision: create a non-linear literary work--one that was not "teachy" and predictably point-to-point--that could introduce people to the beauty of God.In the book Ben weaves the perspective of the narrative "voice" together with 6 other "voices" of perspective (a creative tool for offering different viewpoints) together with some really interesting illustrations to tell a story about worship. The obvious challenge: since the book was for the post-Church non-traditionalist the subject had to be slowly diffused and then re-focused over the course of the work so as not to lose potential friends who do not want another sermon in print. Ben decided to take the reader on a slow journey, and even though his affections are clear it takes a while to land on any obviously "Christian" notes. Here are some warnings: Jesus is not mentioned until half-way through and not for the purpose of deception--it was for the purpose of relatioship building. We don't often meet people for the first time and blurt out every important spiritual truth we can think of, no, we take our time. We build our language skills. We get "to know". So, please take your time with this book. It is a journey into truth. The path is through normal life which often allows slow discovery.

In print in the fall of 2001 the book was received with mixed reviews. It was, by many, seen as an anomaly--a real departure from the norm. Christian booksellers could not figure how to shelve the eccentric book as it fell outside of their normal categories. Though the recommendations were strong (the publisher even stamped "Christian Living" on the back) the irregularity of its style, its title, and its content were met with apprehension. As our noble publishers attempted to ease suspicions they inadvertantly distanced the post-Church crowd by labeling it so forwardly and because the marketing was so tightly focused on the CBA. Things have changed. We have purchased all the old stock from the Relevant Books warehouse and we are offering you a limited time offer where we are selling it for less than our cost plus shipping! (Really!) We think if you give it a try you will not only like it but you may give it away and come back and buy 10 at our amazing quantity discount for friends who are on their spiritual journey.

Table of Voices
(This is where we discover "who" will be speaking in the multi-threaded storyline throughout the book.)

Here we listen to the thoughts of an obsessive coffee lover who narrates his own journey into the separate worlds of espresso and worship. The two worlds intertwine over years of experience.

People from all walks of life, different points of history, and different religious backgrounds look into themselves, into worship, and into the texture of their experience. They speak to us about what they see.

The author speaks in open conversation. From the places in the mind where eternal things are considered and truth is searched out, these essays give voice to the questions and convictions of the writer.

A singular voice, an aspiring mountain climber, journals his experience to the achievement of a lifetime, leaving clues for those who would follow along the way.

A Seeker of Truth is taken up into a vision so powerful, so clear, that we are able to see through her eyes and hear through her ears into the world beyond—the world of the supernatural.

The creative arts are given a voice to speak. They reveal the tensions of their birth, their role in connecting humanity with the eternal, and their passion to be involved in worship.

An encourager places a collection of seven challenges at different points along the journey—each collection opening up a new experience in worship.

Some Reviews
January 26, 2002 by Kevin D. Hendricks) Real Magazine (full review)In a time when worship has become a marketing concept, Ben Pasley pens a personal and deeply spiritual portrait of what it really means to come before the God of all creation in worship. This is not your pastor's book on worship, and it wouldn't be surprising if more than a few stuffy fundamentalists were put off by Enter the Worship Circle.It's a book for a spiritually enlightened age, an audience that's tired of dusty religion and lifeless tradition. It's a book for the non-Christian that's curious. It's written in a sensitive way (seeker sensitive, if you like the buzz words), so much so that Jesus isn't mentioned until half way through the book, and Bible passages are often referenced as "an ancient saying." There's even a description of the crucifixion that avoids using the word "cross" and thus becomes incredibly new and original. This is the kind of book more Christians should be writing, the kind of book that could be incredibly successful if it gets into the right hands. And in this case, success is not defined by best seller lists or the spawning of the latest Jabez craze (although with two CDs already out you have to wonder if Enter the Worship Circle is creating its own independent hype). Instead, success is defined in terms of lives changed by encounters with the Creator. This is the kind of book that could change lives one dog-eared copy at a time, as it's passed from searching soul to searching soul.This book is a journey, and it should serve as a valuable guide to others' on their journey to God. Read it for a new perspective, or simply as a refresher. Amazon readers (more)

Reviewer: "sliderhk1" (Reno, Nevada United States)
...it caught me off guard.
You see, the book wasn't written the way that I had ever expected it to be written. Simply, the book travels in this order: The author uses seven different view points in his story to bring you through his stories, thoughts, and revelations on worship. He also begins moving from 'outside' the worship circle, to the very heart of it. Using creative stories, logical statements, and beautiful language, he paints a clear picture of who God has to be if we are to worship him, and why Jesus is that God. I won't spoil it by saying what reading is like, Except that you definitely will not walk away from it without having an idea of where you stand in worship. In fact, I recommend this to Christians, and Non Christians, who are willing to say that maybe, just maybe, Jesus is God. And if he is, maybe he is even a loving God.

Reviewer: johnw (Dallas TX)
I didn't know what to expect in this book, but was drawn immediately to the design and artistic concept. I have always been fascinated by icons and symbolism; the use of icons ('voices') in this book coupled with an "other-worldly" atmosphere reminded me of playing immersive computer games such as Myst and Riven--a sense that all was new, and yet somehow strangely familiar.
I read this book in one sitting (interrupted by a late-night nap), and then promptly proceeded to read it again, annotating wildly (I couldn't even stop long enough during the first reading to underline!) The stories are compelling and do indeed draw the reader from one point-of-view to the next in one uninterrupted convergence of radically different journeys. The author's skill in creating and sustaining a wide variety of voices, temperaments and personalities in the book is impressive and convincing.
This is the first worship book I have read that (in my humble opinion) adequately addresses the call of worship and spirituality upon the postmodern seeker. It has been my experience that many books on worship and seeking God on the market today are written in either extremely academic and archaic language, or (worse) are written as easy "7 steps to.." solutions manuals for goal-oriented people. This book is their polar opposite. From the opening pages I was not sure where the author was going, and that momentary lack of orientation actually gave me a sense of comfort! It takes courage to write about God and leave more questions than answers in the mind of the reader, and in that Mr. Pasley has certainly succeeded...

Reviewer: "revolution_gumby" (Pensacola, FL USA)
In a world where the "religion salesmen" reign (and are subsequently rejected as unnecessary and distasteful), Ben Pasley has revealed a breath of fresh air. I say "revealed" and not "breathed" because indeed the author has simply caught something in his heart that comes from another, truer, place, where the air the clearer and you breathe in life.
Weaving a beautiful web of images, truth, expression, and mystery, Pasley simply offers seekers a glimpse of his own journey. And in a world of "self-help-infomercial-televangelist-meets-politician-I-have-exactly-what-you-need-now-all-I-need-is-your-credit-card-number", that is indeed a fresh thing. Innovatively written (there are pictures! fun pictures!) from different angles, different visions of the same image, the book draws the reader along into a world of the human heart, a world of the divine, and a world where the two are intrinsically joined: the real world

Reviewer: Brandon N. Ferguson (Indianapolis, IN United States)
Simply put: This book is amazing.
When speaking on the subject of spirituality and more specifically worship, it's very easy to come off very religious, lose people in all kinds of archaic terminology and just be very uninteresting. Ben does an amazing job of talking about spirituality in such way that you can barely wait to read the next chapter and find yourself complaining that each chapter is too small. The one thing I didn't run into was fluff. Too often it seems people get an interesting notion about spirituality and decide it needs to be a book. Then in the first three chapters, you know what the rest will say... This is not true with Enter the Worship Circle. I found myself being surprised until the very end. Ben draws you in throughout the entire book. The pieces of narative sometimes seem non-linear and unrelated, but all pieces have a consistancy about them. Ben seems to weave these threads together and the end picture is beautiful.More reviewers at Barnes and Noble
There is a handy-dandy book preview feature here at this Google address! Check it out...you can see some of the front and back covers, and scanned images of some of the interior pages...

ARTIST: Boyd Dupree

The collaborative, unconventional style called for the artistic greatness of none other than Boyd Dupree, the originator of the Worship Circle logo and look-and-feel (now the working manager and natural father of indie-progressives Eisley!) and the cover and interior artwork reveal Ben and Boyd's unique partnership. Click to see larger images