Pentecostals throughout Jamaica and the Jamaican diaspora use music to declare what they believe and where they stand in relation to religious and cultural outsiders. Yet the inclusion of secular music forms like ska, reggae, and dancehall complicated music's place in social and ritual practice, challenging Jamaican Pentecostals to reconcile their religious and cultural identities. Melvin Butler journeys into this crossing of boundaries and its impact on Jamaican congregations and the music they make. Using the concept of flow, Butler's ethnography evokes both the experience of Spirit-influenced performance and the transmigrations that fuel the controversial sharing of musical and ritual resources between Jamaica and the United States. Highlighting constructions of religious and cultural identity, Butler illuminates music's vital place in how the devout regulate spiritual and cultural flow while striving to maintain both the sanctity and fluidity of their evolving tradition.Insightful and original, Island Gospel tells the many stories of how music and religious experience unite to create a sense of belonging among Jamaican people of faith.

Spiritual warfare--the battle in the unseen realm--affects believers more than we realize. The enemy works relentlessly to undermine our faith and discourage us from advancing. Ellel Ministries founder Peter Horrobin teaches principles that have helped believers all over the world walk in the freedom they long for. And it begins with knowing all three "players" in this contest of wills: God, me, and the enemy. In this essential book, Horrobin lays a foundation for victorious spiritual warfare through an exploration of God, mankind, and the unseen realm. He equips the saints for battle, helping us accomplish mighty works for the kingdom of God.