Delirious? By Martin Smith

Martin Smith opens up his heart and tells the story of his life as a worship leader with the contemporary Christian band Delirious?.  "Delirious: My Journey with the Band, a Growing Family, and an Army of Historymakers" tells about Martin's childhood days growing up in a middle-class Christian home in England. He learned to play a guitar at a young age and started leading worship in his home church as a teenager. He married Anna, a pastor's daughter, and became involved in his church's outreach events. 
In 1995, Mr. Smith was involved in a near-fatal car accident.  During his weeks of recovery, he decided to become a full-time musician. He became the lead singer for the band Delirious? and his career quickly took off.  Martin and the other members of the band were talented song writers as well as performers.  The band toured all over the world and drew huge crowds at Christian events.
The author honestly tells about the many advantages and trials that come with touring and being a member of a popular Christian band.  He is brutally honest about some of the challenges that they faced.  He is very quick to give God all the glory for the success that he and the band experienced.  It was important for him to stay connected to his home church and to limit his touring schedule to not exceed ten days at a time.  Mr. Smith expressed the difficult feelings that he had to face when he left his wife and six children to travel with the band.
Joyce Meyer invited the members of Delirious? to lead worship at their conferences in the United States and abroad.  Mr. Smith writes about how his life was changed when the band traveled to India to lead worship for a Joyce Meyer conference with over four hundred thousand people in attendance. The author met Farin, the daughter of a prostitute living in a Mumbai slum. This girl was the same age as one of his daughters, and without help she too would end up facing life as a sex worker.  Mr. Smith felt the Lord calling him to help the poor people in India.  He organized CompassionArt to raise money to help relieve the extreme poverty in third world countries.
The last part of the book tells about the transition period that Mr. Smith and his family are experiencing since the band broke up.  His faith is stronger than ever and the future is bright for this talented musician. 
On a personal note, I first saw Martin Smith leading worship at a Joyce Meyer conference in November, 2010. The huge crowd of worshipers at Lakewood Church were on their feet the entire time that Mr. Smith led the worship.  I wrote about this experience on this blog in a post named, "Joyce Meyer Washes Feet."  Joyce was teaching from John 13: 1-17 and acted out the story of Jesus humbling himself and washing his disciples' feet. She asked Martin Smith to sit down in a chair, take off his shoes and socks so that she could wash his feet. 
This book is fascinating and inspirational.  I was touched by Mr. Smith's strong faith in Christ during his long journey with Delirious? and beyond. 

Thank you to The B & B Media Group for sending me a free copy of this book to review.

Coming Soon:  I am currently reading Meet Mrs. Smith: My Adventures with Six Kids, One Rockstar Husband, and a Heart to Fight Poverty. This book was written by Martin Smith's wife and tells about her experiences. I will be posting my review of this book soon!

Please let me know your thoughts in the comments section below.