I have been toying around with the idea of this post for several years but just never got around to it.
We all know and love the classic Christmas hymns of old; O Holy Night, Silent Night, Angels We Have Heard On High, etc. But there are many, many modern songs that tell the story of Christmas just as well, if not better.
I haven\’t scoured the world to find the best, but here are some of my personal favorites that you may not have heard.
1) Kutless – This Is Christmas
Kutless has consistently been one of my favorite Christian rock bands. Unlike some other heavyweights in the industry, I have found Kutless to be fairly consistent in their theological soundness. They are thoughtful in their lyrics and have a great sound.
This Is Christmas is from one of their Christmas albums and asks the simple question, \”What Is Christmas?\”
An older \”modern\” hymn, this song takes on the roll of Joseph, a young man with questions about God\’s choosing him to raise the Savior of the world. Beautiful, beautiful song and a great version of it.
This is probably my absolute favorite new Christmas song. It reminds us what the Christmas story, and ultimately the entire Biblical narrative, are pointing to all along: the Cross.
Jesus\’ sacrifice on the cross is the whole point of the Christmas story. Without the cross, Jesus\’ birth would have been unnecessary.
Incidentally, the Ball Brothers have a version of the song as well, in which they\’ve changed the second verse to make it more universal, and not necessarily tied to the Christmas season. I tend to prefer the Ball Brothers version myself. Their version can be purchased from Google Play as well.
4) Peter Hollens – Mary, Did You Know?
Peter Hollens is one of my favorite vocalists. He does completely acapella versions of, well, just about everything. The catch is that he usually uses only his own voice. He records multiple tracks of himself singing each part and then blends them together to make it sound like a large ensemble choir. It\’s quite amazing, actually.
Here he is performing one of my favorite modern songs. Granted, most people know this song already, but Hollens\’ version may be new to you!
While the story told in this song isn\’t 100% accurate, it was written and performed by Brad Paisley when he was a young boy, so we can overlook that. It\’s still a pretty song and when the adult Brad Paisley joins in for a duet with himself halfway through, it\’s pretty awesome.
The Unworthy Prodigal 