Why Christmas Music Matters, with Kristyn Getty

Has your Christian life lost its song? Find reasons to sing in this special Christmas episode of Grounded. Guest Kristyn Getty will leave you inspired to worship Jesus—not just on Christmas morning, but all year long.

Connect with Kristyn 

Instagram: @gettymusic 
Twitter: @gettymusic
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/gettymusic
Website: https://www.gettymusic.com/

Episode Notes

“Good Shepherd of My Soul” video with Joni Eareckson Tada and Kristyn Getty: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qnpRAZNTybI

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Erin Davis: Hark the herald angels sing, “Glory to the newborn king.” Erin Davis is singing her way into Grounded and there's a reason it's not that I'm such a great singer. But there's a reason we're singing our Christmas greetings this morning. I'm Erin Davis and this is a very merry addition of Grounded. Your turn, P, you’ve got the singing voice.

Portia Collins: Okay, I might as well join you.

Erin: Do it.

Portia: Okay. Veiled in flesh the Godhead see, hailed the incarnate deity.

Erin: Oh, you put me to shame, girl. I can tell you were raised on the piano bench by that mama of yours, but it was beautiful. I love that Christmas song.

Portia: Thank you. Thank you. Well on behalf of the entire Grounded team, we want to wish you a very merry Jesus-focused Christmas, and we hope that you are spending this morning off your screens.

Erin: Yeah.

Portia: At least after this or maybe before. But find some time but off your screens. Make sure that you are enjoying the gifts of Christmas morning. Alright. True confession. You guys probably know this. We have prerecorded this, so we are actually enjoying our families as well. We wanted to do. We want to stay in our jammies. 

Erin: Yes. Sip some hot chocolate. 

Portia: Well, tea. 

Erin: Whatever. 

Portia: I like tea. 

Erin: Whatever your Christmas hot beverage of choice. Hot wassail? Some people drink hot wassail. 

Portia: You are probably listening to this either before or after your festivities. 

Erin: Yeah.

Portia: Or whatever. But we say that you should keep singing. So, we hope whatever point you're listening to this, we want to encourage you to keep on singing those classic Christmas songs. And guess who's here? Kristyn Getty is here to tell us why.

Erin: I really should have known better than to sing in an episode where Kristyn Getty is in the house. She has such an angelic voice. And you likely know Kristyn as half of the musical duo, The Getty’s. She's along with her husband Keith. They are modern hymn writers of songs like “In Christ Alone” and “His Mercy Is More.” She's going to help our hearts burst in the song about Jesus and remind us why do we need Christmas music, even beyond Christmas morning.

Portia: Well, even though we are prerecording this, I still got my Christmas crew here. Say hi, Emmy. 

Erin: Oh, good. There’s your little Christmas angel right there.

Portia: Little Christmas angel. Okay, go sit down for Mommy so she can finish. Thanks. 

Erin: That feels like Christmas morning to me. 

Portia: Well, you are going to want to share this episode right now, because it's going to be a good one. And typically, this is the part of Grounded where we transition to good news. But we're gonna save our good news for the very end. I want to go ahead and jump into our conversation with Kristyn. Erin has already introduced her as our guest today. So, I guess all this stuff to add is welcome to Grounded, Kristyn.

Kristyn Getty: Thank you so much for having me.

Portia: Absolutely, absolutely. All right, let's jump straight in. Of course, we know that Christmas is about Christ. But I find that too often many of us fall into the Christmas commercialization trap. We get wrapped up in (no pun intended) the presents and the food and all the whimsical things. But I want to know in what ways do you think Christmas hymns convey powerful theological truths? And how do these truths resonate with people during the holiday season?

Kristyn: You're absolutely right. Christmas, especially for moms often just means pressure and an awful lot of noise. And actually, this true story of Christmas was to bring us relief, and to bring that peace, to give us moments to sort of step out of the busyness of our life and to focus on the Lord. He is beyond all of these things. He steps into this craziness and steps into the darkness and brings us this light. 

And so, wherever we are, whatever we're going through, and how much we have or don't have. Those aren't actually the main questions. All of us are invited into this place. I think singing brings a unique way to remember these things. It's a special gift given to us. I think we need to reorganize our thoughts when it comes to singing and the depths of the gift that it is sending our memories in such a great way. 

It helps compile a bunch of great ideas that really has less to really organize our thoughts. Singing is a wonderful way for us to organize our thoughts and to fill our minds with the things that truly matter this season. And to also share it with other people singing, it invites all of us to sing this together. 

Some of the best hymns that the Church has are the carols of Christmas, because they do distill beautifully in the best poetry of what we are truly celebrating at Christmas. 

They bring such a warm heritage to us as well. Some of these carols have been carefully preserved generation after generation. It's our great privilege to get to share in that and to say it and then to sing it with our children.

Portia: Yeah, absolutely. I love that. You know, the other day I was reading a 2021 report that stated an estimated (and I was really just floored by this) three billion people have never been reached with the gospel. I think that's interesting. I guess my question here is, how do you think hymns can be a vehicle for sharing the gospel?

Kristyn: Well, every culture has its music, and every culture shares its history and its values through the songs that they sing. I think it's really helpful when we look at the congregation that we consider what is it that we're singing? What is it we're actually saying about the gospel, about the truth of who God is, and about why it's important and how it impacts our lives. 

And so, I think a wonderful place to begin when it comes to thinking beyond the Church and the many places around the world that are unreached, that we're actually singing a clear picture of the gospel, and using our voices to do that. Noot just to tell what it is, but the very act of our voices joining together. The unity of that purpose is very compelling and very moving when people see that. 

We also live in a time where someone can write a song in Nashville, and that can be heard in all the corners of the world that evening by technology. We talk so often about the drawbacks, and yet, and so much given as well. We know that the power of Christian radio and the power of music get behind a lot of walls that other things can't get beyond and get to the unreached and dark parts of the world. Music can actually do that. 

It’s a really exciting time to be alive and to be a believer and to be a hymn writer and be able to sing and share music and see it just travel all around the world. It is incredible.

Portia: Yeah, absolutely. You know, Christmas hymns, I really love those because I've found that they often highlight our reliance on God's grace. Most hymns do, but I just think about so many that we sing. “O Come, O Come, Emmanuel” and just waiting and crying before the Lord. 

And so, I would love if you could share your thoughts on how hymns during the Christmas season reinforce this particular aspect of our Christian faith, being that we have to rely on God that we look to Him, that we wait on Him?

Kristyn: Absolutely, I think some of what the best carols do, and the best hymns do, is they lead us to the bigger storyline. We gather in our homes, the things that we're concerned about, all of these things—violent things—that the Lord sees and cares, and He’s with us. That's incredible. I think part of the relief and joy of being a believer is that we are lifted out of the small little stories and brought into the grand narrative that is God's redemption story that is so masterfully woven through all of history. 

I think that is why some of the carols do such a fantastic job of doing that, bringing us into that big story and lifting us up to a new place and reminding us that God is in control of all things, and the perfect timing of the unfolding of this salvation story. Oh the joy and privilege it is for us to be part of it, and our role in the kingdom to live it and to share it. 

And that is I often think of people coming into church on Sunday morning or whenever they come. We come so burdened and often quite bruised by everything. One of the bruising is the shrinking of our lives, to leave little small spaces. I love when at church Sunday morning, when we all feel that, and we walk through the singing of the gospel. We walk through the remembering of who He is, and what we're actually called to. It just opens up the windows, doesn't it? It just lets some light in. We leave different people. 

I think that music helps us do that when we're there. But these melodies and poetry linger in our minds, and they go with us as we go out. They help keep reframing how we’re meant to see things. 

Portia: Yeah, absolutely. Everything you have just said is so, so good, especially as someone like me who loves music. I love hymns. I'm not opposed to contemporary music. In fact, it's increasingly prevalent nowadays. But I also value traditional hymns, particularly traditional Christmas hymns. And so, one thing that I want to know is how are you and Keith teaching traditional Christmas music or traditional hymns to your four girls?

Kristyn: We did a little thing called the Family Hymn of the Month with our girls. So, throughout the year, we highlighted a hymn each month, which takes them through the story behind it, and a little devotional. It's nothing fancy. 

Our five-year-old latches on a little bit differently than our twelve-year-old, but we just sort of have it playing in the background before they go to sleep. We talk about the words just as a way to try and keep filling them up with songs that they might be able to carry with them for life. 

And this Christmas, one of the songs that we're doing is “Let Our Mortal Flesh Keep Silence.” So, we're just starting to teach that to them. And that song, some of the earliest manuscripts of that particular hymn come from the third century, but more specifically the sixth century. It's just extraordinary to think of just the hundreds of years with old hymns being sung. 

And what I love about this one is that the theme of it is one of reverence and wonder, one of slowing down, being a little more quiet, and really considering what is not just happy thoughts, what is not just a way to get warm feelings. But it's actually a glorious rescue beyond all imagining that God would step into our sinful world as our Savior. How can we become just so small? 

The lyric I would encourage everyone to go and find it “that our mortal flesh keep silent and with fear and trembling, sand ponder, nothing earthly minded.” At the verse two it goes after just the power and magnitude of Him bursting into this earth, and that the powers of hell may vanish as the darkness clears away. It's just the big, big words, big ideas. 

I want that to be in their little minds and hearts to know if they're lifted to something greater than just lovely the twinkling lights and presents. I use the hymns in that way to help bring them peace, to help bring them wonder, and just to help lift little hearts to something.

Portia: I love that. I have a five-year-old, soon to be six. One of the ways that I've worked with her on communicating deep theological truths and things is memorizing Scripture through song, through hymns that I grew up singing. I love that you kind of reinforced that idea. You've given me a little bit to keep going, to keep practicing with her. 

I am just so grateful for the time you shared with us today. I thank you for being with us. Now, I’ve got one more quick question. I think this is gonna be the way to close out our time together. Can you just sing just a little bit of “Hark the Herald Angels Sing” for us this morning?

Kristyn: I can. 

Hark! The herald angels sing,
"Glory to the new-born king.”

Portia: Merry Christmas. Oh, I love it. Did y’all love it. I loved it. Everything was just so great, and got my heart stirred for Christmas and just reflecting on the birth of our Savior, our sweet King Jesus. I love it. I love it. Right now, we don't want to just talk about singing. We want to burst into song about Jesus and all that He has done for us. 

So, wherever you are—maybe driving in your car or at the kitchen sink or at your desk at work, you can burst into song about Jesus. I want you to take a minute to watch this short video. I think it's gonna do our souls good. Check out this short video of Kristyn and Joni Eareckson Tada singing “Good Shepherd of My Soul” at a past Revive Our Hearts event.

Kristyn Getty and Joni Eareckson Tada:

Good Shepherd of my soul,
Come dwell within me;
Take all I am and mold
Your likeness in me.
Before the cross of Christ,
This is my sacrifice:
A life laid down and ready to follow.

Good Shepherd of my soul,
Come dwell within me;
Take all I am and mold
Your likeness in me.
Before the cross of Christ,
This is my sacrifice:
A life laid down and ready to follow.

The troubled find their peace
In true surrender;
The prisoners their release
From chains of anger.
In springs of living grace
I find a resting place
To rise refreshed and ready to follow.

I’ll walk this narrow road
With Christ before me,
Where thorns and thistles grow
And cords ensnare me.
Though doubted and denied,
He never leaves my side,
But lifts my head and calls me to follow.

And when my days are gone,
My strength is failing,
He’ll carry me along
Through death’s unveiling.
Earth’s struggles overcome,
Heaven’s journey just begun
To search Christ’s depths and ever to follow.
To search Christ’s depths and ever to follow.

Erin: How's that for a Christmas present? A good rehearsal for heaven. Scripture makes one thing very clear. God's people are to be singing people. 

Do you know that the Bible contains more than 400 references to singing? And over 50 of those are commands, not suggestions, not observations, commands for God's people to sing. 

Of course, the Psalms are filled with calls to worship. But that's not limited to the Old Testament. Jesus sang with His own disciples. Paul sang hymns in jail. God really does put a new song in our hearts. 

And I would submit this, if your Christian life has lost its song, that's worth paying attention to. It's an indicator that your eyes are on something or someone other than Jesus, because He is so worthy of glory. He has given us so much. He has been so good to us that, that our hearts are going to want to respond to that by singing His praises. 

Jesus said that if His people don't sing, there are times when we lose our song in the Christian life. Jesus said that when we don't sing, the rocks do. Listen to Luke chapter 19, verse 40, Jesus talking again, “I tell you, if these were silent, the very stones would cry out.”

He was talking about His disciples. He was saying if these twelve don't sing out my praises, the rocks that they're leaning up against, they're gonna start singing in their place. 

Maybe you sang this song as a kid: 

Ain't no rock, gonna cry in my place,
As long as I'm alive, glorify His holy name. 

This is that idea that we don't want the rocks to give Jesus the King of kings the praise that we are due to Him. Are you a disciple? Are you a singing disciple? Are you going to let the rocks be the choir of praise that God intends for you to be? Not just in the Christmas season, but every day that God gives you breath? 

It's really easy for us to sing at Christmas. There's a special moment every Christmas season when my own family goes to a candlelight service. All the lights go out and one candle lights and then the pastor spreads that to the next person and we sing “Silent Night” and our hearts are so full, and it just flows out of that. 

It's easy when there are twinkly lights and peppermint mochas and everyone's home for Christmas. 

But 2024 is coming right at us. And it will have highs and it will have lows. And a question for me to give you today for you to linger on as the season passes and you ring in the new year is, will you respond to all that 2024 brings with singing? Because no matter what it brings, God will be good. Jesus will be enthroned. He will still be King. That gives us plenty of reasons to sing. 

I've been honest on Grounded that this has been a really tough few years for me as we have fought my mom's chronic and terminal illness and my own scary health challenges and the daily grind of just life, even when there's not something extra hard. As I was thinking about this episode, I thought I'd lost my song somewhere along the way, not because Jesus didn't deserve it, but I just stopped singing. Have you?

If so, today is a good day to start singing again—Christmas day. Start singing and then keep singing if you want to sing Christmas songs all year round. This is your permission slip. You can do it. Whatever songs you want to sing about Jesus. 

Here's a vow we can make today, a New Year's resolution of sorts. It comes from Psalm 146:2, “I will praise the LORD, as long as I live.” 

I don't want to argue with the psalmist. But we're actually going to praise the Lord much longer than we live. We're going to praise the Lord for eternity. So, it's good to practice. And the second part of that verse says, “I will sing praises to my God, while I still have my being.” 

As long as my heart is a drumbeat, as long as my vocal cords work, as long as I'm breathing in and out, I converse in the song. I want you to do that, too. 

So, one more time, let's make this commitment to each other Grounded sisters, we will praise the Lord as long as we live and far beyond that. We will sing praises to our God as long as we have our being. 

As we wrap out this Christmas episode of Grounded, we wanted to leave you with the really, really, really good news. There's a reason we didn't share a good news story at the top of the episode, because there's no better news than the fact that the King of kings put on flesh, came as an incarnate Savior, so that He could go to the cross and die for our sins. 

And so, I'm going to invite Portia to come back on. I hope you're snuggled in close to someone that you love. I hope there are just boxes and wrapping paper everywhere as an expression of God's goodness. And we just want to leave you with the Christmas story from Luke chapter 2:1–20. Go ahead Portia

Portia:

In those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that the whole empireshould be registered. This first registration took place while Quirinius was governing Syria. So everyone went to be registered, each to his own town.

Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee, to Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and family line of David, to be registered along with Mary, who was engaged to him and was pregnant. While they were there, the time came for her to give birth. Then she gave birth to her firstborn son, and she wrapped him tightly in cloth and laid him in a manger, because there was no guest room available for them.

Erin:

And in the same region there were shepherds out in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. And an angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were filled with great fear. And the angel said to them, “Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. And this will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger.” And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host . . .” 

And what were they doing? They were singing. 

. . . praising God and saying,
“Glory to God in the highest,
and on earth peace among those with whom he is pleased!”

Portia: Amen. I am gonna pick it up and wrap it up from verse 15 to 20. 

When the angels had left them and returned to heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let’s go straight to Bethlehem and see what has happened, which the Lord has made known to us.”

They hurried off and found both Mary and Joseph, and the baby who was lying in the manger. After seeing them, they reported the message they were told about this child, and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them. But Mary was treasuring up all these things in her heart and meditating on them. The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had seen and heard, which were just as they had been told.” (CSB)

Erin: I told you it was is good news. Let me put the bow on top from Isaiah chapter 9, verses 2, 6–7.

The people who walked in darkness
   have seen a great light; For to us a child is born,
   to us a son is given;
and the government shall be upon his shoulder,
   and his name shall be called
Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,
   Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
Of the increase of his government and of peace
   there will be no end.” (ESV)

What a beautiful truth. What a beautiful reason to sing. And we hope you'll sing all year long. Merry Christmas friends, we love you.

Portia: Merry Christmas. 

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