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15 (Advent) Songs Your Church Could Be Singing

10/14/2013

22 Comments

 
For my Advent/Christmas update this year, I’m going to try and maintain some degree of separation between these two liturgically distinct seasons.  In a way, the progression of the church’s seasons in December reflects the movement from the “Kyrie” to the Song of Praise in historical liturgy.  We express our need for God – through longing, hope, and expectation – in Advent, and then celebrate the fulfillment of that need, God’s answer to our longing, in the coming of Christ.  You’ll have to decide whether your congregation will stand for not singing any Christmas songs before December 24, but consider holding off enough to maintain the Advent mood.  For this post we’ll stay in Advent, and follow with a Christmas post soon.  
Many songs from your regular rotation will work great for Advent.  Themes of hope, longing, expectation, and waiting are all appropriate.  Keep in mind that Advent is as much about Christ’s coming into our world in a new way now as it is about preparing to celebrate his birth.  During Advent the church cries, “Come, Lord Jesus!” for the renewal of our lives and our world now.

1)    You’ll Come – Brooke Fraser (Hillsong).  This one seems to be overlooked among Brooke’s songs, but not when I’m leading worship!
2)    Let God Arise – Chris Tomlin.  Great for a rocking Advent opener.
3)    Advent Song – Matthew Anderson.  Self-serving here, but it’s one of my most-used worship songs.  It was written as an Advent liturgy.  Listen to it and find chords/music here.
4)    The Fall – Gungor. 
5)    This Is Not The End – Gungor.  These two songs lament our sin and brokenness and proclaim they are not God’s end for us, respectively.  The latter would be a powerful way to close an Advent service.
6)    Build Your Kingdom Here – Rend Collective Experiment.  This is what Advent is all about.  We long for God’s kingdom of peace and wholeness to come, on earth as it is in heaven.
7)    Everlasting God – Brown/Riley.  This popular song is great for Advent with its themes of waiting.
8)    Song of Hope – Robbie Seay Band.  A Christian radio station favorite that expresses the present longing of Advent: “God of heaven come down, heaven come down.”
9)    Hosanna – Paul Baloche.  Hosanna means “Come, save us,” so songs with this language are perfect for Advent.  The same goes for…
10)  Hosanna – Brooke Fraser.  The bridge of this song is gold.
11)  Lord Have Mercy – Merkel, recorded by M.W. Smith.  Lent is the church’s season of repentance, but it’s a part of Advent, too, as we long for our lives to reflect God’s presence.
12)  Desert Song – Fraser.  Having an Advent faith means worshipping in the midst of trial, even when we don’t sense God’s presence in our lives.  This song expresses that hope beautifully.
13)  Glory Be – Sojourn.  A pleasant song from this skilled Kentucky church group with the simple prayer, “O come, come Messiah,” leading to a bridge that poetically expresses what Advent is all about.
14)  Joy to the World – Jaime Barnes (Sojourn).  Did you know Joy to the World is in the Advent section of the Lutheran hymnal (ELW)?  This gorgeous new setting sets a reflective, intimate tone.  You have to hear it. 
15)  O Come O Come Emmanuel – check out arrangements by Future of Forestry (their Advent Christmas EP is on iTunes), Sojourn (also available on iTunes), Lincoln Brewster (Joy to the World album), or write your own. 

Do you have other ideas?  Happy planning!
22 Comments
Ray J Gentry IV link
10/14/2013 10:46:29 am

I just wanted to give a heads up to people: It looks like on SongSelect (CCLI), Brooke Fraser is, at least sometimes, listed as Brooke Ligertwood. I googled it quick when I was looking up "You'll Come" to make sure I had the right song.

Reply
Matthew Anderson
10/14/2013 04:29:11 pm

True. Thanks Ray.

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Deacon Joshua
12/2/2013 10:36:31 pm

Her married name...

Fraser is her maiden name.

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Adam P.
11/21/2013 01:00:37 pm

Good suggestions! It ticks me off when people sing Christmas songs during Advent. :)

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Wade R
11/11/2014 11:35:50 am

when do you sing Christmas song, after Christmas?

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Matthew Anderson link
11/17/2014 03:42:07 am

Liturgically, Christmas is a season that begins on Christmas Eve and continues until at least January 6 (Epiphany). So yes, some communities or worship planners choose to wait until Christmas Eve to begin singing Christmas songs, and then usually have two Sundays after that.
Unfortunately, because the culture around us is so saturated with Christmas from Thanksgiving (or before), they almost feel out of place by those Sundays after Christmas.

Tony
12/4/2013 02:47:14 pm

King of heaven. Baloche

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Sam
11/16/2014 04:02:22 pm

There are some very popular ones you missed:

O come, O come Emmanuel
Lo, he comes with clouds descending
Prepare the way, O Zion
Come, thou long-expected Jesus
Comfort, comfort ye my people
Blest be the King whose coming
There's a voice in the wilderness crying
On Jordan's bank the Baptist's cry

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Matthew Anderson link
11/17/2014 03:26:23 am

Thanks Sam. Those are all good songs, and we use most of them at my church. My goal here is to evaluate songs from the modern worship movement (often referred to as "contemporary"); particularly those not usually found in our hymnals.

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Susanne
11/28/2014 08:40:56 am

Thank you!!! This is a really helpful list.

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Matthew Anderson link
11/29/2014 07:53:05 am

You're welcome! Glad you found it helpful.

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Joyce Haase
11/28/2014 08:00:56 pm

I love your Advent Song - Another Advent Hymn that I love is COME THOU LONG EXPECTED JESUS....


Come, Thou long expected Jesus
Born to set Thy people free;
From our fears and sins release us,
Let us find our rest in Thee.
Israel’s Strength and Consolation,
Hope of all the earth Thou art;
Dear Desire of every nation,
Joy of every longing heart.

Born Thy people to deliver,
Born a child and yet a King,
Born to reign in us forever,
Now Thy gracious kingdom bring.
By Thine own eternal Spirit
Rule in all our hearts alone;
By Thine all sufficient merit,
Raise us to Thy glorious throne.

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Matthew Anderson link
11/29/2014 07:58:39 am

Thanks Joyce!

I love that one too - my community will be singing it over the next several weeks. My goal here was to add to those hymns and songs already known and available from the hymnal(s).

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andy
12/1/2014 06:08:05 am

how about for reflective purposes I will wait by mumford and sons. not really a song congregations can sing, but still a very powerful song for reflection

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Dannon Rampton link
12/4/2014 03:29:30 am

Great list! Thanks! Another suggestion is a fantastic arrangement of Come Thou Fount, by Nate French & The Salty Sunshine Band. His EP is on iTunes and Amazon.

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Dannon Rampton link
12/4/2014 04:15:13 am

Oh - also, Waiting Here for You, by Jesus Culture.

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Jennifer C
12/10/2014 10:43:55 am

How Great is Our God - The splendor of the King, clothed in majesty, let all the earth rejoice, let all the earth rejoice. He wraps himself in light and darkness tries to hide and trembles at his voice, and trembles at his voice.

Here I Am to Worship - Light of the world, you stepped down into darkness, opened my eyes, let me see, beauty that made this heart adore you, hope of a life spent with you.

Father Will You Come? by Unhindered

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Jonathan Riggs link
12/15/2014 01:11:24 am

Everlasting God. Of course, thank you!

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Laura Richardson
11/6/2015 06:24:16 am

Super helpful list! As a substitute Worship Leader, it's great to find resources that Full Time Worship Leaders have access to in their churches ... I plan from home, so this is very helpful!

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Barbara Nagy
12/2/2016 03:20:00 am

I was in a choir years ago that sang the greatest Advent song. I don't know the name, but remember some of the lyrics:
'Be watchful, be ready, for you know not when the Son of Man is Coming"-repeats; then, as in a canon, comes:
"The Son of Man, he comes in glory, to come in peace and take me home"
There was also a third verse too. This piece was usually performed as a canon a Capella.
any ideas? I would love to bring this piece to my music director, and have lost touch with the past choir members. Thank you for any assistance you can offer in finding this.

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Mark Marius
12/5/2018 12:15:40 am

I Will Wait for you - Mumford and Sons

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Lori W link
1/2/2021 03:13:47 pm

This is a great post thankks

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    WorshipInDepth evaluates current worship music in depth theologically so that the worship in our churches engages and addresses the whole person and community in depth.  Join the conversation!  More...

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    My name is Matthew Anderson I am a pastor at Trinity Lutheran Church in Victorville, CA, and a graduate of Fuller Theological Seminary. I've also done some post-graduate work at Lutheran School of Theology at Chicago.  I have been leading worship in various contexts for over a decade. More...

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