Top 20 Christian albums--#1

Newsboys--Shine: The Hits

I know, you're just as surprised as I was. But, the board of this site has spoken, and this is the numero uno, top of the list.

Seriously, the songs on here are not just light, fluffy songs. Yeah, they're fun to listen to. But if you really listen to the words--really listen--they are actually quite good. "Shine" (Matthew 5:16), "I'm Not Ashamed" (Romans 1:16), "Entertaining Angels" (Luke 15:10), "Joy" (Galatians 5:22).

So, go, let your light shine before men, entertain angels, and remember it's just a Spirit thing, this reality.

Songs:

1. Shine
2. I'm Not Ashamed
3. Breakfast
4. Reality
5. Take Me To Your Leader
6. Joy
7. Entertaining Angels
8. Praises
9. Spirit Thing
10. Woohoo
11. Step Up To The Microphone
12. God Is Not A Secret
13. Where You Belong/Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus
14. Who?
15. Believe
16. I Got Your Number
17. Mega-Mix

Top 20 Christian albums--#2

Third Day--Offerings: A Worship Album

When it comes to flat-out great worship music, "Offerings" is stuffed from the frist track to the last. Another group that takes their lyrics right from Scripture--From "King of Glory" (Psalm 24) to "These Thousand Hills" (Psalm 50:10) to "Thief" (Luke 23:43), every song on tis disc paints a portrait of a God who loved us so much that He took on sinful flesh to suffer and die for us. And as the words of "Love Song" (the song my wife and I had sung at our wedding) declare, "I promise/I would do it all again."

Songs:

1. King Of Glory
2. These Thousand Hills
3. Your Love Oh Lord
4. Agnus Dei/Worthy
5. Saved
6. My Hope Is You
7. You're Everywhere
8. Thief
9. Consuming Fire
10. All The Heavens
11. Love Song

Top 20 Christian albums--#3

dc Talk--Jesus Freak

OK, if the first Christian band you listened to wasn't Third Day, or Chris Tomlin, then it had to be dc Talk. How can one argue with the message of the title track? "I don't really care if they label me a Jesus Freak/There ain't no disguisin' the truth!" And so many of these songs speak about our walk: "What If I Stumble?", and "Day By Day" and "What Have We Become?" Throw in Kevin Smith's haunting vocals, and you've got one of the most enduring records in modern Christian music.

Songs:

1. So Help Me God
2. Colored People
3. Jesus Freak
4. What If I Stumble
5. Day By Day
6. The Morgans
7. Between You And Me
8. Like It, Love It, Need It
9. Jesus Freak Reprise
10. In The Light
11. What Have We Become
12. Mind's Eye

Top 20 Christian albums--#4

Steven Curtis Chapman--Speechless

From the opening of "Dive", to the orchestral arrangement of the title cut, to the new Christian's cry of "What About The Change?" to the close of "Be Still", this is by far one of the best CD's out there.

Songs:

1. Dive
2. Speechless
3. The Change
4. Great Expectations
5. Next Five Minutes
6. Fingerprints Of God
7. Invitation
8. Whatever
9. I Do Believe
10. What I Really Want To Say
11. With Hope
12. The Journey
13. Be Still and Know

Top 20 Christian albums--#5

Chris Tomlin--Arriving

You had to know this was going to be in here. There aren't many churches that don't use at least one of his songs during their worship time. The first four tracks are practically staples in most churches: "Indescribable", "How Great Is Our God", "Holy Is The Lord", and "Your Grace is Enough."

Songs:

1. Indescribable
2. Holy Is The Lord
3. How Great Is Our God
4. Your Grace Is Enough
5. Unfailing Love
6. The Way I Was Made
7. Mighty Is The Power Of The Cross
8. All Bow Down
9. On Our Side
10. King Of Glory
11. You Do All Things Well

Top 20 Christian albums--#6

Newsboys--Adoration

Their first "worship" album, although if you listen to all of their previous work, they're all "worship" albums. From the opening anthem to the Glory of God "He Reigns", to their faithful rendition of "In Christ Alone" (which was the song that turned me into a fan of these guys), God is all through and in and all over this thing.

Songs:

1. He Reigns
2. You Are My King (Amazing Love)
3. Great Is Your Faithfulness
4. Take My Hands (Praises)
5. Adoration
6. In Christ Alone (My Hope Is Found)
7. Lord (I Don't Know)
8. It Is You
9. Father, Blessed Father
10. Hallelujah

Top 20 Christian albums: #8 and #7

#8) Point of Grace--The Whole Truth



The songs on this album show a wide variety of styles, from the powerful and worshipful "The Great Divide" to the upbeat "Love Like No Other", to a kind of bluesy "Take Me Back", this is one of those CD's you could listen to over and over again and never get sick of it. Trust me, I've tried it :)

Songs:

1. Gather At The River
2. Without The Love Of Jesus
3. The Great Divide
4. Dying To Reach You
5. Love Like No Other
6. God Is With Us
7. What's He Gonna Say About Me
8. The Love He Has For You
9. Take Me Back
10. The House That Mercy Built
11. More Than Anything


#7) City On a Hill--Sing Allelujah



Just from the lineup, you can tell this is a great worship experience. Mac Powell and Jennifer Knapp open up with the title track, Mac Powell and Fernando Ortega (!!) sing to "Our Great God", Nichole Nordeman and FFH with "Shine Your Light", and the list goes on.

Songs:

1. All Creatures Of Our God And King (choral prelude)
2. Sing Alleluia - Jennifer Knapp & Mac Powell
3. Holy Is Your Name - Bebo Norman, Cliff & Danielle Young
4. You Are Holy - Nichole Nordeman
5. Our Great God - Mac Powell & Fernando Ortega
6. Marvelous Light - Derek Webb
7. The Comforter Has Come - Jars Of Clay
8. Shine Your Light - Nochole Nordeman & FFH
9. Hide Me In Your Heart - FFH
10. Hallowed - Jennifer Knapp & Phil Keaggy
11. Lift Up Your Hearts (Sursum Coda) - Derri Daugherty
12. Communion - Cliff & Danielle Young & Phil Keaggy
13. All Creatures Of Our God And King (choral postlude)

Top 20 Christian albums: #10 and #9

Well, we're into the top 10. You may disagree with the choices so far, and you may disagree with the ones yet to come. That's fine. This is a free country. You can be wrong if you want. (Laugh! It's a joke! Lighten up, Francis!)

#10) Nicole C. Mullen--Redeemer



If only for the title song. And for "I Get on my Knees", a song she wrote, which was also recorded by Jaci Velasquez (Before Jaci went all Christina Aguilera and such). Another thing I like about the songs on here is that she sings about how much we tend to look at the outside of people (color, wealth/poverty, etc.) when Jesus came to do away with all that nonsense.

Songs:
1. Ready For This
2. Shooby
3. Butterfly
4. Farewell
5. Granny's Angel
6. Family Tree
7. Blowin' Kisses
8. Redeemer
9. Black, White, Tan
10. Freedom
11. Homemade
12. Color
13. On My Knees


#9) Passion--Sacred Revolution



You have no idea how hard it was to not just put every one of their CD's on here. This one opens with the powerful "O Praise Him (All This For a King)", and includes such worship songs as "Knees To the Earth", "Come, Let Us Return to the Lord", and "Blessed Be Your Name."

Songs:
1. O Praise Him (All This For a King)
2. O Come Let Us Adore Him
3. Holy Is The Lord
4. Come Let Us Return to the Lord
5. All the Earth
6. Sing to the King
7. Blessed Be Your Name
8. Knees to the Earth
9. Sending
10. Take My Life
11. Stars
12. Revolution Cry
13. Not To Us

Top 20 Christian albums--#12 and #11

#12) Chris Tomlin--The Noise We Make



Say what you will, this guy knows how to write a worship song. From the upbeat opening of "Forever" to his arrangement of Isaac Watts' most wonderful "When I Survey the Wondrous Cross", to the quiet "This is Our God", another artist whose lyrics really do overshadow the music.

Songs:

1) The Noise We Make
2) Forever
3) Kindness
4) America
5) The Wonderful Cross
6) Captured
7) Be Glorified
8) Happy Song
9) Need You Now
10) This Is Our God


#11) Todd Agnew--Reflection of Something



If you've never heard worship songs sung in a blues-rock style before, then you need to give this a listen. This CD opens with a confession that we are totally undeserving of God's love ("Something Beautiful"), and finishes with a broadside against American Christianity (especially the heretical "prosperity gospel") called "My Jesus."

Songs:

1) Something Beautiful
2) New Name
3) Blood On My Hands
4) Unchanging One
5) Isaiah 6
6) Mercy In Me
7) The Wonder Of It All
8) In The Middle Of Me
9) Always There
10) Where Were You
11) Fullness Found
12) My Jesus

Top 20 Christian Albums--#14 and #13

#14) Rebecca St. James--Transform



The combination of her lyrics, vocals, and music make this a must-have. From the powerful entrance of "For the Love of God", in which she puts the words of 1st Corinthians 13 to music, to an anthem for sexual purity ("Wait For Me"), to the last song in which she sings to God that "You are my hope/You are my joy/You are my Savior and You are my God", she is one of those rare Christian artists whose lyrics are more powerful than the music. And who doesn't feel the need to conform to this world, like some "Christian" artists.

Songs:

1) Intro
2) For the Love of God
3) Reborn
4) Don't Worry
5) Merciful
6) One
7) Universe
8) Wait for Me
9) In Me
10) Lean On
11) All Around Me
12) Stand
13) My Hope


#13) Point of Grace--Steady On



This one holds a special place in my heart. It was the 3rd Christian CD I bought after being saved, and I listened to it all the way up and back from West Virginia on my first mission trip. Besides, these girls can do harmonies like nobody's business. And there's no way that anybody could listen to their songs and not know they are singing for God.

Songs:

1) Steady On
2) My God
3) Amazing
4) Jesus Is
5) The Wonder of It All
6) Rain Down on Me
7) The Song is Alive
8) Drawing Me Closer
9) When the Wind Blows
10) Saving Grace
11) Better Days
12) Who Am I?

Top 20 Christian albums: #16 and #15

16) Third Day--Time



When you got saved, who was the first Christian group you started listening to? Chances are, you were like me and it was Third Day. Not only do they make some really good music, but their lyrics give praise to God. "I've Always Loved You", "You're Love, Oh Lord", and a song about the heartbreak Peter must have endured after denying Jesus in "I Can't Take the Pain."

1) I've Always Loved You
2) Believe
3) Took My Place
4) Never Bow Down
5) Your Love Oh Lord (Psalm 36)
6) Don't Say Goodbye
7) What Good
8) Can't Take The Pain
9) Sky Falls Down
10) Give



15) Todd Agnew--Grace Like Rain



What sets Todd Agnew apart from most Christian artists is the themes that run through most of his songs. He really speaks from a humble heart, and many of his songs deal with just how imperfect and broken we humans really are. "Come Ye Sinners", for example, shows how we are unable to make ourselves acceptable to God. And in "Shepherd", he sings about how even after we get saved, we still, quite often, "chase all our wants, that we thought were our needs." (There's even a bonus track at the end!)

1) Reached Down
2) This Fragile Breath
3) Shepherd
4) Grace Like Rain
5) Romans 12:1
6) Still Here Waiting
7) Come Ye Sinners
8) Kindness
9) Lay It Down
10) Only One Thing
11) Wait For Your Rain

Top 20 Christian albums: #18 and #17

We're countin' 'em down...on 4Point-20 [/Casey Kasem]


18) Hillsong--You Are My World



#18--The worship team from Hillsong Church in Australia. If you have never heard any of their songs--eh, what am I talking about? Darlene Szczech and her colleagues have written some of the most-often-performed songs in churches today. "You Are My World" contains songs that reflect a love for, and an awesome respect for, the Most High God.

Songs:

1. Your Love Is Beautiful
2. God is Great
3. All of my Days
4. Emmanuel
5. You Stand Alone
6. Irresistable
7. You Are My World
8. Everything That Has Breath
9. God So Loved
10. To You
11. Worthy Is the Lamb
12. Forever
13. My Best Friend


17) Nichole Nordeman--Woven and Spun



#17--Nichole Nordeman showed that she is one of the best songwriters in Christian music with her effort. No high-powered vocals, no long musical riffs. Just her smooth vocals and her humble attitude of worship and love for God.

Songs:

1. Holy
2. Mercies New
3. Healed
4. Legacy
5. I Am
6. In Your Eyes
7. Even Then
8. Never Loved You More
9. Take Me As I Am
10. Doxology
11. My Offering
12. Gratitude

New List: Top 20 Christian albums

I have decided to go ahead and publish my own list of what I think are the 20 best Christian albums of all time. Now, before you get too excited because you don't see one of your favorites in this list, (or one that deserves to be here) remember one thing: I don't have every single CD by every single Christian artist (I wish I did, but hey) ever! This list is limited to those discs I have in my collection.

Another caveat: You won't find any of the WOW CD's in this list. That would be too easy. So here goes, starting with #20 and #19.


20) Avalon--In A Different Light



Songs:

1. Take You at Your Word
2. In Not Of
3. In a Different Light
4. Can't Live a Day
5. Always Have, Always Will
6. I'm Speechless
7. If My People Pray
8. Only For the Weak
9. Let Your Love
10. Hide My Soul
11. First Love


19) MercyMe--Almost There



Songs:

1. I Worship You
2. Here Am I
3. On My Way To You
4. How Great Is Your Love
5. I Can Only Imagine
6. Bless Me Indeed
7. Cannot Say Enough
8. House of God
9. Call To Worship
10. Fall Down
11. In You