On behalf of the staff of Influence magazine, I’d like to wish our readers a very merry Christmas!

Andy Williams sang that Christmas is “the most wonderful time of the year.” He was right, though for the wrong reasons. Culturally speaking, Christmas may be about “parties for hosting, marshmallows for toasting, and caroling out in the snow.” Theologically, however, Christmas is about the incarnation of the Son of God, who took on human nature in order to save us from sin.

Charles Wesley captured the theological meaning of Christmas in his classic carol, “Hark, the Herald Angels Sing!” (1739):

Hark! the herald angels sing,
“Glory to the newborn King:
peace on earth, and mercy mild,
God and sinners reconciled!”
Joyful, all ye nations, rise,
join the triumph of the skies;
with th’angelic hosts proclaim,
“Christ is born in Bethlehem!”
Hark! the herald angels sing,
“Glory to the newborn King”

Christ, by highest heaven adored,
Christ, the everlasting Lord,
late in time behold him come,
offspring of the Virgin’s womb:
veiled in flesh the Godhead see;
hail th’incarnate Deity,
pleased with us in flesh to dwell,
Jesus, our Immanuel.
Hark! the herald angels sing,
“Glory to the newborn King”

Hail the heaven-born Prince of Peace!
Hail the Sun of Righteousness!
Light and life to all he brings,
risen with healing in his wings.
Mild he lays his glory by,
born that we no more may die,
born to raise us from the earth,
born to give us second birth.
Hark! the herald angels sing,
“Glory to the newborn King”

It is our prayer that this holiday and in the coming year, you and your family and friends will experience anew the peace that comes from God’s saving work in Jesus Christ!

Our offices will close on Friday, December 23, 2022 and reopen Monday, January 2, 2023. Our website will publish no new articles during that period.

Once again, merry Christmas!

George P. Wood
Executive Editor

Christina Quick
Lead Editor

Steve Lopez
Designer

Ron Kopczick
Advertising Coordinator