Why I Believe “Joy to the World! A Sacred Celebration” is Not to Be Missed
By Jason F. Wright · November 19, 2024
Originally posted by Meridian Magazine
Recently one of my readers asked why I spend the most wonderful season of the year away from my family narrating “Joy to the World! A Sacred Celebration.” It’s the traveling Christmas show headlined by Jenny Oaks Baker & Family Four. I don’t remember exactly what I said, but in the days since I’ve pondered the question much more deeply.
Why exactly do I say goodbye to my world in Virginia to spend a month on tour with Jenny, her husband Matt, and the rest of the Bakers?
The answer is as simple as these three words: Because of Jesus. Sure, I have other seemingly endless reasons.
What a privilege it is to step into the life of John, the shepherd narrator. It’s rare for someone like me to play a role I created and to recite lines I wrote. Surely I had no idea five years ago when this show was born that one day I’d be narrating the experience each night for thousands of people. But what a thrill to step into that shepherd’s costume! In city after city, I get to witness the night Jesus Christ was born.
If not my work as narrator, perhaps I spend a month on planes, trains, and automobiles because I get to associate with the Bakers. There is no family who loves more fiercely, who believes in Christ more fervently, or who prays more frequently. Even without their world-renowned talent, they’d be remarkable for their lives of discipleship. I don’t love Jenny, Laura, Hannah, Sarah, and Matthew because they’re accomplished and I don’t just admire them because of what they bring to the stage. It’s how they live and how they believe long after the audience is gone.
Maybe it’s Alex Sharpe? She’s the incredible Irish soprano who travels much farther than I do to add her sparkle to the show. When she steps on stage for her first number, she doesn’t find the light. The light finds her. Her voice and countenance captivate the audience from the first note to the last. But while I cherish watching her sing, I’m more moved by how she treats people on the road. Everyone from the crew to hotel staff to restaurant servers gets to enjoy the same radiant joy. How could I not make that a part of my holiday season?
It could be that I’m jazzed for this year’s show because of the addition of baritone Preston Yates. I heard Preston last spring while attending one of Jenny’s other shows, “The Redeemer,” and I can still hear his powerful voice ringing in my soul. I cannot wait to get to know him, his heart, and his faith.
It would be so easy to name percussionist Jay Nygaard as the reason to live on the road. There is no kinder, gentler soul on earth than this good man. He is what a modern-day disciple should be and his friendship is priceless.
Perhaps it’s the choirs and dancers we perform with in each city? They bring so much joy and passion to the show and I feel honored to share the stage with them. Certainly it could be the incomparable Jennifer Reed, our fearless producer, stage manager, and keeper of the hectic schedule. Some of my favorite memories in recent years involve her larger-than-life laugh and her incredible professionalism.
Any and all of these things are perfectly appropriate answers to the question of why I spend a month on the road bringing you everything that is “Joy to the World.” But counting my tour blessings and — as the hymn invites — naming them one by one, changes nothing.
The best and most honest answer remains the same.
Yes, this show features one of America’s premier violinists in Jenny Oaks Baker and a family of incredibly hardworking, talented, accomplished performers. But Jesus is the star of the show.
Yes, this year Alex’s and Preston’s wonderful voices will fill every heart and every single inch of each venue. But the spotlight will never leave the one who’s responsible for all light — even Jesus.
Yes, your shaggy shepherd will do his best to entertain, inspire, and remember his lines. But nothing John says will matter more than the story we will tell.
Because this show, unlike anything I’ve ever been a part of, is singularly focused on the Savior of the world.
What other opportunity will I ever have to witness of Him, night after night, and to bask in His Spirit?
I invite you to attend the show this Christmas season and see for yourself. And if you spot me in the lobby after looking weary and ready for home, please ask me why I do it all. I promise the same three-word answer.
Because of Jesus.