Theology in the Carols: Two Christmas Hymns Every Christian Leader Should Hear Differently
By Dan Navarra, NorCal Area Director for The National Christian Foundation & Barnabas Leadership Team Member
Most Christmas music fades like a year-end to-do list once December 26 hits. But the great hymns of Advent and Christmas are different. They endure. They preach. They linger.
They are, in many ways, theological time capsules—compressed doctrine wrapped in melody—waiting to be opened by those willing to listen carefully.
For Christian business leaders, this matters more than we might think. Because these carols don’t just celebrate what God did; they shape how we understand who He is, how He rules, and where our work, capital, and influence actually fit.
Two carols in particular do this with remarkable clarity: “Hark! The Herald Angels Sing” and “Joy to the World.”
Hark! The Herald Angels Sing – The Incarnation Changes Everything!
Charles Wesley’s 1739 hymn is not sentimental. It’s systematic theology with a tune.
From the opening line, this carol doesn’t invite nostalgia—it issues a summons. “Hark!” Pay attention. Something decisive has happened.
The line that stops you cold—if you let it—is this:
“Veiled in flesh the Godhead see, Hail the incarnate Deity.”
That’s not poetic filler. That’s a doctrinal claim with massive implications. The eternal Son of God entered human history—fully God, fully man—without dilution or disguise. Theologians call this the hypostatic union. Business leaders might call it a disruptive entry into the marketplace of human affairs.
And disruption is exactly the point.
Christianity does not teach that God shouted instructions from heaven. It teaches that He showed up. He entered limitation. He took on risk. He embraced proximity.
Long before the RTO (return-to-office) debate following COVID, Christians addressed the proximity issue. For those who lead organizations, steward resources, and bear responsibility for others, this should land hard. The incarnation affirms that embodied presence matters. That leadership is not merely strategic distance, but faithful nearness. That God Himself was willing to operate within constraint for the sake of redemption.
The final stanza drives it home:
“Mild He lays His glory by, Born that man no more may die.”
That’s Philippians 2 in rhyme—voluntary downward mobility for eternal gain. The cradle already casts the shadow of the cross.
If you’re wondering what this has to do with business: everything. The incarnation reframes how we think about power, authority, sacrifice, and success. Christ did not cling to His advantage. He leveraged it for others.
Joy to the World – A Carol About the Return of the King
Now for the carol that often gets misfiled.
Despite its December ubiquity, “Joy to the World” is not primarily about the manger. It’s about the throne.
Written by Isaac Watts in 1719 as a paraphrase of Psalm 98, this hymn is focused less on Christ’s first coming and far more on His second. It’s not a lullaby. It’s a coronation anthem.
“Joy to the world, the Lord is come; let earth receive her King.” That’s not a suggestion. That’s a declaration.
Watts is announcing the arrival—and eventual universal recognition—of rightful authority. This is Revelation language, not Luke. The tone is regal, expansive, and uncomfortably comprehensive.
Which is why the line that follows should make every leader pause:
“He rules the world with truth and grace.” Not some corners. Not just private spirituality. The world.
This hymn insists that Christ’s reign touches every domain—markets, governments, industries, boardrooms, balance sheets. There is no sacred-secular divide here. The kingdom does not stay politely in its lane.
And when Watts writes,
“No more let sins and sorrows grow, nor thorns infest the ground,” he’s not waxing poetic. He’s announcing Genesis 3 in reverse. Curse undone. Creation restored. Systems healed.
This is a reminder—both comforting and unsettling—that Jesus is not merely Savior; He is Judge and King. And His reign will expose, reorder, and ultimately renew everything.
For Christian business leaders, this reframes ambition. We are not building our kingdoms and hoping God blesses them. We are stewards operating within His kingdom—answerable to His rule, aligned with His purposes, accountable for how our influence is used.
Why This Matters for Christian Leaders
These carols do not exist to decorate the season. They declare reality.
“Hark!” reminds us that God enters the mess.
“Joy to the World” reminds us that God will finish the work.
Together, they form a theology of leadership that is desperately needed right now: humble presence paired with confident hope. Sacrificial engagement rooted in unshakable sovereignty.
So this Christmas, as these hymns play in offices, homes, and cars between meetings and year-end deadlines—listen carefully. Don’t just hum. Don’t just smile. Let them re-calibrate you.
Because the God who took on flesh still reigns. And the King who came once is coming again. And that reality should shape not just our worship—but our work.
Merry Christmas. May Christ rule richly over your heart, your home, and yes—your leadership.
About The Author: Dan Navarra
Dan Navarra is a native of California, born and raised in the East Bay Area. Dan is a Chartered Advisor in Philanthropy (CAP®), has studied finance at Harvard Business School, received his undergraduate degree in Philosophy with a Religious Emphasis, and then continued on to Fuller Theological Seminary for his Masters of Divinity. Dan enjoyed fifteen years in local church pastoral ministry, specializing in teaching, project management, stewardship, and human resources, prior to his joining NCF in 2022. He has also been a contributor to Church Law & Tax and churchsalary.com (subsidiaries of Gloo) as a writer. In his role with NCF, Dan works to equip others with the creative tools, strategies, and insights they need to maximize their generosity and establish a lasting legacy.
He and his wife, Amy, married in 2012 and have three sons, including identical twins. In true entrepreneurial spirit, they successfully founded and grew a small business over a five-year period, concluding with a successful acquisition and exit in 2021. They reside in the Central Valley of California, where Dan likes to remind people he can be at a Giants game, the snow, the lake, or the beach, all within about a two-hour drive. In his leisure time, Dan enjoys watching, coaching, and playing baseball, fishing, and playing music with his kids.