Michael W. Smith walked onstage at his sold-out Xcel Center concert December 6th, in a red and green Minnesota Wild '03 Smith' hockey jersey. “It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas,” he punned. Indeed, for the 16,000 in attendance, Christmastime begins when Smith comes to town and it is no wonder why. Twenty years the 46 year old has been the poster boy for the contemporary Christian music scene. Heady stuff for anyone, yet Smith's focus is to bring his audience into a worship experience with the Savior.

This year along with his band of drums, guitars and Highland pipes, Smith featured the female quartet Point of Grace and The Katinas, a five-brother singing group originally from American Samoa , bringing a rich and diverse component to the concert. The seamless blend of voices gave the audience a glimpse of what heavenly hosts singing Alleluia will sound like. But perfect harmony is not the only component Smith looks for in his tour selection. “When I take people on the road, the first thing I look for is if they have a heart for God,” Smith said. Many in attendance raised arms in worship and seemed reluctant when invited to sing carols, wanting instead to keep the momentum of worship going.

Sets included the various artists individually as well as corporately. The Katinas and Smith sang a medley based on O Holy Night and garnered thunderous applause, Smith quipped about group, “Aren't they something? I've been taking voice lessons backstage.”

Classics such as “You Are Holy ,” “All is Well,” “Holy, Holy,” “Joyful, Joyful, We Adore” were artfully arranged. Smith performed two instrumentations from his Freedom album, dedicating them to service men and women. While he played a video image of Old Glory waved across Smith's white grand piano.

Concertgoers were asked to bring canned goods for the needy. Over 10,000 filled grocery bags flooded the perimeters of the arena. Hope for the City's co-founder Megan Doyle said, “Of the 140,000 people who are homeless in this city, thanks to you eight percent of them will receive a bag of food this week.”

As the concert closed, Smith and his guests sang a short verse of, “Friends.” After the concert, this humble man who has sold more than 8 million albums, removed his microphone and began winding its cord, already dismantling the stage for the next town on his tour. He placed his palm on his heart and reached it toward an audience now readied for the blessed season.