"Noel: Jesus is Born!" Concert Coming to Kennedy Center Featuring Matthew West and Charles Billingsley

The Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C. is scheduled to host a Christian concert featuring prominent Christians, along with Bible readings and a live Nativity scene.
The event, titled “Noel: Jesus is Born!” will be held at the Kennedy Center Opera House at 7:30 p.m. on Dec. 17.
“We are proud to present a meaningful, faith-filled experience for families to immerse themselves in the Christmas story at America’s cultural center,” Kennedy Center Vice President of Public Relations Roma Daravi told The Christian Post. “Tis the season to create cherished memories and celebrate the sacred alongside the festive.”
Grenell, who was appointed to his post by President Donald Trump, shared his vision for a “big traditional production to celebrate what we are all celebrating in the world during Christmas time, which is the birth of Christ.”
A number of well-known Christian artists will deliver musical performances at the Christmas event, including Charles Billingsley and Matthew West.
“I am thrilled to be a part of ‘Noel: Jesus is Born!’ at the world-famous Kennedy Center,” Billingsley, who formerly was the lead vocalist of the contemporary Christian group NewSong before embarking on a solo career spanning over 3 decades, said of the event. “We look forward to celebrating the birth of the Savior with classic Christmas songs, crazy big band fun, a fabulous choir, amazing musicians and singers, and a beautiful live Nativity scene.”
Music career aside, Billingsley serves as a teaching pastor at Thomas Road Baptist Church in Lynchburg, Virginia. He is also scheduled to perform additional Christmas concerts in the coming weeks in New York City, Richmond, Virginia; Columbus, Mississippi; Branson, Missouri; Brookhaven, Mississippi; Texarkana, Texas; Lynchburg, Virginia; Baker, Florida; Virginia Beach, Virginia; and Plano, Texas.
Meanwhile, West, described as “one of Christian music’s most prolific singer-songwriters,” has won five GRAMMY Awards, an American Music Award, a Billboard Music Award, K-LOVE Fan Awards, and the Gospel Music Association’s Dove Awards. He has also written eight books and has hosted the Matthew West Podcast since 2020.
West is also slated to perform a number of shows in the coming weeks as part of his Come Home For Christmas Tour, which includes stops in Bensalem, Pennsylvania; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania; New Bern, North Carolina; Charlotte, North Carolina; Virginia Beach, Virginia; Corryton, Tennessee; and Pensacola, Florida. Moreover, he will also perform at the Merry Mercy Christmas Benefit in Franklin, Tennessee.
The Kennedy Center is scheduled to host additional Christmas-related programming this year, including a rendition of “The Nutcracker” as performed by the Cincinnati Ballet, as well as concerts featuring gospel singer Melinda Doolittle and Grammy Award-winning singer Gregory Porter.
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Photo Credit: ©Getty Images/Terry Wyatt/Stringer

Originally published November 17, 2025.





