CCM Encyclopedia
100 Greatest Songs in Christian Music
This section is the essential guide of the best contemporary Christian songs from CCM Magazine that was released back in 2006.
​
1. "Awesome God" written by
​ Winds of Heaven, Stuff of Earth (1988)
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
2. "Jesus Freak" written by Toby McKeehan and Mark Heimermann
Dove Award -Song of the Year (1996)
Rock Recorded Song of the Year (1996)
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
3. "Friends" written by Michael W. and Debbie Smith
Michael W. Smith Project (1983)
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
4. "I Can Only Imagine" written by Bart Millard
Dove Award -Song of the Year (2002)
​ Pop/Contemporary Recorded Song of the Year (2002)
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
5. "El Shaddai" written by Michael Card and John Thompson
Dove Award -Song of the Year (1983)
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
6. "I Could Sing of Your Love Forever" written by Martin Smith
Delirious?
Cutting Edge (1994)
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
7. "Flood" written by Dan Haseltine, Stephen Mason, Matt Odmark and Charlie Lowell
Jars of Clay
Jars of Clay (1995)
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
8. "The Great Adventure" written by Steven Curtis Chapman and Geoff Moore
Dove Award -Song of the Year (1993)​
Pop/Contemporary Recorded Song of the Year (1993)
Steven Curtis Chapman
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
9. "Shine" written by Peter Furler and Steve Taylor
Dove Award -Rock Recorded Song of the Year (1995)
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
10. "Shout to the Lord" written by
Darlene Zschech with Hillsong Worship Australia
People Just Like Us (1994)
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
11. "God of Wonders" written by Steve Hindalong and Marc Byrd
Mac Powell with Cliff and Danielle Young
City on a Hill: Songs of Worship and Praise (2000)
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
12. "Redeemer" written by
Nicole C. Mullen
Dove Award -Song of the Year (2001)
Pop/Contemporary Recorded Song of the Year (2001)
Nicole C. Mullen (2000)
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
13. "I Wish We'd All Been Ready" written by
Larry Norman
Upon This Rock (1969)
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
14. "On My Knees" written by David Mullen, Nicole C. Mullen and Michael Ochs
Dove Award -Song of the Year (1998)
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
15. "Because He Lives" written by Bill and Gloria Gaither
Dove Award -Song of the Year (1974)
The Bill Gaither Trio
Because He Lives (1972)
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
16. "Agnus Dei" written by Michael W. Smith
Third Day
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​ 17. "Mary, Did You Know?" written by Mark Lowry and Buddy Greene
Michael English
Michael English (1991)
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
18. "Butterfly Kisses" written by Bob Carlisle and Randy Thomas
Dove Award -Song of the Year (1997)
Inspirational Recorded Song of the Year (1997)
Bob Carlisle
Butterfly Kisses (Shades of Grace) (1996, 1997)
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
19. "The Great Divide" written by Grant Cunningham and Matt Huesmann
Dove Award -Pop/Contemporary Recorded Song of the Year (1996)
20. "How Beautiful" written by
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
21. "Step by Step" written by David "Beaker" Strasser
The World As Best As Remember It, Volume One (1991)
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
22. "Place In This World" written by Michael W. Smith, Amy Grant and Wayne Kirkpatrick
Dove Award -Song of the Year (1992)
Michael W. Smith
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
23. "Testify to Love" written by Paul Field, Henk Pool, Ralph Vanmanen and Robert Riekerk
Dove Award -Pop/Contemporary Recorded Song of the Year (1999)
Avalon
A Maze of Grace (1998)
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
24. "Show Me Your Glory" written by Third Day, Mark Lee and Marc Byrd
Third Day
Come Together (2001)
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
25. "Big House" written by Mark Stuart, Bob Herdman, Will McGinniss and Barry Blair
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
26. "I Will Be Here" written by
​
​
​
​​
​
​
​
​
​
27. "Holy" written by Nichole Nordeman and Mark Hammond
Dove Award -Song of the Year (2003)
Pop/Contemporary Recorded Song of the Year (2003)
Nichole Nordeman
Woven in Time (2002)
​
​
​
​​
​
​
​
​
​​
28. "He Reigns" written by Peter Furler and Steve Taylor
​ Adoration: The Worship Album (2003)
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​​​​​​​ 29. "We Will Stand" written by Russ Taff, Tori Taff and James Hollihan, Jr.
Russ Taff
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
30. "Thy Word" written by Amy Grant and Michael W. Smith
Amy Grant
​​​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
31. "What If I Stumble?" written by Toby McKeehan and Daniel Joseph
​​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​ 32. "Consuming Fire" written by Mac Powell​
Third Day
Third Day (1996)
​​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
33. "I Surrender All" written by Regie Hamm and David Moffitt
Clay Crosse
My Place Is With You (1994)
​​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
34. "Sing Your Praise to the Lord" written by Rich Mullins
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
35. "Hold Me Jesus" written by
A Litugy, A Legacy and a Ragamuffin Band (1993)
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
36. "Thank You" written by
Ray Boltz
Dove Award -Song of the Year (1990)
Thank You (1988)
​
​
​
​​
​
​
​
​
​
​ 37. "For the Sake of the Call" written by
For the Sake of the Call (1990)
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​ 38. "He Touched Me" originally written by Bill Gaither in 1964
Bill Gaither Trio
He Touched Me (1969)
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
39. "Above All" written by Paul Baloche and Lenny LeBlanc
​ Dove Award -Inspirational Recorded Song of the Year (2002)
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
40. "Oh Lord, You're Beautiful" written by
So You Wanna Go Back to Egypt (1980)
​​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
41. "Love Crucified Arose" written by
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
42. "People Get Ready, Jesus is Comin'" written by Brian Ray
Crystal Lewis
Beauty for Ashes (1996)
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
43. "Breath of Heaven (Mary's Song)" written by Amy Grant and Chris Eaton
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
44. "People Need the Lord" written by Greg Nelson and Phill McHugh
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
45. "Heaven" written by BeBe Winans and Keith Thomas
Dove Award -Pop/Contemporary Recorded Song of the Year (1990)
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
46. "Secret Ambition" written by Michael W. Smith, Amy Grant and Wayne Kirkpatrick
Michael W. Smith
​​
​
​
​
​
​
47. "Jesus Will Still Be There" written by Robert Sterling and John Mandeville
​​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
48. "The Warrior Is A Child" written by
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
49. "Shut De Dó" written by
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
50. "Dare You to Move" written by Jon Foreman
Switchfoot
The Beautiful Letdown (2003)
​
​​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
51. "Mirror" written by Ron Harris
Evie
Mirror (1977)
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
52. "Rise Again" written by Dallas Holm
Dove Award -Song of the Year (1978)
Dallas Holm & Praise
​​
​​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
53. "He's Alive" written by
Don Francisco
Dove Award -Song of the Year (1980)
Forgiven (1977)
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
54. "There Is a Redeemer" written by Melody Green
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
55. "Stomp" written by Kirk Franklin, George Clinton, Gary Shider and Walter Morrison
God's Property featuring Kirk Franklin and Cheryl "Salt" James
God's Property from Kirk Franklin's Nu Nation (1997)
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
56. "Via Dolorosa" written by Billy Sprague and Niles Borop
Dove Award -Song of the Year (1986)
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
57. "Jesus Is the Answer" written by Andraé Crouch and Sandra Crouch
Andraé Crouch & The Disciples
Live at Carnegie Hall (1973)
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
58. "Welcome to Our World" written by
Chris Rice
Deep Enough to Dream (1997)
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
59. "My Tribute (To God Be the Glory)" written by Andraé Crouch
Andraé Crouch & The Disciples
Keep On Singin' (1971)
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
60. "Lead Me On" written by Amy Grant, Michael W. Smith and Wayne Kirkpatrick
Amy Grant
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
61. "For Future Generations" written by Mark Harris, Don Koch and Dave Clack
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
62. "Your Love Broke Through" written by Keith Green, Randy Stonehill and Todd Fishkind
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
63. "We Are the Reason" written by
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
64. "Soon and Very Soon" written by Andraé Crouch
Andraé Crouch & The Disciples
This Is Another Day (1976)
​​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
65. "We Shall Behold Him" written by Dottie Rambo
Dove Award -Song of the Year (1982)
​
​​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
66. "He Is Exalted" written by
​
​​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
67. "Praise the Lord" written by Brown Bannister and Mike Hudson
Dove Award -Song of the Year (1981)
​​
​
​
​​
​
​
​
68. "Watercolour Ponies" written by
​​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
69. "Easter Song" written by Annie Herring
​​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
70. "To Hell with the Devil" written by Michael Sweet and Robert Sweet
​
​
​
​​
​​
​​
​​
​
71. "In the Light" written by
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
72. "More Power to Ya" written by Bob Hartman
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
73. "Love In Any Language" written by Jon Mohr and John Mays
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
74. "Arise My Love" written by Eddie Carswell
NewSong
Say Yes (1987)
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
75. "Why Should the Devil Have All the Good Music?" written by
Larry Norman
Only Visiting This Planet (1972)
​
​​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
76. "Alive" written by
P.O.D.
Satellite (2001)
​
​
​
​
​
​​
​
​​
77. "Friend of a Wounded Heart" written by Wayne Watson and Claire Cloninger
Dove Award -Song of the Year (1989)
Wayne Watson
​​
​​
​​
​​
​
78. "Dive" written by
Dove Award -Pop/Contemporary Recorded Song of the Year (2000)
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
79. "The Robe" written by Wes King and Phil Naish
Wes King
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
80. "Where There is Faith" written by Billy Simon
​​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
81. "When God Ran" written by Benny Hester and John Parenti
Benny Hester
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
82. "In Christ Alone" written by Shawn Craig and Don Koch
Dove Award -Inspirational Recorded Song of the Year (1993)
Michael English
Michael English (1991)
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
83. "He's My Son" written by
Mark Schultz
Mark Schultz (2000)
​
​
​
​​
​
​
​
​
​
84. "Stand" written by Lorraine Ferro, Tanya Leah and Joanne Sonderling
Susan Ashton
So Far...The Best of Susan Ashton (1995)
​
NOTE: in the book of 100 Greatest Albums in Christian Music, CCM Magazine
wrote that this track was taken from Ashton's 1991 debut album Wakened By
the Wind, but I believe it was written in error. "Stand" is NOT on her debut album.
The song is one of two new tracks Ashton recorded in 1995 on her compilation release,
So Far...The Best of Susan Ashton.
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
85. "How Excellent Is Thy Name" written by Paul Smith and Dick and Melodie Tunney
Grammy Award -Best Gospel Performance, Male (1986)
Dove Award -Song of the Year (1987)
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
86. "Runner" written by Twila Paris and Starla Paris
Twila Paris
​
​​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​​
87. "My Deliverer" written by Rich Mullins and Mitch McVicker
Rick Elias and a Ragamuffin Band
​
​
​
​
​
88. "Home Where I Belong" written by Pat Terry ​​
B.J. Thomas
Home Where I Belong (1976)
​
​
​​
​
​
​
​
​
89. "I Will Be Free" written by
Dove Award -Short Form Music Video of the Year (1995)
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
90. "Stubborn Love" written by Amy Grant, Gary Chapman, Michael W. Smith, Brown Bannister
and Sloan Towner
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
91. "The Champion" written by
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
92. "We Are His Hands" written by Mark Gersmehl
​​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
93. "Undivided" written by Melodie Tunney
​
​​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
94. "Undo Me" written by
Jennifer Knapp
Kansas (1997)
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
95. "He Will Carry You" written by
Scott Wesley Brown
Signature (1982)
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
96. "Sometimes Alleluia" written by
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
97. "Strength of My Life" written by
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
98. "Ready or Not" written by Eddie DeGarmo and Dana Key
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
99. "Say the Name" written by Margaret Becker and Charlie Peacock
Margaret Becker
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
100. "Beautiful, Scandalous Night" written by Steve Hindalong, music by Derald Daugherty
Bob Bennett, Derald Daugherty and Julie Miller
At the Foot of the Cross, Volume 1: Clouds, Rain, Fire (1991)
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​