Christmas matters to Christians. It’s the day when Christians all over the world celebrate the birth of our Savior. The church has celebrated Christ’s birth in some form or another for over 1500 years. After all, God-with-us is a big deal and should be celebrated. The word Christmas derives from the special “mass” or communion service that churches have celebrated for centuries.
The Christmas season matters to people. It’s a rare time in our lives when everything slows down. Kids get out of school, parents get time off work and we focus on the important things. Successful churches don’t brush off Christmas.
It’s a time of year when people can’t escape the message of Jesus. New people will visit your church, and those who’ve slipped out of touch, they will come back.
Our modern celebrations of Christmas aren’t ideal, but don’t let commercialism sour your mood or steal your Christmas cheer. Christmas matters, so celebrate it with fervor.
Christmas Matters. Ways to Celebrate and Share
- Balance creativity and clarity. If you’re going to do a special Christmas program, be creative but keep your message clear. Don’t let Jesus’ story become a side note.
- Add some tradition. Don’t do something so unique or different that it leaves people wishing they’d gone somewhere else. Tradition is not all bad.
- Don’t overdo it. Stay within your means. If you can’t do it well, don’t do it. You don’t need live camels or laser lights. But, if you have them, that’s cool too.
- Leave Christ in Christmas. People come to church because they want to celebrate Jesus. They know what the day is for, and you don’t need to add much to it.
- Don’t wear your people out. Some people love you and your church so much they’ll do anything you ask, sometimes to their own detriment. Don’t wear them out with unnecessary activity.
- Don’t forget to celebrate. Putting on a program or presentation is great because people love to hear the story, but give people a chance to be a part of the story by creating a space for them to celebrate Jesus’ coming to earth.
Do you have other ways to celebrate that you’d include? Let us know by responding in the comments section below.
Do you have plans to expand your ministry in India?
Do you have plans to expand your ministry in India?