91% of churches are having Christmas day services while 14% of people plan to attend (lifeway research)
doesn’t happen often - last time was 2005 - after this year it won’t happen again until 2016 - i’m talking about Christmas falling on sunday - and for some reason it always breeds controversy - but i’m not sure why - i mean it shouldn't - yet the debate began early: to have or not to have worship services on Christmas
forget what the media says about it - we’ll never get it right in their eyes - by the stat above i’d say 9 out of 10 churches are getting it right this year - but are individuals and families getting it right? - according to the stat one third of regular church attenders will not attend church Christmas day or maybe even Christmas eve!
the 29:11 staff discussed what to do this year about Christmas worship - we gathered info - listened to what people were saying - and i heard - i actually heard someone say “Christmas is about families”
whoa! stop the presses! we need to get out there and change all those billboards - and bumper stickers - and church signs - and Christmas cards! the phrase should be “family is the reason for the season”
this is another one of those times - i wish i had a game show buzzer - i would be wearing the button out right now - because that is the wrong answer!
Christmas isn’t about family - no more than it is about swapping gifts - or gorging out on turkey and dressing - as Christians let’s please get a grip – on ourselves – on our overspending – on the true meaning of christmas - it is about the birth of a Savior - even the radio city music hall rockettes know this - and as a Christian - especially as a Christian - it means even more - Christmas is about the birth of my personal Savior and Lord Jesus Christ!
it seems strange to have to say it - but Christmas is about Christ! it is the day we celebrate God choosing - to come to us - that’s what he chose on the first Christmas - what are we choosing this Christmas? it is about Emmanuel - that means “God with us” - He chose to be with us - where are we choosing to spend our Christmas?
sorry if i offend you - or sound dogmatic - i don’t mean to do either - honestly - and if i don’t see you sunday i will assume you are out of town - hopefully worshiping with your extended family
for me the decision to hold worship services this Christmas weekend was made a long time ago - in my life i have never awakened - not even one sunday morning - and experienced adults making a decision on whether to attend church that day - (thanks, mom and dad!) - that doesn’t change this week simply because it’s Christmas - to me joshua 24:15 is even more in effect this particular weekend than any other this year - (i’d love to see you post that verse as your status this sunday!)
so please - make room for Christ this Christmas - please - of all the years - this one especially - you may have had dozens of reasons you had to miss worship one of the previous 51 sundays in 2011 - but not this weekend
even if you’re away from home - find some place for your family to worship this amazing Almighty God who chose - to be born as a baby - live on this troubled earth - die a horrible death - rise again on the third day - and live eternally – all for you! He made time for you then - make time for Christ this weekend – not in spite of but because it is christmas
Comments
Post a Comment