The Christmas Dilemma
Christmas is an unusual holiday for Christians and church leaders. It's actually the only time of year in our communities where what happens in culture and what happens in church line up (even sort of). December is the only month you can hear songs about Jesus playing in malls. Sure, there are more 'happy holidays' and 'seasons greetings' than in the past, but come on, when else do you hear "Christ is born today" at Walmart?
That creates an interesting problem for those of who plan church services. Let me explain. Almost everyone kind of knows the Christmas story, and almost everyone expects to hear it at Christmas at church. And herein lies the dilemma. If you merely tell the Christmas story and play into people's expectations, my feeling is the power of the story gets lost. But if you don't play into expectations (sing some familiar carols and tell at least some aspect of the Christmas story), people disconnect from what you are doing.
We have this phrase that we use when planning our services: discerning what people want, delivery what people need. It's hardest to fulfill that intention at Christmas.
Put simply: there are certain things most church leaders feel like we have to do to make it a Christmas service, but if we do them, Christmas may lose it's punch. If all the service is is a few songs people want to sing and a familiar message, people walk away completely unchanged. Does that make sense?
Our team struggles every year to present Christmas in a powerful, meaningful, relevant way. We try to tell the story without losing the power of the story. How do you help people get over what they want so they can get what they need?
If you are a fan of Christmas services, how do you manage that tension?
We do a few things. We try to use surprise as an element in the service (wait till you hear the Christmas Eve opener on Thursday). If we catch people off guard, they listen better. When we do use traditional songs, we rock them up (a lot). I try to find an angle on the Christmas message that is a little less common but still gets to the essence of Christmas.
What are some things you've done, thought about, or seen that are great ways to cut through this dilemma?
I can completely understand the difference between a social christian and a christian who has a daily relationship with God. I was encouraging a family member to attend service tonight (Christmas Eve) because I felt this would be the one day in the year that this person might attend, however also realized that this person would not get the same spiritual enlightenment I have been receiving for these past months because we would be attending a traditional church that pretty well does the same type of sermon every year. I am sooo looking forward to clicking online to find Connexus’ sermon to see what you have come up with.
Hey Shawn…I did a post today to help answer your question. Also, an audio copy of the message should be up on the Connexus site tomorrow or Wednesday.
Take care and enjoy this magical week between Christmas and New Year’s.
Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine. For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables.