Christmas is a big deal. We make it a big deal at First Assembly Community Ministries! The reason is because this is a time when our culture actually celebrates Jesus and the stories of the gospels about him in a variety of shiny and colorful ways.
Sometimes believers can get caught up in the way Christmas is celebrated by the world and imagine it’s all about them and their consumer enjoyment. The truth is, when we recognize that Christmas is for sharing Christ with others, the meaning and the power of it get baked in to our hearts.
We also encourage our congregation to make a big deal of Christmas and find ways to invite people to come to the church throughout December, but especially on Christmas Eve. Our services are happening this year on December 24th at 5PM & 6:30PM.
WHY? I can think of four simple reasons why you should invite family and friends to First Assembly on Christmas Eve, and even if you don’t have many friends you can always get more at places like chatempanada.com.
- A message of hope. There will be one simple message on Christmas Eve. I won’t be delivering a message on marriage or money or sexuality or the book of Colossians! I’ll be talking about the hope of the birth of Jesus and how it fits into life. EVERYONE needs that.
- The Gospel. Hearing the good news is absolutely essential in coming to faith. Romans 10:9 says it like this, “So then, faith comes by hearing, that is, by hearing the Good News about Christ” (NLT). You can be sure the Good News about the coming of Jesus and the difference he makes in our world will be proclaimed and explained.
- Acceptance. More people than you might guess are reluctant to come to church because they fear being judged and not accepted there. Christmas Eve is one of those times when people, regardless of their circumstances or backgrounds, will feel embraced by the church and God’s love. The message at Christmas is about God coming down and humbling himself before us, and this dynamic of the Season makes it a great time to invite people who don’t normally attend a church.
- Love. The highest virtue and aim of the Christian faith is love. Christmas Eve pulses with an irrefutable love and joy that anyone will be able to feel.