Tell it to the Masses: Discipleship and Formation through Advent and Christmas

Christmas, in modern times, can be viewed as a series of comings and goings. Family comes over or you go to them. People go to and from church for the latest edition of a Christmas program or candle-light service. You have to go shopping. Amazon delivery trucks come to you. Everyone is moving. But in all that, is this a time when we see evangelism rise or, do we get lost in the shuffle with everyone else?

Churches across America do some truly wonderful things for their communities. They provide food and gifts for those in need in order to bring some joy in their lives during the holidays, but are we just handing things out without sharing who Jesus is and why we’re celebrating in the first place? Too often are American churches guilty of trying to bring everyone to them, and forget what Jesus said at the end of His earthly ministry: “go.” We get just as swept up in our cultural versions of Christmas, that the focus becomes Christmas parties and programs instead of taking the opportunity to spread the Gospel at a time when people need it the most.

Gifts and needs being met are incredibly impactful in the lives of those around us, and what a blessing it is to have the resources to provide those things for those in need. Too often though, we see it as a checklist, not unlike the man in the red suit. At least Santa goes to the people.

All of this is to say that American Evangelicals need to meet our communities where they are. When we show up with gifts and needs, take the time to hear the stories of those you are helping and go a step further. Share the reason the holiday exists in the first place. Will someone accept Christ at that very moment? Probably not, but God uses that time commitment in intentional discipleship. The fact that Jesus invested in the lives of His disciples is the perfect model of how to bring His name to those who don’t know. How enriching it is that God makes us be patient, while leading others to His throne.

It is in these moments when we are forced to fully surrender to the Will of God and see our own faith be strengthened. So for this Christmas, try not to get lost in the shuffle. Go meet those in your community where they are and bring love, understanding, and best of all the saving knowledge of Jesus Christ. And for some of these encounters, all you have to do is look across the dinner table on Christmas Day. Even our own family members are in dire need of salvation. Take these precious opportunities to show and tell of Christ and the true meaning of Christmas.