Why I hate 'the real meaning of Christmas'

I've become increasingly irritated by the way Christians talk about 'the real meaning of Christmas' - why?

To understand my irritation, you need to take a step back from the (good and appropriate) message that Christians are trying to communicate and sit with the hearers for a moment. There are numerous surveys which show that people who are not regular church-goers expect Christians to be narrow-minded and judgemental. So, if they hear a Christian talking about 'the real meaning of Christmas', what they actually hear is the Christian saying 'I disapprove of your consumerist drunken lifestyle - why can't you be pious like me?' It's no surprise that they don't respond well!

So how should we talk about Christmas? Jesus is the reason for the season is another phrase that's been around in recent years that makes much more sense to me. It has echoes with Paul's approach at the Areopagus in Athens where he looks at something they're already doing (worshipping 'an unknown God'), praises them for being religious, then uses their cultural forms (quoting the Greek poet Cleanthes) to point to Jesus and the resurrection.

Jesus joined in with other people's parties to the extent that he was accused of being a glutton and a drunkard (Matthew 11:19, Luke 7:34). His eating and drinking with tax-collectors and sinners was highly controversial - it was a much bigger social taboo in first century Israel than many contemporary Christians realise. These accusations point to a man who knew how to join in a party as a welcome (and sought after) guest and wasn't worried about others disapproving.

So how do we celebrate Christmas?

Join in the party!!

Make sure we point to Jesus in non-religious ways as much as possible.

Strangely enough carol services are almost non-religious and a great opportunity.

Start with nostalgia and use that to communicate a message that simply says God is good and Christians are okay!

Heavy evangelism is unexpected, unwelcome and ineffective at a carol service!

Have a great party!!!

Jesus is coming!

I was recently reviewing some evangelistic literature. It seems that little has changed in published evangelistic tracts since 'Journey into Life' which I first read as a new Christian in the 1970s. Journey into Life and a host of others which have 'borrowed' the format start with the assumption that the way to salvation is doctrinal - once a seeker makes intellectual assent to some basic teaching about the meaning of Jesus' life, death & resurrection, their own sinfulness and need of the salvation he offers, they're ready to become Christians.

I still fully subscribe to the theology of this approach, but I've got real doubts about the methodology.

Most people become Christians by belonging to a community that models different values, beginning to live them out, experiencing the transforming power of the Holy Spirit and then seeing their belief systems changed. The intellectual assent to fundamental truths about Jesus is the last link in the chain - not the first.

If this is true, then we need a very different style of evangelistic literature. One which tells stories of transformation, promotes the values of Christian living and encourages people into a transformational community.

Does such literature exist? I'm sure it would be very useful if it did, but I'm not aware of it as a cheap give away resource to spiritual seekers.

Somebody tell me where to find it??

Boomer Faith

What would work to engage spiritually with a generation of boomers who are still spiritual but disillusioned with church? I hope to start a project fairly soon to try and do this. Starting point for developing vision will be the three components outlined below.

1. Rhythm of life

Small group 2-3 people meeting weekly for accountability.

Use the framework below to help one another to be accountable for missional discipleship. Honesty deepens as the group get to know and trust one another. If a fourth person joins the group, in a short time the group should multiply into two. This enables natural growth. This rhythm is developed from Mike frost’s rhythm of life (not sure where it’s published I got it at a seminar he led) and Neil Cole’s Life Transformation Groups

Sharing Blessing – people & planet

Bless 3 people every week by word of affirmation or practical help (one from church, one from wider community, third can be either)

Bless planet by doing something to make the world a better place (locally or globally)

Eat with 3 people a week

God – head and heart

Commit together to read set number of chapters of the Bible a day (Bible in a year plan?) – if one person doesn’t do it, everyone starts week again!

What have I learnt from the Bible this week, or what has puzzled me because I didn’t get it (but couldn’t ignore it)

How have I experienced God this week – where have I been blessed, how have I been ‘prompted’ by the Holy Spirit to get involved

Living like Jesus

Spouse & family – have I been a good parent/partner?

Anger – what has irritated me, how did I deal with it?

Money – have I been a faithful steward of the resources God has entrusted to me?

Sex – what temptations have I experienced? How did I deal with them?

Pray

What one thing would I like the group to pray for me?

2. Spirit of Rock

An evening that will appeal to lovers of 60s/70s rock, with a spiritual flavour.

It’s a multimedia evening with great, loud music. The music blurs the distinction between performance and worship. It all has a spiritual theme and the musicians are definitely worshipping (honouring God by the way they play). It’s not sing-along like ‘worship’ music. It has God-centred vocals, but it’s real rock music too.

Woven into the music is a multimedia presentation.

• It starts with nostalgia for the 60s and 70s – recreates the dawning of the age of aquarius and the adolescence of a generation who knew they could and would change the world.
• It moves on to where are we now? What have we done? Did we get side-tracked from aspiration to affluence – make money but not make a difference.
• Who are we becoming – how can we make sense of the rest of our lives! How can we make the most of the rest of our lives?
• Involvement in the world – making it a better place – local and international dimension.
• Spiritual discipline – adopting a rhythm of life that makes sense
• Spiritual experience – the transforming power of God the Holy Spirit

The aim of the evening is that people will enjoy the music, meet God and hear a low-key challenge to re-think their lives.

The whole evening will last ~ 2 hours. Once we’ve put it together, we can find invitations to repeat it in lots of places!

Follow-up evenings (monthly?) can look at specific aspects of the challenge above in more detail. Possibly meeting in a neutral café venue (Retro in North Camp?).

3. Discipleship programme

Begin by brainstorming in the group –what should a new Christian know, experience, live out at the end of their first two years of Christian discipleship?

Once components are agreed, work out how to deliver them in a ‘modular’ form.

Each component will be a short-term, closed commitment, individuals can decide whether to sign up for a particular component or not.

All of the components may be ‘plugged in’ to the life of existing congregations too