Nov 12

Nov 12 Where is Christmas?

Every year I get excited about Christmas and what it means for the world. Christians around the globe celebrate salvation and the birth of our Savior who came into the world to die on the cross for our sins. I always share with our student ministry that Easter and Christmas go together. We celebrate the birth, death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus, The King of Kings and the Lord of Lords.

Depending on what poll you read this week somewhere around 65-70% of Americans claim Christianity. Others may hold to other religions or no religious affiliation. Yes, the number of Christians has decreased in America over the last decade or more, but I want to focus more on Christmas for today’s blog. While the number has dropped for Christians in America, I have noticed that the attitude or mindset of Christmas has changed in America over the last 35 years I have been alive.

I wonder if you polled the students within your ministry this Christmas how they would rate their Christmas Day. From a score of 1-10, with one being poor and ten being amazing, I am curious what the score would look like within each of your ministries. The heart of Christmas seems to fade away every year, and the score of our Christmas comes from the quantity and quality of the gifts we receive.

I have decided to make this year’s Christmas season one where we look at why Jesus came to earth. Jesus came because of what we will be celebrating in the Spring, Easter. We cannot separate these two events. Today’s blog may not seem like a typical student ministry blog, but I have noticed more this year than previous years how the meaning of Christmas has faded away in America.

Over the last few years my wife and I have been commenting on how we feel that Jesus is being left out of Christmas at different places that we go. We love Christmas lights in Orlando and we love all the different parades that happen across different places we have lived or visited. But we have felt like Jesus has been pushed out of Christmas in America.

I want to challenge you to take a stand as a church or ministry to make sure that over the Christmas season and throughout the year that we have an attitude of more of Christ within our life. When we put Jesus in the center of Christmas, our ministry, and our life, then our perspective of life and the Christmas season changes forever.

Let 2019 Christmas be a year that we cry out to God we want more: