My Real Point - A Christ-Centered Christmas

Have you ever felt like you had a really good point to make but have been frustrated by how it came off. Well that's been my experience since I posted last. And I think I've realized my mistake, finally. I sat down to write with a settled conviction and instead wrote about a tangent instead of the real point and the real conviction.

So here's the real point we need to work hard as churches and parents to make sure that we celebrate a Christ-centered Christmas. This may or may not mean having Santa involved, but it must mean that Jesus is involved and central. It must mean that we tell our kids and everyone who will listen the story about how God entered the world in human flesh to set apart a people for Himself. We must work hard and be intentional.

There are dangers and hindrances, Santa can be one (John is living proof that it doesn't have to be), the materialistic fog that we all live in is another, and there are distractions that are in and of themselves good things. For a lot of families this is the only time that they can all get together, and this is good, we should celebrate the opportunities to be with the people that God providentially placed us with (not an accident whatever my brothers choose to think). But we still must insure that Jesus remains the center of this day.

That was my real point, I agree with John that Santa's role is a matter of conscience, that is absolutely true and Christians can disagree in good conscience, but what we cannot do is allow Jesus to slip out of the spotlight. Sorry for the misunderstanding.

Santa Claus is Dangerous

What is Christmas truly about? If you ask the average Joe you'll probably hear that its about showing Christmas spirit or giving gifts or eating too much or seeing family. Earlier this week on a kid show my daughter was watching a frog explained that he had a star on his tree because every year the biggest prettiest star comes out for Christmas, or something like that. As a culture we have forgotten why we have a holiday on Dec. 25 every year.

Look at the things that we actually focus on during Christmas, family gatherings (not bad but not the point), giving gifts (they do serve a point but not the materialistic insanity that we have going on), Christmas Tree's (who remembers what point they serve), and lots of Christmas movies (that have nothing to do with the real reason for Christmas).

The real purpose of Christmas is to celebrate the birth of Jesus. That's it, that's all. But people who care little about Jesus or who actively hate Him still want to celebrate Christmas, no matter how much debt it puts them in. So I think that we as those who love Jesus should find ways to celebrate Jesus' birthday distinctively. Start some family traditions that are focused on Christ. For example my family tries to make Christmas feel like a birthday party for Jesus. We have a birthday cake, we sing the Happy Birthday song (I know it sounds awfully cheesy), we put up happy birthday banners, all aimed at keeping the main thing the main thing.

Now I want to share the really controversial thing that we do. We aren't teaching our kids about Santa Claus. Yes I know many of you are cringing right now (all both of you) but I really think that Santa is the chief distraction. In most American homes Santa has replaced Jesus. Think about how many cartoons kids will watch this year about Santa compared with cartoons about Jesus' birth. Santa is dangerous because he draws our kids hearts away from Jesus and focuses them on a fat guy offering them toys (sounds like a guy you don't want in your neighborhood).

So I want to challenge everybody to reconsider Santa and to be intentional about having a Christ-centered Christmas.

PS - the original version of this post was a lot more hostile and was originally titled Santa Claus is a tool of the devil, Edna talked me out of it.

Happy Thanksgiving

I want to say Happy Thanksgiving to everybody (both of our readers), I hope that you get to spend the day with family stuffing your face with Turkey and Ham and enjoying some great football (doesn't it seem wrong that we're stuck with the winless Lions on Thanksgiving). But I want to give you a challenge and ask you a question.

First I want to challenge you to take advantage of this opportunity, most of have lost people in our families and this is a guaranteed opportunity to spend an extended amount of time with them. So I think that we should take of this day and seek to share the Gospel.

Second I want to ask a question, in the new polling spirit of the blog (thanks John) I want to ask you who and what you are thankful for. First is there a particular person in church history that you are thankful for, is there a certain family member that you are thankful for, and tell me one thing that you are thankful for in regards to your spouse. Share anything you like those are just a few ideas.