The Christmas season is a time of year when we can go about making a difference...well, differently. At no other time of year do people have one thing on their minds. This preoccupation provides us with opportunities to share the gospel in different ways.

Have you ever thought about just talking about Christmas as a way to witness? We did a Christmas cantata one year and the main character’s last name was Christmas. Evidently her parents were of a whimsical persuasion because her first name was Mary! Well, the point of the story was how she used her unusual name to tell everyone she met the Christmas story. Lots of people wonder about “the true meaning of Christmas.” Let’s make this season one in which we imitate the shepherds’ response on that first Christmas and tell everyone we meet the reason for the newborn King.

Or maybe you’d rather sing! You know there is a lot of theology packaged in some of our Christmas carols. Go ahead and sing about the Godhead being veiled in flesh or Christ’s being the second Adam (Hark, the Herald Angels Sing). Or belt out the fact that Christ can cast out our sin and be born in us today (O Little Town of Bethlehem). Maybe softly singing of a virgin-mother will prompt some questions (Silent Night, Holy Night)!

Perhaps you’re not the singing type or even the talking type. You could still invite folks to our annual Christmas outreach. The Christmas program this year will feature beautiful music by our church choir and orchestra, teen choir and children’s choirs. The program will feature a “cantata” within a play. The drama is about several older people waiting for a church choir to come and present their program at the rest home. Their interactions and exchanges are hilarious. And they learn about the miracle of Christ that can happen in the heart—even in an old, hardened heart.

The only presentation will be early on Sunday evening, December 16th at 5:00 p.m.

So whether you talk, sing or hand out invitations, there are many different ways to use the Christmas season to make a difference.

David Stertzbach II, B.A.
Music Pastor