Closed for Christmas?
I admit it. I like the restaurant Jack in the Box. They make a good hamburger (not so great on fries). I find myself going to stop by there often to pick up a burger or egg rolls or a shake. This is a journey often made later in the evening when I am lazy and hungry. However, what I notice when I have been going through the drive through lately is its holiday hours. They have posted the times which they will be open on Christmas and New Years. Yes they will be open. Years ago there would have been an uproar about a business operating on a religious holiday, and especially this year, a Sunday. No one is hollering this year. Jack will be available.
What is astonishing is not that businesses are open on Christmas, but that churches are closed. Sure, in the past most churches have not had Christmas Day services. There is a "traditional" Christmas Eve service which is very emotional and hear warming. Then they can go home put the kids in bed because Santa is coming. However, this year Christmas is on Sunday, the day the church has worshiped from its beginnings, and many churches, including mega churches like Willow Creek-Bill Hybels, Fellowship Church in Grapevine-Ed Young Jr., and Northpoint Community Church-Andy Stanley-will be closed.
When I hear these things I do not know what to think. What has gone wrong? Where did the church cease to exist for God and begin to focus upon itself? Has American individuality and consumerism driven our churches too far?
Lets review something. First, Sundays are a day of worship. Christians have treated them as the "Sabbath" for centuries. It is the day of rest and communion with God. Second, Christmas is a celebration of the coming of Christ. To use the cliche: "He is the reason for the season." Now it would only seem obvious that when these two days coincided Christians would have more of a chance to celebrate and gather together. So what has happened that has made some of the largest churches the world has ever seen decide they will not meet that day?
There are reports from these churches that attendance will be down so they decided to cancel. There have been excuses offered that point to all of the other "Christmas" events scheduled. I suppose they think that the day is not extremely sacred, and its not in and of itself. However, the message I think that is being sent (and perhaps the underlying reality) is that many Churches only do activities which cater to the needs of their congregations. This teaches their members (if there are any real ones) that they are more important than God. God has been lessened to an entity to call upon when you need your best life now. He is not the feared God of the Bible.
Sounds harsh? Maybe so, but when you have churches who are focused on what their attenders need more than the worship the Bible mandates you will eventually have problems.
I will be in church Christmas morning celebrating the coming of our (not my) King. Will you?
What is astonishing is not that businesses are open on Christmas, but that churches are closed. Sure, in the past most churches have not had Christmas Day services. There is a "traditional" Christmas Eve service which is very emotional and hear warming. Then they can go home put the kids in bed because Santa is coming. However, this year Christmas is on Sunday, the day the church has worshiped from its beginnings, and many churches, including mega churches like Willow Creek-Bill Hybels, Fellowship Church in Grapevine-Ed Young Jr., and Northpoint Community Church-Andy Stanley-will be closed.
When I hear these things I do not know what to think. What has gone wrong? Where did the church cease to exist for God and begin to focus upon itself? Has American individuality and consumerism driven our churches too far?
Lets review something. First, Sundays are a day of worship. Christians have treated them as the "Sabbath" for centuries. It is the day of rest and communion with God. Second, Christmas is a celebration of the coming of Christ. To use the cliche: "He is the reason for the season." Now it would only seem obvious that when these two days coincided Christians would have more of a chance to celebrate and gather together. So what has happened that has made some of the largest churches the world has ever seen decide they will not meet that day?
There are reports from these churches that attendance will be down so they decided to cancel. There have been excuses offered that point to all of the other "Christmas" events scheduled. I suppose they think that the day is not extremely sacred, and its not in and of itself. However, the message I think that is being sent (and perhaps the underlying reality) is that many Churches only do activities which cater to the needs of their congregations. This teaches their members (if there are any real ones) that they are more important than God. God has been lessened to an entity to call upon when you need your best life now. He is not the feared God of the Bible.
Sounds harsh? Maybe so, but when you have churches who are focused on what their attenders need more than the worship the Bible mandates you will eventually have problems.
I will be in church Christmas morning celebrating the coming of our (not my) King. Will you?
posted by Madison | 5:02 PM
3 Comments:
Count me in...What could be better apart from seeing his face than to celebrate the Lord's birth on the Lord's day.
I'll be there.
very well said madison. We will be worshiping on Sunday. For a savior who came to earth in the most inconvenient of ways, how sad is it that we are the ones being inconvenienced by opening the doors to our churches. Talk about no room at the inn. It makes me sad.
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