Cancel Christmas?!

There is a fascinating discussion taking place among Christians about the choice of several churches to cancel their Christmas Day services. There have been articles in the secular (The Chicago Tribune & The Lexington Herald Leader) and Christian press (Christianity Today's Weblog). The discussion deals directly with the issue of Christian freedom.

Why did these churches cancel the service? One spokeswoman for Willow Creek Church in the Chicago area said: "It's being lifestyle-friendly for people who are just very, very busy." Another Willow Creek staff member explained that they "see it as not having church on Christmas. We see it as decentralizing the church on Christmas -- hundreds of thousands of experiences going on around Christmas trees. The best way to honor the birth of Jesus is for families to have a more personal experience on that day." But if it is good to have "a more personal experience" then "why not decentralize the church every week?" Similarly, Fuller Seminary professor, Robert Johnston, didn't like the emphasis on individual family worship: "What's going on here is a redefinition of Christmas as a time of family celebration rather than as a time of the community faithful celebrating the birth of the Savior. There is a risk that we will lose one more of our Christian rituals, one that's at the heart of our faith."

But is Christmas day worship “at the heart of our faith”? Willow Creek says that they haven’t had a Christmas Day service since the last time Christmas fell on a Sunday -- and that one service was poorly attended. Willow Creek estimated that they would have about 50,000 worshipers at various services the week preceding Christmas. And they produced and distributed a Christmas DVD that people could play in their homes.

What does Scripture say? In Romans 14 Paul wrote: "One man considers one day more sacred than another; another man considers everyday alike." (v.5) Paul defined this issue as a “disputable matter,” thus giving a Christian the freedom to view certain days as sacred or not. (The Catholic Church does not give its worshipers this kind of freedom. A Catholic priest explained that Christmas day is "a holy day of obligation, which means for the faithful, Mass attendance is required.") All that is required is that each person “should be fully convinced in his own mind” about his viewpoint. God is more concerned that I live my life “to the Lord” -- that I am conscious of Him in all that I do -- than what day I worship.

It seems, then, that we have the freedom to view Christmas Day as a special day of worship or not. Different churches and different individuals within these churches, will come to different conclusions as they look to God for direction. The key is that whatever we do, we do it with our hearts and minds on the incredible condescension that God accomplished in Bethlehem’s stable: “And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. An angel of the Lord shone around them and they were terrified. But the angel said to them: “Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in strips of cloth and lying in a manger.” Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying: `Glory to God in the highest and on earth peace to men on whom his favor rests.’”

Leadership, Part 5

How can a person rule others if he can’t rule himself? Paul’s next character trait for a leader is that he must be “self-controlled.” This is a disciplined person. He schedules regular time with God. He watches only the second half of a football game so he can help his wife with housework. He limits his spending so that he won’t have to work overtime to pay for his toys. He is able to decline an offer to golf with his buddies because Saturday morning is the best time to be with his kids.

It is easier to describe what a disciplined person looks like than how he becomes disciplined. Paul told the Corinthians: “I beat my body and I make it my slave so that ... I will not be disqualified for the prize.” The disciplined person is able to set aside immediate gratification for future rewards -- the athlete labors for a trophy, the Christian for “a crown that will last forever.” Paul made his body subservient to a higher purpose -- to preach the gospel. He was motivated by eternity.

• “Lord, I know that fellowship with you is the only way I will develop an eternal perspective.”
• “Lord, the results of this football game will be insignificant in light of eternity. You have called me to love my wife and she needs my help today.”
• “Lord, I know that the toys I am tempted to buy will not make me happy. Only you can bring true joy.”
• “Lord, I know that no one in heaven will ask about my golf handicap. But you will ask about my faithfulness in teaching my children -- who will live forever.”

Leadership, Part 4

Paul’s lengthy list of qualifications for leadership in I Timothy provides a glimpse into the essential traits required of a Christian leader. Though no one (except Jesus) perfectly mirrors these qualifications, they provide an ideal to measure progress toward maturity.

In my last post I talked about temperance as one of the critical traits. Paul also explained that a leader must be “above reproach” and “respectable.” John Stott believes these words point toward a leader’s public performance -- it “has to do with irreproachable observable conduct.” This type of person would “have a good reputation with outsiders.”

I recently read a biography of a well-known Christian coach. Though this man was highly thought of the Christian community, few of his players respected him. They thought that his coaching didn’t match his faith. They said he was heartless with correction. He appeared indifferent when players were hurting. He was callous when cutting players. He didn’t maintain any relationship with former players. Didn’t Jesus say that love is the essential mark of a Christian? Didn’t Paul say that if I don’t have love “I am nothing”? This coach justified his actions by stating that he didn’t want to get too close to his players because he was afraid it would prejudice his difficult choices. That’s like saying I don’t want to get to close to my kids because it my effect my ability to discipline them. This is nonsense. Love certainly effects our judgment -- but usually for the better.

If I want to be a godly leader, it isn’t just my life at church that must be above reproach. I must ask myself: How do I react to a hard foul during pick-up basketball? How do I treat a waitress who can’t get my order right? How do I speak about my political opponents? How do I respond to a grouchy neighbor who complains about the noise my grandkids are making? “Father, I want all of my words and ways to bring honor to you.”