As we near the Christmas season, pastors will be considering how to effectively share the gospel. Perhaps you\u2019re continuing with an expositional series you began earlier in the year. However, most of the pastors I\u2019ve encountered through the years will take a break from a verse-by-verse series for the Advent season. This has typically been my practice as well.<\/p>\n
Preaching during the Christmas season does not need to be complicated. Let me offer three tips for preaching during this time.<\/p>\n
1. Keep it simple<\/strong><\/p>\n You most likely will see some new faces during the Christmas season. You definitely will see some folks you probably haven\u2019t seen since Easter \u2013 or maybe even last Christmas. Now, I\u2019ve known some preachers who have tried to unpack some obscure theological concept during December. Let me just counsel that this is probably not the best time of year to get on your theological soapbox. This is not the time to talk about how pro- or anti-Calvinism you are. It\u2019s definitely not the time for you to jump into your best end-times exegesis. And here\u2019s why: If folks who don\u2019t normally attend are coming to your church during the Christmas season, they want to hear the Christmas story.<\/em><\/p>\n Perhaps they remember Christmas seasons from years ago and remember going to church at Christmas with their grandparents. Perhaps they are dealing with the depression that can so easily set in during the holiday season. They are looking for hope. You don\u2019t have to wow them with your grasp of big theological words.<\/p>\n 2. Provide follow-up opportunities<\/strong><\/p>\n Many families will go through some type of devotional or use Advent readings during the Christmas season. You can make these available to your church members by way of books in the lobby, or even just give a few short daily reading passages in the bulletin. For instance, I\u2019m preaching through the Advent wreath this year, focusing on the themes of hope, peace, joy and love for the four Sundays leading up to Christmas. So, each week I\u2019ll provide three or four passages for families to read through the following week that focus on those themes. This will help families connect with the message during the week as we lead up to Advent.<\/p>\n