Christmas is upon us. To most people, “It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year.” But when you do what we do, it can also be the most hectic time of the year. Too often, we get so caught up in the details of our Christmas programs that we lose sight of what’s important.
We are not the star of this show. Our church is not the star of the show. That position is reserved for one person and one person only. His name is Jesus.
Don’t hear me wrong, though. It’s not that the details aren’t important. They are. But sometimes we need to be reminded of where—or better yet, on whom—our focus should be centered.
Union or competition?
How many times have you heard pastors lead with their stats concerning the success of their Christmas services?
“We had 1,000 people come to Christmas Eve this year.”
“Our church had 10,000 across three campuses.”
“This year, our church rented out an amphitheater with 20,000 in attendance.”
In and of itself, numbers aren’t a problem. They’re actually something to be celebrated and they’re necessary to measure effectiveness. The book of Acts records numbers all over it. But, in too many cases, numbers can quickly become a matter of competition between churches.
Another area in which we get stuck comparing ourselves is in our programming. Did your music move people? Was the production seamless? Did you orchestrate that perfect moment to create an emotional response? Again, all of these things are positive if they are kept in the right perspective. Making the service meaningful without technical distractions is a powerful tool to share what we are all about, the birth of our Savior.
This is what truly matters
It might sound simple. But remember, Christ came to us in the humblest manner possible as a vulnerable infant. Our attempts, no matter how grandiose, can never match the beauty and majesty of His deliberate act of submission into our world. He became one of us to save us. This is what unites the church today, not the music, not the videos, not even the candlelight. We must always come back to and unite around the fact that we get to present this miracle to people who may be far from God. We are not the star of this show. Our church is not the star of the show. That position is reserved for one person and one person only. His name is Jesus.
As you are going about the Christmas season, do your best to work out every single detail as an act of worship. Plan for people to come hear a story they may have never really heard before. Prepare for larger than normal crowds. But, when it’s all over, keep in mind what this is truly about.Go home. Love your families. Love those closest to you.
And remember.
Jesus.
Don Smith is executive director of creative ministries at Hope Community Church in Raleigh, N.C.
