Mega Christmas II

For more, see my my first post.

It's Saturday afternoon and we just returned from our Christmas service — Yep, Christmas service on Christmas Eve afternoon.

Twenty years ago I discovered Jesus and decided to become a Christian in that place. I came from a church-going family. But as I grew up, I grew away from God. Everything changed when tragedy coincided with a friend's invitation to church and my life turned upside down.

Today we were seated along side our daughters. They also received Christ in this church and are now bringing their children to the kid's service they attended twenty-something years ago. How cool is that?

I've attended many Christmas services there through the years. I don't remember all of them, but this year was the best. The way we communicate the Christmas message — it just keeps getting better.

In 65 minutes...

• Illustrated with an awesome spacecraft image from billions of miles away, a dot in colored static — Our solar system. So insignificant and tiny, yet God reached out to us. That put things in perspective.
• How is it that the birth of a baby so many years ago could have such an impact on our world? Who do you say he is: A good man? A prophet? A symbol? Why should we care?
• You owe it to yourself to Examine His Identity.
• "God With Us"... God is real; he loves you; he cares about you; he wants to have a relationship with you. He is relevant.
• Finally, an opportunity to take a step toward God and engage in that life-changing relationship.

The above message was delivered between layers of Worship Music (some call it Christmas Carols), video, dance, and media. And through that fabric was a clear message of what church is and should be — a beacon to the poor and disadvantaged, a supportive community, a place to learn, worship, serve and grow. And a place that is outwardly-focused and receptive to people with questions.

How do I know it was good?  I have an eye for first-time-attenders; I was surrounded by them and I could tell they were listening. And me — an easily jaded, untraditional guy — had one of those "ah ha" moments where I looked at Christmas with new (teary) eyes.

In yesterday's Chicago Tribune I caught a two-page ad (!) bought by a denomination that said, "Mass on December 24th & 25th ...and Every Day of the Year". Great marketing. Smart move, leveraging the recent media hype. But it felt like a Walmart ad; not something a church should run. Unfortunate that a major denomination would play that competitive game.

An awesome, blessed Christmas to you and your family.

And by the way, my church is closed tomorrow