3 min read
At this point in the Christmas season, most of us are scrambling to buy and wrap last-minute gifts. We’re up to our ears in cookies, we’ve got stockings to stuff, and parties to attend.
But what if the most important thing that happens this Christmas isn’t something we do, but a question we ask?
Three Reasons Christmas Is the Perfect Time to Invite Someone to Church
1. The Christmas spirit already has people doing things they wouldn’t normally do.
Only at Christmas do we see penny-pinchers digging in their pockets for change to give to the man merrily ringing the bell outside the store. For the sake of Christmas, even our most dysfunctional family members will gather around the table. And even if we aren’t sure we like eggnog, we’ll give it a try because, well, it’s Christmas.
Research shows most people would come to church if someone they knew just asked, and people are more receptive to going to church at Christmas than other times of year.
Blame it on the infectious amounts of holiday cheer, but more than any other time of year people are willing to try something new, making it one of the best opportunities to invite someone to church.
2. By nature, people are curious.
Around the world, people will flock to churches on Christmas leaving others to wonder, “What’s all the hype about?” Never underestimate the amount of desire a little curiosity can spark.
Luke 2:15-16 says that when the shepherds heard about Jesus’ birth they said to one another, “‘Let’s go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened…’ so they hurried off and found Mary, Joseph and the baby who was lying in a manger.”
Curiosity is what led the shepherds to meet Jesus, and curiosity could be what leads the people you invite to meet Jesus as well.
3. Many are in desperate need of good news and great joy.
Every day people are faced with staggering circumstances, and Christmastime is no exception. Marriages end, loved ones pass away, and devastating test results come back. For many, the future seems bleak and hearts are broken.
Often, people who are hurting feel like church isn’t for them. Yet on the first Christmas, those who were frightened and in desperate need of good news and great joy were addressed directly.
In Luke 2:10-11 the angel responded, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born…”.
This Christmas, we have the opportunity to introduce those who are hurting to the same Savior. We can invite people to a place where they can meet the God who acknowledges their greatest fears, sees their deepest longings and sent His Son to save us.
Whether someone comes to church out of curiosity, a willingness to try something new, or desperation for a Savior, it could be your invitation that leads someone to meet Jesus! At the very least, you’ll provide that person with a much-needed break from all the small talk and Christmas movies.
The hope we give away at Christmas is sure to outlast the cookies and the lights on the tree.