A Christmas Visit Warning

Many people decide it’s time to visit a new church when Christmas rolls around. And I’m all for checking out a church community during the Christmas season. In fact, it’s one of the easiest times of the year to engage in a church visit. But, just like a first date, timing and first impressions go hand in hand. Visiting a church during Christmas can be like a first date on Valentine’s Day. There are high expectations on both sides and perhaps a bit more effort than normal on your date’s part. As such, a Christmas visit probably is not the best time to decide if a church community is a suitable partner for your spiritual journey.

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If there is ever a time of the year when a church community should be anticipating guests, it’s Christmas. As a Christmas guest you can expect to be welcomed warmly and invited to come inside to the Celebration – no strings attached. You don’t have to worry about being singled out as “a guest” because you are one of many and the focus really isn’t on you anyway. It’s on the birth of Christ. This sounds like a great time to slip in and see what a church is like, right?

Not really. Just as we don’t often invite people to a party until we’ve cleaned up and prepared for visitors, a Christmas church visit doesn’t give you an accurate experience on the daily life of the church community. What you see and experience on Christmas might not be what you’d experience after Christmas.

That’s why it’s important to proceed with caution after the Celebration – that is if you’ve had a good visit. You’ll have to do more dating to see if the Christmas hospitality you experienced really does extend beyond the first date. You’ll need to see what draws people back after the party’s over. You need to find out if the church is just as attractive, but in a different way, wearing its casual wear.

(WARNING – However, if you were made to feel more like a party crasher than a distinguished guest at Christmas – and this should go without saying – but, ditch the idea of a second date ASAP.)

I hope your Christmas season is overflowing with friends and the promise of a new relationship with a church community. I pray you find the light of the Christ child, and I pray a church community is where you find that light shining brightest of all now and in the New Year.

Merry Christmas!