17 Dec, 2024 WARNING: Christians still being silenced in THEIR OWN Christmas events
A line to hold
Keys to avoiding the secularising of your Christmas event
Both as a youth worker, pastor and now as a general networker, I’ve heard of innumerable Christian charities and also Christian community events that have ‘fallen’ to ‘secularism’.
The pattern and pressure is simple to define.
The tensions and temptation are common to (the same in) all of these.
The wisdom to avoid the secularising of events (or charitable efforts) you originally initiated to glorify God is available. Here are some simple points to please remember and follow.
1. Don’t ever let go of the control of your own event due to pressure from a ‘community voice’
Once control is taken by a non-Christian, it is unlikely to ever come back to you.
They will leverage it for fundraising, business or charity or council brand profile, prestige or because they are genuinely charitable. You initiated your effort because you wanted God to be glorified.
They will be promoting THEIR religious worldview – which is likely nihilism (there is no greater purpose to life) – by nature of the ‘general cheer and good will’ with no reference to any higher purpose or goal in life beyond a short-term view.
Once you surrender control, you have lost.
STORY: I think of a Christmas Carols in the Park here in NZ. A few pastors in the community changed roles. They had run a good programme, with a gentle Christian (Christmas) message at the most. One year the mostly new group of pastors in town felt unable to run it and the local brass band offered to take it on. The churches never got it back. The event was immediately changed into a brass band fundraiser, with all references to Christ removed – initially including removing even Christmas carols related to Christ. We are now 20 years later, and the matter still isn’t resolved. A secular radio DJ is MC for the event. Christmas carols are again involved, but no Christian content. The churches were forced to start their own Christmas carol gathering in a church – to have a Christmas that remembers Christ. I believe this continues to this day.
2. Don’t let the claim of complaints convince you that your surrender is needed
I point out that someone who says they don’t like the ‘Christian’ stuff might be called a ‘complaint’ by a non-Christian – who is campaigning for their own religious agenda to win, to point this out.
This is simply ‘bullying’ or ‘peer pressure’. What they claim might not be legitimate – noting many people have many different views!
Consider all your church members who might comment on their disappointment at no reference to Christ. Every one of those comments is a complaint too!
You have to consider the whole community.
Your members are a part of the community.
You also have to consider what Christmas is actually about. Should that be silenced by ‘peer pressure’ from a small few people – who are actually pretending to represent the whole? (They don’t!)
It is your event.
DATA: In a recent ‘NZ and the Bible’ study via the NZ Bible Society (2022/2023),
- 58% of NZers saw Christmas as a religious holiday, 20% as just a holiday / family time, 10% as a pagan tradition, 4% as an occasion to remember the generosity of Saint Nicholas (1% other and 6% don’t know).
- Regarding who the main person associated with Christmas was – 39% said Santa, while 37% said Jesus.
- 65% agreed that the true meaning of these seasons has been watered down.
Do not be dissuaded from keeping Christ in your event.
STORY: I note an event initiated by churches together that took funding from a local business. After the first event the business said they had ‘lots of complaints about the Christian content’ – which was actually very minimal, and already very sensitive. I suspect it was INTIMIDATION that caused the churches to release a level of control in the programme to the business, resulting the next year in NO CHRISTIAN MESSAGE AT ALL. I am praying they re-gain control of the programme, and never make the same mistake again. Better to run the event without that business’ funding than to deny Christ – losing the very purpose for which the event was started!
This is a warning – because it keeps happening!
3. The story of Jesus in songs and drama is not enough. Someone needs to speak!
This is where some wisdom and skill from a communicator is needed.
It is possible to tell Christian stories and to have secular audiences then applaud you.
The point to understand here is that speaking is different to singing and drama. While all communicate, it is very specifically the role and responsibility of a speaker to ENGAGE with their audience. This is a skill set.
- Speaking can cut through in a way that songs and drama do not – communicating MEANING.
- Often a song of drama needs an explanatory comment (‘speaking’) for its meaning to be clear to an audience.
The key is in HOW you go about that communication.
For now – yes, have Christmas carols; Yes, have a drama about Jesus from children if you wish… But someone must speak!
4. Learn to speak through stories
The extra tip I’d add to that is that you then make your concluding statement something that everyone agrees with.
RESOURCE: So, for a framework for a 10 minute highly-engaging Christmas talk (or 4 minutes – or 2 minutes if you look at my example on live Radio at 6mins in the link found HERE).
RESOURCE: Or see a simple five minute script below (if you don’t use the ‘values history’ point which is an extra – and too much for the one talk).
RESOURCE: Or for wider learning, read (or listen – 2 hours) to Dave’s book titled ‘The Art of Storytelling – and of becoming an intriguing person‘. This is specifically about communicating Christian messages in SECULARISED environments. Find it free online (PDF or audio book) HERE.
The key here is:
- CONCISE stories
- At least 3 stories – within about 5mins, or 10mins if you are holding attention.
- A conclusion that everyone can agree with – yet that unapologetically includes Jesus, who is the reason for the season
- And a prayer included – praying for general blessing, while not failing to mention Christ.
It is my suggestion that the NZ public can enjoy, appreciate and even applaud simple communication like this, based in storytelling, providing a balanced perspective – and yet still including the Christian message and dynamic, even if only simply.
A draft script is below – and short example of me summarising this same message at 6mins in the interview found HERE.
We hope this helps.
RESOURCE:
FIVE MINUTE CHRISTMAS SCRIPT / OUTLINE
(i) Kia ora whanau / Greetings family. Brief self-introduction (one sentence). Opening statement: While Christmas is about the birth of Christ, in our society today it’s become a lot more.
(ii) Santa: The Santa tradition dates back to Santa’s birth in 1931 in a Coca Cola factory – and with the help of the marketing dollar this tradition has exploded. But in history – Christmas goes back further than that!
(iii) Ruatara: Here in New Zealand, the first Christmas message happened entirely by chance. Chief Ruatara from Northland (of Ngāti Torehina) had met the Rev Samual Marsden – who had incidentally literally saved his life. Being amazed at the kind character of this man in comparison to so many Pākehā he invited Marsden to set up a mission base in New Zealand to teach his people new skills, trades and also Christian teachings about love instead of war. As their first Sunday together in New Zealand drew near Ruatara organised a church service gathering 300 to 400 Māori to listen in – and asking Marsden to preach, the day just happened to be Sunday 25th December – Christmas day 1814. But Christmas goes further back than this!
(iii) The gift giving tradition traces back further than that though – to Saint Nicholas. …who lived in the fourth Century. (Saint Nicholas lived under terrible Roman persecutions). His parents died while he was young and – becoming a Christian, he decided to give away the great wealth he had inherited. He began a life of gospel proclamation and good works. (This was the time of persecution of Christians, and he spent a lot of time in Prison, but then an emperor came to power who decided it was time to stop persecuting the Christian faith). One day Nicholas heard of a family who were so poor that they were going to have to sell their children to survive (daughters, as child brides). The story goes that Nicholas snuck at night with a small bag of coins which he dropped into their house through a window – and it landed in some socks hung out to dry. And this is where the tradition of Christmas stockings at Christmas comes from.
But the the tradition of gift-giving goes further back than that.
(iii) The wise men bringing gifts to Jesus: At the time of Jesus’ birth some wise men from the East had a revelation from God that this special child was going to be born. Following a star they arrived in Israel, and upon enquiring as to where it was predicted centuries earlier their Messiah would be born, were directed to the small town of Bethlehem. There they gave three expensive gifts to the newly born Jesus – these being gold, frankincense and myrrh.
(iv) (Extra?) A cultural festival: But Christmas for us today is actually about more than all of this. Beyond the clear Christian tradition that dates back prior to 200 AD, in our culture it became a cultural festival with a public holiday. Public holidays exist to remind us of things that are intrinsic to who we are as a nation. ANZAC isn’t merely about the landing of troops at Gallipoli – but instead about remembering all who fought in our wars. In the same way Christmas isn’t actually merely about the birth of Christ – but instead about our culture and nation’s recognition of the significance of Jesus to who we are.
We live in one of the most free, prosperous, equality based and charitable nations on planet Earth today – as also in all of history. Why? It is because of the influence of Jesus – and if we were to seek the truest meaning of Christmas, explaining why this is a cultural festival today, this would be it. Beyond the Christian faith itself, this faith and its values have shaped our cultural values so much so that they have become like the air we breath. We live in an amazing nation and culture – and have a lot to be thankful for!
Summary: So as we approach Christmas lets remember a few things
- Giving gifts is good
- Let’s show kindness to others
- Let’s consider those who are less fortunate – and even set an extra seat or two at the table to invite others to join us
- Let’s also remember and learn about our cultural history – to understand how we became such a remarkable free, prosperous, equality-based and free society
- And – if our hearts are open to it – let’s also remember the spiritual.
The belief at the core of Christmas is that there is a God who is loving and good. This is a great belief. God isn’t cruel, or unkind or distant. This God is instead personal and loving – and can even be known. That is why Jesus came. It influences how we live. This faith has literally shaped our culture and its values – and that is the story of Christmas.
Prayer: Me inoi tatou / let us pray.
Dear God. Thank you for loving us. Thank you for Jesus. Thank you also for family and for community. Help us to be a community that knows and shows your love in ways that are sincere and real. Bless our community please. We pray in the holy name of our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ. Amen.
“Light Parties”
This is a way we can engage within the public square, connecting widely, while giving parents a POSITIVE alternative to the scary side of Halloween – which many will appreciate!
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For other articles by Dave on the same topic of – CHURCH UNITY
2024 – The LID of our unity is in what we can SEE
2024 – To further unity there is a needed context
2024 – SLT Leadership statement – Nest areas we intend to innovate within
2024 – Attitudes that sustain unity
2024 – How is the strength of unity to be measured?
2024 – Application from the Bible Society’s new data
2023 – A unity reflection: What if we were more strategic in our PRAYER
2023 – Roy Crowne – A voice for unity – Unity finding its voice in the CITY
2023 – Fresh vision for local Church unity
2023 – Invercargill’s Community Service Day – a unity story
2023 – Family relationships – an under-utilised gateway
2023 – The election is over – so WHAT NOW? (A specific strategic proposal)
2023 – For a united Church – there are leaders we cannot see
2023 – “Mistaken” – An offensive comical parable? Why?
2023 – “Mistaken” – A comical parable about unity
2023 – Four characteristics of leaders who take city-wide unity from talk to action
2023 – The quiet before the storm (Perspectives that shape how we lead)
2023 – STORY: How Gisborne churches united to serve their flood-affected region
2023 – STORY: NZ churches can shine when it counts (Napier flood report)
2022 – One Church? FIVE factors that enable pastors’ groups to turn theory into practice
2022 – A SWOT Analysis of the NZ Church in relation to its outreach
2022 – Four national goals that can be easy ‘wins’ together
2022 – A vocabulary we can agree on (This one is a particularly important FOUNDATION if coherent national discussions on unity are to one day take place)
2022 – Principles for managing necessary agenda in pastors’ groups
2022 – Introducing ‘HeLP Project’ (for pastors’ groups) – the what and the why
2022 – Key pulpit themes in view of the global reset (Finding direction in changing times)
2020 – It’s time to take responsibility to educate our own children and youth again (On united direction and strategy – for city change)
2020 – Kingdom minded – It’s more radical than many think
2020 – STORY – The Auckland delivery
2020 – A need for new media platforms – not more voices (How do we address the increasingly left-leaning and also anti-faith bias of public media?)
2020 – A vision for national Church unity (What might REALISTICALLY be within our reach to achiEve – if we merely thought differently?)
2019 – ‘In One Spirit’ – The purpose of the book (Written at the time of the book launch and press release)
2019 ‘In One Spirit’ – full book FREE online
2019 – United we stand (A blog just prior to the release of the above book, ‘In One Spirit’)
2017 – Pastors’ groups – a home visitation idea (best suiting smaller towns)
2017 – The call to influence culture (It’s about the way we think)
DAVE MANN. Dave is a networker and creative communicator with a vision to see an understanding of the Christian faith continuing and also being valued in the public square in Aotearoa-New Zealand. He has innovated numerous conversational resources for churches, and has coordinated various national nationwide multimedia Easter efforts purposed to open up conversations between church and non-church people about the Christian faith and its significance to our nation’s history and values. Dave is the Producer of the ‘Chronicles of Paki’ illustrated NZ history series created for educational purposes, and the author of various other books and booklets including “Because we care”, “That Leaders might last”, “The Elephant in the Room”, “In One Spirit” and “The Art of Storytelling – and of becoming an intriguing person”. Married to Heather, they have four boys and reside in Tauranga, New Zealand.