Thursday, December 15, 2005

Christmas church closings

Geez, there has been an incredible amount of conversation about this topic. Andy Stanley writes:
"When I made the decision to shut things down on Christmas day I was wearing my employer hat. To open on Christmas morning would require a hundred or so people to come to work on Christmas morning. I would never do that.

Now, the readers of this blog are sophisticated enough to know that we are messing with a tradition not a Scriptural command. Nobody knows exactly when Jesus was born. The celebration of his birth began long after everyone who had any first hand information about it was dead. That's why we don't know exactly when He was born.

The way I read it, the spirituality of an individual or a group should be judged by their track record in two areas - love for one another and generosity with resources.

Bottom line, I may not be a very good Christian or pastor, but this Christmas season there are several hundred people who think I'm a good boss.

Merry Christmas."
I like the way he puts it, but maybe I'm being too simple about it.

Additionally, I think the concept of tradition versus a Scriptural mandate is an important point Andy brings up. If you lived in another culture intentionally, you would be forced to critically examine cultural traditions versus Scriptural commands in order to further spiritual growth among people in that culture, but not add to the Gospel.

And the idea that maybe "church" doesn't just happen on Sunday...

By the way, GCC is having 6 Christmas Eve services and is closed on Christmas Day.

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