09 December 2005

Mega-Churches cancel Christmas services

"What we're encouraging people to do is take that DVD and in the comfort of their living room, with friends and family, pop it into the player and hopefully hear a different and more personal and maybe more intimate Christmas message, that God is with us wherever we are," said Cally Parkinson, communications director at Willow Creek, which draws 20,000 people on a typical Sunday.


Amy Welborn had a post
about this a couple of days ago, but when I saw it on the NY Times I guess it has become something of general interest. Basically, since Christmas falls on a Sunday this year, the churches are cancelling services so that families can stay home together. That may be all fine and well, of course, but you can't worship a DVD, even in the comfort of your own home. And Christmas is not about the imminence of family in our lives (although, those are good things) But it is about the imminence of Christ, Emmanuel, God-with-us. Long and short, go to church on Christmas!

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

nice post...this is a stupid thing these churches are doing...it's something i'd expect from those lame-o emergent churches but not real churches...it sounds like you agree...eh?