What To Do with All Those "Chreastians"?

Dec 1, 2016 | by Brad Sumner

People call them "Christmas-and-Easter-Christians” or “Chreastians”.

When I hear fervently religious people speaking of these individuals, of which there are thousands upon thousands living next door to you right here in our city, I often hear a tone.  A kind of disdain.  Sometimes the faithful speak of them as if they aren’t committed or that they just don’t get it. 

But what would Jesus have us do this Advent season with the C&E crowd? 

One thing we see in Jesus is that He always started with where people were at and met them there.  He affirmed spiritual hunger, even if it was in its infancy or if it was riddled by fear or doubt.       

This past weekend at Jericho, we launched into our Christmas season with a focus on the 5 names of Jesus revealed in Isaiah 9:6… Wonderful. Counselor. Mighty God. Everlasting Father. Prince of Peace.  We talked about how when we discover something or someone wonderful, it is natural for us to tell other people about this person. 

So here’s my challenge to each of us this Advent season…  Let’s stretch ourselves and ask God to give us courage and wisdom to find someone who is searching and who may be open to an invitation or a conversation and let’s have the boldness to press in.  Perhaps it’s a family member that you invite to come and see your child sing at the Kids Christmas Program on Sunday, Dec 18 in the East Gym.  Perhaps it’s a neighbour that you invite to Christmas Eve (to assist, we’ll be printing up postcards for you that will also be mailed to each home in the V2Y postal code).  Maybe you take someone to a Christmas production at another local church or you simply ask God for an opportunity to share about something He is doing in your life currently (possibly use our “show and tell” on Sunday mornings as a jumping off point – what would you object be?).        

Research shows us that many people around us are open to God and spiritual realities.  This Christmas, we can choose to shake our heads at these folks and decry their lack of commitment or we can do our best to draw them deeper in the community of faith and closer to God.