Living on Mission in the Christmas Season
For many years as a pastor, I had a subtle resistance toward the Christmas-and-Easter crowd. They're a well-known category known as "Chreasters" in the American South. In the missional church world stateside, we can sometimes roll our eyes at folks who only show up twice a year, though. Their occasional presence communicates a lack of seriousness or commitment to the practices of the Christian faith. If I’m honest, I felt that...a lot. As our church grew rapidly, I worried that emphasizing Christmas services might unintentionally signal that those who did show up on holidays were somehow more valued than those who attended between holidays. And I also didn't love how much pressure these "special Sundays" created.
But the longer I’ve lived in Texas, the more I’ve realized how deeply cultural Christianity shapes our context. In my neighborhood, the “I’m Christian, but I rarely practice” type is uncommon, but across our wider Austin region, it’s the norm. And though I often get frustrated by religious culture, I've come to see it as a good thing, even though it's not ideal. And strangely enough, Christmas has become one of the more spiritually open moments of the year for people distant from faith or shaped by entirely different traditions. The last two Christmases have made that abundantly clear.
A few years ago, friends from another country (who practice a different religion) asked if they could join our family for an “American Christmas.” They knew I was a pastor, and they simply wanted to experience what it was like. And I'm glad they joined our family! It was a joyful, warm, and surprisingly meaningful moment in our relationship with them. That one shared memory created space for ongoing spiritual dialogue that still continues today.
Two years ago, two other friends who are married (he grew up Catholic, and she in Southern Pentecostalism) came with us to Christmas Eve. They had been around our Christian community for years and had several relationships with folks in our church. And when they arrived, they were welcomed that night by dozens of familiar faces.
Something about that evening stirred them. They came back the next week as part of a New Year's resolution and, from that day, became regular Sunday attenders. They spent the following year quietly showing up, listening to sermons, engaging in worship, and asking questions. Eventually, we sat down and talked about what a deeper connection to the church might look like. They were also present on the Sunday I preached my final sermon to our congregation, and it was a moment when God used my suffering and gift of teaching to speak directly into their lives.
Today, they serve together on the hospitality team. Their sons are plugged into student ministry. They’re walking through Saturate’s study “The Story of God,” with a few neighbors. But none of that happened quickly. It was a slow presence, long faithfulness, and ordinary friendship. But it all began with a simple invitation to Christmas Eve. That’s a story that can be common in the South, but I also think that, no matter where you are in the world, it can be a helpful reminder to live intentionally on mission in all seasons. Whatever your context may be, there’s an opportunity for invitation to consider Jesus, and there are ways we can show His love as God’s people.
As we enter Advent, I’m mostly reminded that mission rarely looks dramatic. Often it simply looks like noticing the people already around us - friends, coworkers, neighbors, even the “Chreasters” - and offering an invitation into something beautiful - the bride of Christ. Christmas in the States has a way of softening people, opening doors, awakening memories, or stirring questions that have been long dormant. And God loves to use simple, ordinary faithfulness to draw people to Himself. While it may look different in your context, the coming of the King is an opportunity to show and share the Good News.
My encouragement this year: don’t underestimate what one invitation might spark. Slow change often begins in surprising places.
