All the bad press for Willow Creek Community Church lately over the cancellation of Christmas Sunday services, may be about to change. A new plan for Christmas Sunday features the suburban Chicago megachurch's senior minister, Bill Hybels, sharing the platform with another Chicago megachurch pastor, Rev. James Meeks, at House of Hope.
According to NBC5.com, Meeks, who pastors the predominantly African-American church, said the united preaching during a Christmas service will be, "a good opportunity for us to bridge some gaps."
Meanwhile at Southland Christian Church in Lexington, Ky., senior minister Jon Weece vigorously defended the decision to close church Christmas Sunday during his sermon this week.
According to the Lexington Herald-Leader, Weece has been receiving more than a few criticisms after the news spread that Southland and other large churches around the United States will be closed this Christmas.
He responded in his sermon last Sunday, called on the congregation to do acts of charity on Christmas Day, and commended the elders for their choice to honor family over policy or a tradition which traces back to a pagan holiday anyway, he said.
Anyway, I'm about as tired of talking about this as I am about hearing about a fictional war on Christmas. There may be a war in countries where churches have to be guarded against terrorism on Christmas. There's no war here in the United Statesâ€â€only a push for controversy, which brings higher ratings, which brings higher revenue.
Whether they open on Christmas Day or not, churches everywhere should avoid the politicized stink over Merry Christmas and simply rejoice and persevere.
Rather than controversy, ratings and revenue, we should look for perseverance, character and hope (Romans 5:3-5). And hope does not disappoint.
I didn't think much about it yesterday, but now I think the Merry Christmas greeting the tech support guy gave me after battling my DSL line for two hours over the phone was the most hopeful sign of a Christmas that may come yet.
