As a ministry leader, December can be tough. A sense of dread mixed with joy begins to creep up when Christmas is on the horizon. We celebrate the glow of twinkling lights and the scent of evergreen decor, while hoping one of our gifts under the tree is a nap. This year will be my 19th Christmas as pastor of Houston’s First Baptist Church. I’ve been to more Christmas parties and preached more Christmas sermons than I can count, and while I’m filled with gratitude to do what I get to do, each November, as the world becomes red and green, I always ask myself, “Am I ready for this?”
Christmas for Christian leaders comes with a heavy load. Personal pressures combined with ministry pressures can add up and become too much. Like two beautiful streams combining into one raging river, the rapids begin as soon as Thanksgiving ends. As a seasoned Yuletide veteran, let me offer three leadership suggestions to ensure the Advent season is one of fruitful and fulfilling ministry in our hearts, homes, and churches.
These steps will help us ponder the manger instead of just enduring the mall:
I encourage us to ponder and appreciate the value of what we do. It truly is, as Paul said to Timothy, a “noble task” to lead. Connecting families and individuals with the Word of God in significant moments is an overwhelming gift.
What a joy to declare on Christmas Eve that Jesus has come while lighting the room with candles and singing “Silent Night.” What a blessing to see the church rally together in outreach to the community for a Christmas event. What an encouragement to be in a church member’s home for a Christmas party. It truly is the most wonderful time of year in which we ponder the salvation offered in Jesus Christ. Our eternity has been changed and secured by the baby in the manger and the man who walked out of the empty tomb.
Let’s fight against the temptation to become a banker too familiar with $100 bills or a jeweler too accustomed to dealing with diamonds. Our frequency of handling spiritual things can numb us to their beauty, power, and worth. I remind our staff all the time, “Don’t let your ministry ruin your Christianity.” We cannot give our church body what we do not have ourselves. So before leading others to celebrate the joy and mystery of Christmas, let’s begin by pondering its message in our hearts, spending time alone with God in our prayers, and giving our intentional thanks that Jesus has come to earth to save our souls. Salvation has come! Rejoice!
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