The Same Service Each Year - Thoughts on Christmas "Eve" services

I wrote the other day about how megachurches celebrate Christmas. You can peek back at that one here.

Earlier this year I had a conversation with a pastor of a large church. This year their church will have 25 services starting today and running until late tomorrow night. He said people always ask: “Are you going to have the same music?”

He says yes. They have the same music selections every year for the past few years. “People love it.” He says.

When I asked him if he preached the same message every year he said “No, I create something new and fresh every year.”

I then mentioned the thoughts of my friend, sometime colleague, and one of our Leadership Community Directors,

Eric Swanson

. Eric’s point of view is that all of the Christmas Eve service should be about the same every year.

He posted this a few days ago, it’s a repeat of last year but worth a read.

I won’t join him in all of his opinions there but I do think he has an excellent point.

If you have a killer Christmas Eve message, do it every year. Trust me, most folks don’t even remember what you preached last week much less last year.

And another bonus is that if you preach the same message every year, and tell your regulars that you will be preaching the same message, it will actually increase their confidence to bring a friend. They will remember “hey that was a good message, I need to bring my friend to hear it.” Ditto the music and the rest of the service. If you use the Christmas Eve (and the days before services) to make a positive outreach to those NOT a part of your fellowship, then predictability and reliability count for these days more than any other time of the year.

I am not saying that you should do a ten year run of the same service and message. But a five to seven year run would be fine. A few tweaks a year is fine too but the more you make it a regular tradition, even in a church that runs away from tradition, the better.

Go ahead and make the weekend before Christmas creative and new and fresh every year. Make Watch Night (if you do that) or the first Sunday and January creative and fresh. But my suggestion is to keep Christmas Eve simple and stable.

Saves the creative people too from having to work up “extra” stuff each year.

I know no one agrees with me here so I am willing to listen to push back.

By the way, the pastor I mentioned it to earlier this year said upon reflection: "You know that's not a bad idea."

I hope not because I think he is changing his pattern and preaching what he did last year.

 

Dave Travis

Managing Director

Leadership Network

www.twitter.com/davetravis

Comments

[Richard]

Dave, I couldn't agree more. For years our church has had basically the same type of Christmas Eve services, mulitple services covering two nights. Five services in a row on Christmas Eve. True, the songs change from year to year, but the basic service is the same. Some traditonal songs have been repeated from year to year. The message changes, but, as you say, who remembers? All services are packed with crowds lined up outside to get in to the next service. The usual "Creasters" are there. You know, the Easter and Christmas Christians. But we pack 'em in.
And now suddenly, we have to up the theatrics with music, fog machines and drama. We have to change more and more to add theatre. Somehow, I think the lowly Bethlehem story has been put on Broadway. And as far as the sermon goes, this is one time the same message from the year before could be preached. I'm with you. Let's have one time of the year when we can count on something being the same, if it is good, of course.
I'm swiftly tiring of change for change sake theology. Why should we be the same as the world? Who says we have to compete with other entertainment outside the church? Why can't we hold a counter cultural event that says, Christianity is something different? Christ offers something the entertainment of the world cannot. Himself!!

[Dan smith]

I agree with you in principle, but I do think people would be more inclined to remember a Christmas Eve service vice a "regular" Sunday sermon, so it could get old after only a few years, not just in 5-7. But I think for a few years it would work.

I also think it might be a bit prideful for the pastor to think he should be "fresh" but the music can be the same every year. Seems like he thinks people are coming to hear him, not to worship.