5 SOLAS!Posted on 12/08/2005 5:27:11 AM PST by ItsOurTimeNow
This year, Christmas may be colder - or at least quieter - for the thousands who attend several evangelical megachurches across the country. Some of America's largest churches are closing their doors on Christmas day, which this year falls on Sunday, to accommodate to the lifestyles of their congregants.
Among those slated to close its doors on Christmas day is Willow Creek Community Church - Chicago's largest congregation and one of the top five largest in the nation.
"It's more than being family friendly. It's being lifestyle-friendly for people who are just very, very busy," said Cally Parkinson, spokesperson for Willow Creek, to the Associated Press. Some "lifestyle-friendly" adjustments include bunching up the services on Christmas Eve instead.
According to the Associated Press, megachurch officials around the country consulted with each other before deciding to take the day off. On this list include Mars Hill Bible Church in Grandville, Mich., North Point Community Church in Alpharetta, Ga., and the Fellowship Church near Dallas, Texas.
Supporters of the move say it frees up time for the church staff and church members to focus on commemorating Christmas at home.
"At first glance it does sound contrarian," said the Rev. Gene Appel, senior pastor of Willow Creek, to the Chicago Tribune. "We don't see it as not having church on Christmas. We see it as decentralizing the church on Christmas-hundreds of thousands of experiences going on around Christmas trees. The best way to honor the birth of Jesus is for families to have a more personal experience on that day."
However, some scholars criticized the move, saying it's the day of the week - Sunday - that is sacred to the evangelical faithful.
"This speaks to the dilapidated state of evangelical faith today," said David Wells, a professor of theology at Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary in Boston, to the Tribune. "That we would think that going to church is getting in the way of celebrating Christmas-that the family celebration shouldn't be impeded by having to go to church-it seems to me that our priorities are upside down."
For the most part, the megachurches have survived the decision relatively unscathed. At Southland, for example, only a handful of complaints were called in, and only two inquired about the closures at Willow Creek.
According to James Bratt, a historian at Calvin College, this general acceptance reflects a shift in how relevant Evangelicals are becoming to the secular culture.
"It's a sign of how totally identified with the culture [evangelicals have] become," Bratt said. "The church has subordinated to cultural icons, and family is one of them. ... The logic of that is you should celebrate the holiday in its true sanctuary, which is the home."
For those who wish to celebrate the holiday with the church family, doors to other evangelical churches across the nation will generally remain open.
>>to accommodate to the lifestyles of their congregants.<<
Yes, because no one should have to change their lifesytle in any way in order to worship the King of Kings and Lord of Lords on His Holy day. /sarc
The excuses they're offering are a cop-out. Shame on them.
Pinging the GRPL,
Are any of your churches closing on Christmas morning?
Please see http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-religion/1535068/posts
It used to be churches were unlocked 24/7, then they started locking people out between services, and now they'll be locked Christmas??? That's just ridiculous.
Ding Ding Ding... we have a winner... of course I have to question the "today" portion of that statement, but that's just me.
In defence of this, Most of these churches have Saturday evening services and that techically is Christmas.
However, if anyone would like to go to Church on Sunday, check out a smaller church. I'm sure they're open.
Or y'all come for Midnight Mass at any Catholic Church. They are beautiful!
Geez...I though the Catholic Church was the worlds largest mega-church.......
Everyone of them are open for business on Christmas day......
Forgive me, I searched, but it seems the article you linked combined the words Mega and Church. I searched for the terms seperately.
It's a different article though, so it's still valid.
Megachurches cancel services on Christmas
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1535632/posts
Some Megachurches Closing for Christmas
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-religion/1535258/posts
Thanks for asking - I'm curious, too.
Ours (Evangelical Free Church) will be open for one 10:00 service instead of the regular 8:30 and 11:00.
If I were a member and wanting to celebrate Christmas some time of the day on Sunday; I would find another Church. . .and perhaps, just stay there and not come back to the 'family friendly' version of worship.
They can close their church or not, but I do find the cover-up to be offensive. So he's saying that the family going to church together on Christmas morning is not a personal experience? Just tell the truth guys. You don't get enough people that show up and donate to make it worth your while. That's the truth, isn't it?
Hah! It sounds to me like they're worried that not enough people would show up on Christmas Day to fill the collection plates.
They might not make their nut for that day, so they're closing up. How hypocritical of them!
My church moved services to Saturday night and is encouraging everyone to worship as a family on Sunday morning. It's not bowing to secularism. It's acknowledging that Christmas morning is family time to celebrate together.
The word legalism comes to mind for the critics.
5 SOLAS!If the protestant 'megachurches' have a service at midnight, well-announced to their faithful, I don't see anything wrong with letting their parishioners and clergy sleep in and get up to their family exchange of gifts. On the other hand, if there is not service on Christmas at all, then they should be ashamed of themselves.
By way of precedent, the one Sunday of the year when you can't find any Orthodox church serving liturgy in the middle of the morning is the biggest feast of all: on Pascha (Orthodox Easter for those of you in Rio Linda) every parish has its liturgy in the dead of night--very splendid and followed by a big party--and everyone sleeps until afternoon.
Business decision. Marketing surveys probably show that the income flow would not cover the additional marginal costs of opening that day.
When you're purpose driven, you have to conform to the culture.
OK, so they are closed -- and I disagee. However, what is wrong with YOU opening your bible with the family and having prayer meeting in your living room?
Are any of your churches closing on Christmas
NO!
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