tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3543355.post113401563498175336..comments2023-11-15T17:55:18.051-05:00Comments on MarkDaniels.Blogspot.com: Should Churches Close on Christmas?Mark Danielshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18205344762960756655noreply@blogger.comBlogger10125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3543355.post-1134159228481207272005-12-09T15:13:00.000-05:002005-12-09T15:13:00.000-05:00George:Thank you for dropping by and for your comm...George:<BR/>Thank you for dropping by and for your comments. Technology of different kinds can bring effective tools in helping us share the Gospel and worship God. But they're not essential. Luther would call them "adiaphora," unnecessary for salvation or faithfulness.<BR/><BR/>God bless you with a wonderful Christmas!<BR/><BR/>MarkMark Danielshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18205344762960756655noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3543355.post-1134140066141588602005-12-09T09:54:00.000-05:002005-12-09T09:54:00.000-05:00Jan:Talk about encouraging...I really appreciate a...Jan:<BR/>Talk about encouraging...I really appreciate all the encouraging things that you and other commenters have said about this piece. In writing it, I thought that I might offend some--and maybe I have. But I simply wanted to present a different perspective and hopefully did so without being hostile or condescending, something this old sinner finds difficult to avoid when I disagree with others.<BR/><BR/>Thanks for your comments, Jan.<BR/><BR/>MarkMark Danielshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18205344762960756655noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3543355.post-1134111709982456562005-12-09T02:01:00.000-05:002005-12-09T02:01:00.000-05:00Well, I suppose now I will have to admit our pasto...Well, I suppose now I will have to admit our pastor was right. We're having church on Christmas morning because he said people who grew up going to church on Sunday would want to be in church on Sunday. I guess there is something comforting about that. You are a great encourager Mark, and I'm going to hold on to your statement, "God likes simple." It's a wonderful concept to remember. Thank you!jan@theviewfromherhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05484891090092550644noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3543355.post-1134105349662221492005-12-09T00:15:00.000-05:002005-12-09T00:15:00.000-05:00John:Thanks for dropping by the blog and for your ...John:<BR/>Thanks for dropping by the blog and for your comments!<BR/><BR/>Maybe some of the folks who would otherwise attend the megachurches that close their doors on Christmas will worship elsewhere on that day.<BR/><BR/>MarkMark Danielshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18205344762960756655noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3543355.post-1134104962294598562005-12-09T00:09:00.000-05:002005-12-09T00:09:00.000-05:00I can't imagine not attending church on Christmas ...I can't imagine not attending church on Christmas Day, except perhaps in the case of extremely bad weather or some disaster. It's one of the holiest days of the year, at least if one follows a liturgical calendar.John B.https://www.blogger.com/profile/00163297234733313179noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3543355.post-1134103848101369592005-12-08T23:50:00.000-05:002005-12-08T23:50:00.000-05:00Christine:Thank you so much for reading and for co...Christine:<BR/>Thank you so much for reading and for commenting on the blog. I will definitely be visiting your site. Have a blessed Christmas!<BR/><BR/>MarkMark Danielshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18205344762960756655noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3543355.post-1134098456188039762005-12-08T22:20:00.000-05:002005-12-08T22:20:00.000-05:00Hello Mark,Charlie at AnotherThink told me about y...Hello Mark,<BR/><BR/>Charlie at AnotherThink told me about your post on this subject so I came over to read it. <BR/><BR/>I have never heard of cancelling a Christmas day service when it falls on a Sunday. Then, I read that the last time this happened was back in 1994. But until this year, I had never heard of it before.<BR/><BR/>I was wondering if it is because most people attend the Christmas Eve services? We have done so for the last 15 years! It is our family tradition. Our church has 3 Christmas Eve services. One at 6 p.m., 8 p.m. and midnight. We also have one service at 10:00 a.m. Christmas morning.<BR/><BR/>I noticed that you have several blogs from the GodBlog conference on your blogroll. I was there too! I really enjoyed it. <BR/><BR/>Sounds like you are very busy with your family and ministry but if you get a chance I hope you might consider visiting my blog sometime soon and sharing some words of wisdom!<BR/><BR/>Thanks and God Bless,<BR/>ChristineChristinewjchttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18434229284833642438noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3543355.post-1134072836526676282005-12-08T15:13:00.000-05:002005-12-08T15:13:00.000-05:00Jeff and Charlie:Thank you so much for your kind w...Jeff and Charlie:<BR/>Thank you so much for your kind words.<BR/><BR/>I'm honored, Jeff, that you want to use the last two paragraphs in this piece for your worship on December 25. Of course, you may do so. Charlie, thank you for the honor you do me when linking here. <BR/><BR/>Jeff, thanks a lot for your insightful comments...and I hope one day you will write about the evangelical idolatry of the family, something I almost tackled here. But I wanted to keep the piece to manageable proportions.<BR/><BR/>God bless both of you!<BR/><BR/>MarkMark Danielshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18205344762960756655noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3543355.post-1134068417716649622005-12-08T14:00:00.000-05:002005-12-08T14:00:00.000-05:00Sorry, another thing that bothers me about this: o...Sorry, another thing that bothers me about this: one of the main justifications is to give people more time with family. What about the people who don't have families to be with on Christmas? They are being cut off from their <I>true </I>family, the people of God. <BR/><BR/><I>Then Jesus' mother and brothers arrived. Standing outside, they sent someone in to call him. A crowd was sitting around him, and they told him, "Your mother and brothers are outside looking for you." "Who are my mother and my brothers?" he asked. Then he looked at those seated in a circle around him and said, "Here are my mother and my brothers! Whoever does God's will is my brother and sister and mother."</I> (Mark 3:31-35)<BR/><BR/>We've overcommitted ourselves and filled our schedules with things that aren't really important. Now we feel stressed and anxious about not having enough time together. So anything that puts families together must be good, even not going to church. Oh, don't let me get started on the evangelical idolatry of the family...P_Jhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16130988618277500381noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3543355.post-1134066482319484562005-12-08T13:28:00.000-05:002005-12-08T13:28:00.000-05:00Mark,We have cancelled a few times due to really b...Mark,<BR/><BR/>We have cancelled a few times due to really bad weather, not wanting anyone potentially to get hurt coming to church. We will have Sunday morning worship this Dec. 25 for the reasons you mentioned, although I think it will be less structured and more informal.<BR/><BR/>I think part of Willow's decision was that their mission is to reach unchurched people, and almost none would come on Christmas morning. I imagine they think the "mere" 1,500 would be entirely believers. I also have a lot of respect for Bill Hybels and Willow Creek, but to me these seem strange reasons to cancel church - we'd draw <I>only</I> 15 times what the average church does, and they would only be Christians.<BR/><BR/>There's of course nothing holy or biblically mandated about Dec. 25 per se (or even Sunday), but <I>long</I> tradition supports both. It's not as though having church on Dec. 25 would hurt their outreach, and you could argue it might help. I am bothered by the attitude that it isn't worth pulling together a worship service for such a small crowd. I wonder if they even considered that you can worship without video, praise band, drama, and stage lighting?<BR/><BR/>For more insight on this(including the offer of a Christmas DVD in the place of worship), see the CT article <A HREF="http://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2005/149/31.0.html" REL="nofollow">here</A>.<BR/><BR/>This is just excellent. Your last two paragraphs moved me very powerfully. With your permission, I'd like to share this in worship on Dec. 25 (giving you credit, of course). This post deserves to be widely published. You should send it to CT or some other publication. Thank you for your ministry.P_Jhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16130988618277500381noreply@blogger.com