Telling the truth about Santa…

I recently caught the tail end of Radio 4’s Today programme. A presenter was apologising for a remark made earlier in the programme. In a discussion about inventions she’d commented that children would probably vote Father Christmas as one of the best ever inventions. A flood of tweets and texts followed. People were concerned that children able to hear the radio as they journeyed to school by car would discover that Father Christmas is only an invention!

The mock-horror tone of the complaints and the light-hearted “grovelling” apology do not altogether disguise the fact that many people today hold very dear a child’s “right” to believe in the existence of Father Christmas. Undermining that belief in any way before the “appropriate” age is viewed as tantamount to child abuse.

How should Christians respond to these expectations? In our over-commercialised, secular culture, where the true Christmas story is largely buried or avoided, it’s not surprising that non-Christians cling to the modern “myth” of Father Christmas with a religious-like fervency. But what about Christians? Don’t we have compelling reasons to be different?

This tradition of safeguarding the belief of small children in Father Christmas is also alive and well in our churches. It’s not hard to imagine the outrage if someone were to spill the beans about Santa at a Christmas family service. In fact, this is precisely what happened to a preacher that I know in the early days of his ministry. Interestingly, the unhappy complaints came not from visitors, but church members.

So, what should Christian parents be teaching their children about Father Christmas? I and my husband took the approach that there are two Christmas stories—one is magical but fake, whereas the other is thrilling and wonderfully true. And from their earliest days we wanted our children to know the difference.

We didn’t want our children to reach an age where they realised that we hadn’t told them the truth about Father Christmas, and to draw the parallel conclusion that we were not telling them the truth about Jesus Christ.

We didn’t want them to miss out on the fun and enchantment of Christmas. But we wanted them to be enchanted with the true story of Christmas, and the wonder of Jesus Christ’s birth into our dark world—a wonder that needn’t fade as they grew older but could sustain them all through their lives because it is true.

We wanted to have fun with the Christmas traditions too. Precisely because we’ve always told our children that Father Christmas is made-up, we’ve been able to play with all the Santa traditions—stockings mysteriously filled with gifts, half-eaten snacks on Christmas morning, and so on—without any fear of misleading our children.

Of course we need to be sensitive to non-Christian friends and family at this time of year. But in our own homes and families, let’s be unabashed in being different from our culture, honest with our children, and gripped with awe and wonder by the true story and person of Christmas.

Bible haiku

Making the most of Christmas cards

It's that time of the year. Many of us are surrounded by piles of the things. And the fact of the matter is that those cards simply must get written in the next few days! But much as it is lovely and useful to send out a picture of a nativity scene with a Bible verse attached, I can't help thinking that there are ways of making even more of these little pieces of paper which we send to our friends, near and far, in this festive season.

So, this year, I've made a promise to myself. I wont be just signing my name at the base of each card. I'll be aiming to write something meaningful in each one: something that spurs on my fellow-believers (Hebrews 10:24) or something that points my non-Christian friends to Jesus (Mark 16:15). If you still have yours to write, maybe you would like to do the same? Why not include one of the following?

1. A thank-you

Throughout 2011 there have been many people encouraging us: our preachers, home group leaders, those who run our childen's work, our friends who enjoy our company when we are having a good day and stick by us when we're not, to name just a few...Let's use our cards to make sure they know just how much we appreciate all they have done throughout the year.

2. An encouragement

We all know people who have had a really tough time in 2011 and those for whom 2012 is looking even worse. Those who are severely ill, those who have been bereaved, those whose key relationships are under pressure and those who are really struggling in their walk with the Lord... Let's use our cards to tell them that we are praying for them or to remind them of some great truth about God from his word.

3. An invitation

Christmas is a time of year when people who wouldn't normally go near a church or think about Jesus are willing to ponder him for a small moment. So let's use our cards to help them do that more by including a tract, a business card pointing people to the Christianity Explored website, an invitation to the next event your church is running or even an invitation to dinner so we encourage them in person.

We don't need to write essays ... a few words will do. But with just a little effort, we really can make the most of our Christmas cards this year.

What might I read next in the Bible?

Imagine a famous author inviting you to his mansion and ushering you into the library. “These are all my books. Make yourself at home, and read whatever you want.” That’s what we have in the Bible.

I love libraries. There’s such a wealth of books to choose from – and they’re free, which appeals to my Scottish upbringing! I’m particularly fond of a little library near me, which is quarter the size of others in our area. Instead of being daunted by vast displays, it’s possible to browse through every section. I come across gems I knew nothing about, and widen the kind of books I read as a result.

The Bible is a library – many types of literature, but with one wonderful theme: how God has made it possible for us to have a relationship with Him. Like my little library, it’s small enough to browse through every section – yet wide enough to dive in for a whole lifetime and still have more to explore.

So, what to read next? Here are a few starters:

• Browse the whole library. Is there a section you’ve never looked at before, or not for a long time? Are you getting a balance of Old and New Testament? Have you ever read Leviticus? Or Jude?
• Are you fighting difficult circumstances right now? Be encouraged by some of the heroes of faith. Find their names in Hebrews 11, then jump into the Old Testament to see how God used their circumstances to strengthen their faith in His goodness and sovereignty. If you’re not sure where to find them, here’s a helpful list.
• Do you know what sermon series is coming up at church? Get ahead by reading the passages now. It will help your understanding of that book or theme – and give you some tricky questions to ask the preacher afterwards!
• Pick a psalm. Use it to praise God for His faithfulness, then ask yourself how it applies to Jesus.
• Get the big picture. Look up a simple Bible overview (there are several online, or you could use the one in Preaching God’s Big Story”. Then read about the key events to see God’s rescue plan through the whole of history.
• Read whole books. When we just pick and mix, it’s easy to read the bits we like and skip the rest. When we read whole books, and ultimately the whole Bible, we are being exposed to everything God wants to say to us.
• Read the whole Bible. It sounds scary – but it’s only about four chapters a day to read the whole Bible in a year. And if you struggle with self-discipline, try this: I told the whole congregation that my New Year’s resolution was to read the Bible in a year, and asked them to check up on me. It worked a treat!

The tyranny of entertainment

We were beguiled by the adverts and then worn down by the children. So we finally relented and upgraded to a Tivo box. You know – like a Sky+ box – but for Christians (not as much money, and not owned by Big Brother Rupert).

So we could record the shows and movies we like and watch them when we want to. We can pause and rewind programmes on the fly and access a whole new world of online content. TV heaven awaits.

Or does it?

I’ve noticed three nett effects in the 3 weeks since the Virgin Upgrade Geezer drove off:

1. Programmes now take longer to watch.

Because we can rewind – we do! Tracking back and re-watching bits that we thought were funny, or missed when someone went out of the room to brew a cuppa. Admittedly, it also allows us to fast forward through the interminable ad breaks, but still – we inevitably finish watching something after it has long stopped broadcasting.

2. We watch more TV, not less.

When previously I spotted a film I would like to see that was broadcast late at night – I just didn’t bother and went to bed. Now, I record it, and start watching after the day’s work is done, and the teenagers are snug beneath their duvets. Invariably, I am now later in bed than before, having ticked off another of my “1001 cinematic experiences to have before I die”

3. I feel an unhealthy sense of debt towards unwatched programmes.

Because we can now record whole seasons of shows, I don’t have the opportunity to miss out on an episode – I can (and therefore should) watch them all in sequence.

In short, I have discovered what I should have guessed in the first place. That another promise from the world that I would have my life enhanced and be set free by the payment of a slightly bigger subscription, and a shiny new piece of technology in my home, so easily turns into the opposite. Something that diminishes and enslaves me. Turns out that entertainment requires just as much discipline as work to enjoy it in a godly way—if not more.

Five top tips for supporting the frail elderly in your congregation

So there’s an elderly person in your congregation (I’m guessing more than one). They don’t seem to get out much. Few other than the professionals pop in. What, as a brother or sister in Christ, can you do to help? Here are 5 ideas:

1. Ask them what they need

Elderly people are people first and elderly second. Most are lucid and quite able to make decisions about their own life ... it’s putting those decisions into action that is hard. So the key to good support is finding out what care would be the most useful.

2. Be practical

I recently asked an elderly neighbour how I could help. “Could you come in regularly to straighten the cushions and seat covers please?” came the reply. I could hardly believe my ears! Could that be for real? But all day every day that lady sits and stares at empty armchairs in her living room and the fact that they looked messy bothered her. One simple act that takes just a few seconds of my time makes her view one of a pleasant living room rather than an unkempt one. Not every elderly person will ask for that – some may find it hard to ask for anything - but it may be that something small, simple and practical makes all the difference. Dusting, ironing, shopping or gardening can be invaluable.

3. Be spiritual

Being elderly can mean getting to church is tough. A lift may help but for some just leaving the house once a week is way too hard. But lots can be done to deliver notice-sheets, provide sermon or service recordings (on CD) and ensure that large-print Bible-reading notes are available each quarter. Home communions (where 4 or 5 members of the congregation not just the minister come to visit) can be great times of fellowship. And there is no reason why a housebound person can’t host a Bible study group or prayer triplet as long as other members are willing to chip in making the coffee and tidying up afterwards.

4. Be family

Often what frail and elderly people want most is someone to talk to. The simple act of popping round for an hour – preferably with a couple of sticky buns - can lighten the most difficult day. Or a phonecall can do just as well ... what better way to use that half-hour commute?

5. Be fun

And finally, holiday clubs don’t just need to be for the kids at church. Themed activity-weeks can be great for the elderly too. Trips to local places of interest can be put on. The church hall can be flung open for music afternoons, flower-arranging workshops, dances, talks by engaging speakers, home cooked meals, watching the footie and fun board-games all surrounding a great gospel message. Many housebound people will be able to manage to come for a ‘special morning’ – maybe bringing their elderly non-Christian neighbours with them (you’re never too old for a spot of evangelism) - but even if they can’t, the fun can be taken to them by team members popping in with a meal to be reheated, a CD, a board game and a bunch of roses.

Are you singularly attractive?

Are you single? Middle-aged or older? A follower of Jesus? Then there is a great call before you – and me. A call to be singularly attractive!

No, this is not an invitation to invest in some cosmetic surgery. Nor am I giving you a good excuse to purchase some great new clothes, make-up or anything else that makes you look 10 years younger. It’s rather that there is an exciting invitation in the pages of Scripture encouraging us to show others how to live well for Christ as a single person.

You see, the Bible encourages older members of the congregation to be role models to others. Older women to younger women. Older men to younger men (Titus 2:1-8). And just as older married couples have an invaluable role in showing younger people what a privilege it is to be married. So older single people have an enormous role in showing others what a privilege it is to be single. Doing so is an essential part of equipping the next generation to grow up rejoicing in God whether He has given them the gift of marriage or the gift of singleness (1 Corinthians 7).

Now I don’t wish to be glib. There are, of course, challenges associated with being an older single person. It is inevitable that we sometimes think about relationships past and wonder ‘what if …’. There can be pain associated with not having the opportunity to have children. There are moments of loneliness. And in a relationship-obsessed culture it can be hard to refocus our minds on gospel truth rather than conventional wisdom (Romans 12:2). But there are joys and privileges too – not least the extra flexibility to be involved in a whole host of ministries. And if we genuinely believe God is sovereign and loving; if we truly accept that the Bible is correct when it says that singleness is good, then we need to show that in the way we live. And we need to deliberately flee from the temptation to become the next Bridget Jones (full of desperation for a partner), or Miss Havisham (full of the bitterness of relationship lost).

It isn’t an easy call. But it is a clear call. A call to be singularly attractive for Christ in our churches today.

How to write Christian songs

At Sorted last year, Andrew Cowan from St Helen's, Bishopsgate, gave some great hints on how to write Christian songs. So helpful, in fact, we thought we’d share them on our blog! Andrew writes …

Colossians 3:16-17 tells us that our singing is meant to help the word of Christ dwell in us richly as we sing to each other as well as to God … so how do we write songs to help us do that? Here are four big principles and a few random bonus tips that I am finding helpful at the moment. Songs need to be:

• Biblical: always start with the Bible. Our songs need to teach biblical truth accurately, so that we are actually singing the word of Christ.
• Understandable: the words we sing need to be clear and memorable: not using jargon, confusing language or too many metaphors… but at the same time poetic enough to be interesting and fresh (easy, yeah?). If not the word of Christ will be lost because we won’t understand or remember it!
• Singable: the tune needs to be singable by the average congregation member. This might mean avoiding overly complicated syncopation and keeping the melody somewhere between the A below middle C and the D an octave above.
• Lyrical: the words and tune need to be appropriate for each other... (eg. triumphant words need a triumphant tune), and it should be catchy enough to help us remember the words!

Here are a few more tips in no particular order:

• Don’t try and write the next Christian number one hit. You probably won’t, and anyway you will just be serving yourself. Remember your goal is to serve the church by helping us sing praise to God and encourage one another.
• If you’re struggling for words, try and use what you’ve heard in church recently. Did the sermon have 3 points? See if they can be your 3 verses and write a chorus that sums up the big idea. OR… find an old hymn that no one sings because the tune is awful and come up with a new melody!
• Keep the focus in the words away from us and more about God. Let’s sing more about how awesome God is (because he is) and less about how we feel (because that isn’t the most important thing).
• Don’t try to cram too many ideas into one song. Why not pick one idea, like Jesus as King, or God as Trinity and write about that? A song that expresses one big idea clearly is much more useful to the church than a song that cobbles together lots of ideas badly!
• Let your pastor, youth worker, or Christian friends look at it and give you feedback (and learn how to take constructive criticism well!)
• Hard work pays off. Just give it a go and don’t be afraid to fail.

So let’s get writing, and don’t forget to pray… we need God’s help both to understand his word and express it clearly!