I know that titles that grab your attention usually resolve with being more catch than truth, but I am spitting truth here.  Please don’t talk any more about Jesus this Christmas.

People have heard all they can take about Jesus.  I think it's time that we show them the real and living Jesus at Christmas and stop talking so much.  What if we really made him the reason for the season (in spite of how much I hate that phrase)?

What if rather than worrying about if your community center has a “holiday” sign or a “Christmas” sign, you just decided as a church to serve at your community center?

What if rather than complaining about how long the lines at Walmart are, you planned to serve the people who work at Walmart this Christmas by helping them bag up stuff and loading the cars of those who are shopping?

What if rather than complaining about American consumerism, we mobilized the church to buy a bike for every needy child in our community?

What if when people thought about Christmas, they actually saw Jesus through our church rather than feeling like we were just against holiday merriment and consumerism?  

A lot of “what ifs", right?  Well, here is one church that decided to answer the “what if” with a “lets do it!” In December 2010, River Church sponsored an event called LoveGave Bikes where money was raised for impoverished kids in the Charleston, S.C., area to receive bikes for Christmas. Their goal of 250 bikes was shattered with enough donations for 376 bikes. Along with the bikes, a message of the gospel of Christ's love was delivered to each and every family getting a bike. (See video below.)

To raise awareness (and thus, money) for their cause, part of the drive was the manning of a scissor lift in front of Wal-mart for 72 hours straight, 24 hours a day and web-casting live constantly. Performances, interviews, and testimonials took place round the clock.

Start planning now to serve your community and show them Jesus this Christmas.

Five Steps to Start

1. Pray and ask God to show you a need in your community. (Hint: if you’ve complained about it, it may be a need.)
2. Partner with a local business to meet that need. (Ask now so as to not be a burden during the busy Christmas season.)
3. Ask your church to get behind the effort financially and plan a BIG event. (Ask for a bold financial commitment.)
4. Get shirts printed so you can be walking adverts for your church during the event. (I recommend www.ourshirtsdontsuck.com.)
   
5. Pray and ask God to now bless this vision and those who you seek to serve. (Pray a lot)

When we show people Jesus, rather than just talk about him, he truly does become the reason for the season. I still hate that phrase, though.