Two Views on Church Gatherings on Christmas Day

There are two individuals who attend two different churches.

Person A attends church A.

Person B attends church B. 

Church A will be having church service on Christmas Day and Person A believes this is a good thing.

“I mean, it’s Christmas for crying out loud.  CHRISTmas. Isn’t He kind of the point?” she asks.

In Person A’s mind, nothing could be more valuable than worshipping Jesus on Christmas morning with her fellow church members. In her mind, the birth of Jesus warrants the gathering of God’s people. 

Church B, on the other hand, will not be holding church service on Christmas Day. 

Person B believes this is also a good thing:

“Our church had a Christmas Eve service a few days prior so I love that families can worship together at home. Besides, our church gathers every. single. Sunday.”

In Person B’s mind, this is an opportunity for worship expansion. In his mind, the celebration of Christ’s birth is not limited to just the gathering of the church but expanded to the center of the living room.

So who’s right? Person A who attends Church A? Or Person B who attends Church B? 

In a few weeks, you may find yourself in a growing heated discussion between followers of Jesus (!) throwing judgmental glances at one another. (Christmas happens to land on a Sunday this year) You may discover Person A in your life. You may realize Church B is your church.

Who is right?

Well, it depends on two factors: 

1) Are you convinced? Is there a sincere and joyful conviction rooted in the Scriptures?

2) Are you humble about being convinced? Is there charity towards those who have landed somewhere different?

Paul writes in Romans 14: 

“One person esteems one day as better than another, while another esteems all days alike. Each one should be fully convinced in his own mind.” (Romans 14:5)

But he goes on to add, 

"Why do you pass judgment on your brother? Or you, why do you despise your brother? For we will all stand before the judgment seat of God;….” (Romans 14:10)

This passage was written regarding spiritual practices that were not directly commanded by God (kind of like how a church gathering on Christmas Day was never directly commanded by God). Paul’s invitation to Christians concerning these non-commanded matters was not to conquer the other opinion but to treat others with wisdom and love in light of the coming day of judgment (Merry Christmas).

In other words, Paul is inviting God’s people to look to the last day (judgment day) to inform how we live today - a conviction-filled outworking of love and joy stemming from a clarity of thinking rooted in the Scriptures. So Paul says, “Stop minding other people’s judgment day moment! Let’s all get ready for our own in all that we do!” (Translation Mine)

You may be saying, “It sounds like you’re saying both churches can be right.” 

Yes! The Church that holds a service on Christmas Day with conviction and humility is right. And the church down the street that does not hold a service on the same day with conviction and humility is also right. 

And if you’re unhappy with that, just know the people of these churches will one day stand before Christ (and so will you).

“But Christmas falls on Sunday!”

Yes, the regular gathering of God’s people is non-negotiable. The worship of the church is one of the primary reasons for its existence. But this is why every church normatively holds services every Sunday. If the church made a regular habit of suspending services for various reasons, that would be a different story. But the exception proves the rule. (And it’s worth mentioning that the sword cuts both ways for the one raising this objection since it implies one should do one’s absolute best to attend every single Sunday. To impose the standard over “the church” is to also impose it over oneself since church and Christian are bound together.)

“But someone has to be wrong!”

Here’s who’s wrong: Person C.

Person C is self-righteously critical of the church not holding service on Sunday, Christmas Day. He thinks the church, the pastor, and the congregants have completely sold out to the culture. (While no one knows how often he attends on Sundays)

Or it’s Person D. The person who thinks those who go to church on Christmas Day are stiff, frozen Christians who don’t know how to have fun. “You’re probably working for your salvation instead of trusting Jesus.” This is self-righteousness in the opposite direction.

Conclusion

Let’s not be Person C or D.

Is your church holding a service on Sunday, Christmas Day? What an opportunity to worship our beautiful Savior! 

Is your church not holding service on Sunday, Christmas Day? What an opportunity to worship our beautiful Savior!

So, let’s have Biblical convictions. Let’s have a posture of charity towards others. Let’s be filled with awe over our Savior in a church building or in our living room.

Now doesn’t that sound like true Christmas spirit?