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Interserve staff member Amy Durrant shares thoughts on missional opportunities to share the love and joy of Christ over the Christmas season:
My husband and I lead a multicultural church in London, and one our greatest joys is getting to hear first-hand about the efforts and successes of our church members as they seek to reach out to their neighbours in our local area. It is a privilege to see God using people’s individual passions and creativity as they make contact with those around them, whatever their faith or background, to share the love and truth of Jesus in each Christmas season. Living out God’s mission doesn’t always mean setting off on some big trip overseas – we can start right on our doorstep. Here are some of the creative and easy ways that we have tried, or seen, to engage with our neighbours during this special season:
1 Pray
Start with prayer. Ask the Lord to reveal places, individuals or groups of people where He is already at work and ask him to show you how you might play a part in His good plans for them. For many Christians it can be too easy to get caught up in so many church events at this time of year that we miss the unique opportunities we may have to engage with those from other backgrounds who would never usually enter a church. Pray for clear priorities and the ability to say ‘no’ to some things so that you can prioritise missional opportunities in your life, whether with neighbours, friends or family. As someone who is full of great ideas, I am still learning to stop and ask the Lord for a sense of where I should invest my time and energy, rather than rushing into things in my own strength.
2. Send a Christmas Card
A Christmas card is an easy way to tell someone that you are thinking of them, and can be a great building block in a relationship with someone you are just getting to know. If you can, add a message that’s personal and meaningful, and pray that God will use the card to speak to them while it is displayed in their home in the weeks to come. Choosing cards with images of the nativity or a Bible verse is an easy way to remind people of the reason for the season. If you’re able to deliver cards in person, it can provide a great little moment for connection during what can be a busy, or lonely, period.
3. Bless your Postman (or woman!)
Each year increasing numbers of men and women take to the streets in the cold to deliver the huge amount of parcels and gifts ordered online during this period. One lady in our church described how she makes up little packs of Christmas chocolate and Christian literature to give out to each delivery person who comes to her door. Is there a way that you could bless people in those momentary encounters as they continue on their rounds?
4. Make hospitality simple
Christmas is a wonderful opportunity for hospitality and building relationships with others, but there is no one ‘right’ way to do this. You could ask someone out to a cafe for a festive hot chocolate or cake, invite someone to join you for Christmas dinner who would otherwise be on their own, or even host an ‘open house’ one afternoon for neighbours, colleagues or families from school. Perhaps you could share what you’re doing with someone else from your church so that they can pray or help you host. Keep refreshments and food simple so that you have time yourself to sit down and talk, and bear in mind any dietary requirements of those from other faiths and cultures – mulled apple juice can be a great alternative to mulled wine for those who don’t drink alcohol, and you may need to check and explain that the good old British ‘mince pie’ is actually suitable for vegetarians!
5. Make a Christmas Window Display
Do you have a porch, window or garden that faces directly onto the street? If so, could you use this to share the good news of Jesus with those who will be walking past or coming to your door this Christmas? Many use this space to display an invitation to carol services or concerts, but you could you take this a step further, depending on how big your space is… perhaps displaying scenes from the Christmas story, Bible verses and/or artwork based on a theme such as ‘joy’ or ‘hope’. Fairy lights are a great addition so that these can also be highlighted on dark evenings. During the pandemic we tried an Advent countdown as a family, adding one new item to our dining room window each day, including carol service info, Bible words, verses and pictures – it was a great way to feature our children’s Christmas artwork!
6. Go Carol Singing
Love to sing? Could you grab a couple of neighbours or friends from church and spend an hour on your street singing Christmas carols one evening before Christmas? We have found that knocking on doors to say hello and then singing carols at various points along the street is a great way to meet new faces in our neighbourhood. The words of Christmas carols are packed full of God’s amazing truths – make sure you have a few spare copies printed out so that others can join in or take the words home if they would like. You could also use this as a chance to share Christian literature or invitations to Christmas services at a nearby church.
What opportunities will you have to share Christ this Christmas? We’d love to hear from you.
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