As the number of days to Christmas dwindles, the list of to-dos grows. In children’s ministry, we’ve got extra services to plan for, schedules to rearrange around volunteers’ holiday travels, gifts to buy for key leaders, Christmas decorations to put up, and more.
Since Christmas is about Jesus, I asked some children’s ministry leaders how they introduce kids—especially kids in our community that don’t attend church—to Jesus. A few shared that during the Christmas chaos, they really didn’t give it that much thought. But they vowed to make it a priority this year.
If you’d like to help kids in your community experience Jesus this Christmas, here are a few ideas:
Go to the Kids
Instead of waiting for them to come to you, seek out the kids in your community. One church leader shared how they worked with an apartment manager to adopt a local apartment complex. They offered a variety of Christmas family activities and even helped some struggling families to provide gifts for their kids.
That intentionality started at Christmas, but it didn’t stop there. Throughout the year they offered cookouts, Easter egg hunts, and family game nights. Going back throughout the year provided a greater opportunity to build relationships and share their faith.
Christmas Traditions
Preschools, the YMCA, and public libraries also offer potential opportunities to connect with kids and families. Take a more secular Christmas tradition—like decorating cookies, making gingerbread houses, or watching a Christmas movie—and tie it to the gospel.
Ideas to do this can be found by searching on the internet or asking for suggestions in a children’s ministry online community. Read a Christmas book that shares the gospel. One option is The Action Bible Christmas: 25 Stories about Jesus’ Arrival.
Depending on your budget, provide a Christmas book with your church’s info in the front of the book. This is a great way to build into your community and to meet kids and share Jesus.
Partner with Schools
Schools want every kid to have a great Christmas and are often looking for churches and organizations to adopt families in need. Providing for basic needs—like a Christmas meal and gifts—is a great way to share Jesus in a tangible way.
Celebrate Advent with Ornaments and Coloring
Celebrate Advent with Ornaments and Coloring
Celebrate Advent with Ornaments and Coloring
Opportunities to Be Generous
Even people who don’t know Jesus typically understand the connection between Christmas and giving. Christmas often brings out generosity in all and an increased desire in parents to help their kids think about giving and not just getting.
Help families become more generous by organizing a gift or food drive in your community. Invite the whole community—not just families from your church—to participate. Gather contact info so you can follow up with participating families. Share stories of how families were impacted by their gifts.
Prepare for New Kids and Families
Many families “try out” church at Christmas, so be ready for them. Consider how you’d feel about taking your kids to a brand-new place.
We know we’re fun and safe, but new parents may not. If they’re not comfortable leaving their kids in the children’s ministry, give them a tour of the area. Share a goody bag for kids to take into service with them.
During the service, if you typically invite kids to come to the front for a children’s message, offer it as an option. We can introduce kids to Jesus by being more empathetic and inclusive like Him. Meet people where they are. Doing this also increases the likelihood that new families will return.
The result can give us more opportunities to help kids grow in their faith.
We can introduce kids to Jesus by being more empathetic and inclusive like Him—and by meeting people where they are.
Outside the Weekend Activities
Some families may be hesitant to come on a Sunday morning. They may be more receptive to invitations for activities outside the weekend services.
Several churches shared that they offered a Family Christmas Movie Night. The event was totally free. Guests were treated to a variety of snacks and opportunities to meet others thru games and activities. It’s important that your church family understands this is much more than a movie night.
This is an opportunity for families who don’t know Jesus to enter our “home” (our church) and make some connections.
During the event, seeds can be planted that introduce kids to Jesus. A new family who had never been inside any church attended one of our Family Movie Nights. A neighbor invited them. Both parents had some difficult experiences with church growing up and avoided church to protect their kids from similar challenges.
While playing games in the atrium before the movie they began to be comfortable with “church people.” They started attending occasionally, and, as time passed, they became regulars on Sunday mornings. Seeds were planted over popcorn and a movie.
Love Like Jesus
While activities and events are great, here’s another idea. Years ago, I sat with my mentor, a dear elderly lady who was bedridden. I expressed my frustration about a family member who was uninterested in Jesus, the church, or any invitations I extended regarding matters of faith.
She held my hand and said, “Oh honey, you can’t preach them to Jesus, you have to love them to Jesus.” Decades later I still remember that wise advice. So, this Christmas, as we look for opportunities to share Jesus with those who don’t know Him, let’s consider how we can “love them to Jesus.”
Providing a listening ear to a neighbor or a meal to a family who is having a rough week are tangible ways to show others that we care. Activities and programs are great tools for reaching the lost, but let’s remember how we came to know Jesus.
Many of us became interested in Jesus because someone who we knew, loved, and/or respected loved Jesus and loved us.
Through trusted relationships, we became curious, and God opened a door. This Christmas encourage families in your church to share Jesus through their actions. They can share His story through compassion, interest in others, and care.
Jesus came for us. He also came for our neighbors (even the crabby ones), the librarian, and the guy who fixes our car. Let’s celebrate Jesus’ birth and life by living our lives as He called us to, “Love each other as I have loved you.” (John 15:12).
