After months of Christmas songs being played in shops and our homes being decorated, we no longer see the stockings hung by the chimney with care.
The decorations are down, nativity sets are packed away, and Christmas trees are no longer dropping debris in our living rooms. Christmas is over for another year; however, the message continues.
The build-up to Christmas is often a busy season of evangelism for Christians and churches. Our focus turns to the few weeks of the year when there is great openness among people to hear the wonderful news: “Today in the city of David a Saviour was born for you, who is the Messiah, the Lord” (Luke 2v11 CSB). But then, as Christmas concludes, sadly, our evangelistic zeal seems to get packed away with the rest of the decorations. We’ll bring it out again next year and once more boldly declare that Jesus is the reason for the season.
The quiet revival: 'I remain cautiously optimistic'
In recent months, much has been written about the so-called “quiet revival.” In essence, what is being reported …