Christmas has always been a great time to invite a friend to church. Even people who have never been to a church, at least not in a very long while, are open to attending a service on Christmas Eve. I hope you will plan on having one of your friends join you this weekend at Browncroft!

In our present cultural moment, however, there is another kind of friend who may need an invite—the churchgoer who is no longer coming to church. Many people who stopped coming during the pandemic have decided not to return. Jim Davis and Michael Graham’s The Great De-Churching, a recent book based on a large and extensive survey, suggests this is a phenomenon taking place across the country.

The good news in this data is that most of these friends have not left their faith nor changed their beliefs. And one of the book’s most important findings is that relationships play a key role in the likelihood of people returning. When asked their reason for leaving, the dominant answer was “my friends are not attending.” This implies that many of those who have left would return if they were invited.

This weekend, the whole world will be focused on Christmas. For some, the holiday is a reason to celebrate their faith and spend time with family. For many others, however, who have neither a strong faith nor good relations with their family, it can be a lonely time.

I hope you will join me in taking time to ask God who in your life might need an invitation–whether for a Christmas Eve service, a meal together, or a catch-up conversation. Allow God to use you to make this Christmas a more meaningful one for someone in your life today.

For details about Christmas Eve at Browncroft and to RSVP for the service you’ll be attending, click the button below. I look forward to seeing you this weekend. Merry Christmas!

Pastor Rob