Across the Pastor’s Desk by Nancy Overgaard

What had I done? Having persuaded my church to host a Christmas outreach for unchurched neighbors and friends, I was having second thoughts. It had seemed like a good idea, but was it?

The idea was inspired by a non-churched friend who was ordinarily an outspoken critic of Christianity. As Christmas approached, she spoke wistfully of Christmas carols, commenting how much she missed hearing them as secular radio stations ceased airing them.

I thought if that was true for her, it might be true for others. If so, they might welcome being invited to a night of Christmas carol singing. Nestled into a densely populated urban area, our sparsely attended church was always looking for ways to encourage others to attend. With that in mind, we began to plan.

In the weeks leading up to Christmas, we put a lot of thought and effort into our outreach. Located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, we would call it, Christmas in Cambridge. We would send out invitations throughout the neighborhood and encourage church members to invite their friends.

We would begin with an evening of Christmas carol singing and continue with a Christmas tea and a chance for individual conversation. A harpist from church would quietly play Christmas music in the background. A church member worked hard to design just the right invitation.

It was all coming together when I began to have misgivings. Our church was located near Harvard University and not far from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Friends of church members included graduate students at both schools. How could we invite such scholarly city people to join us in singing songs about a stable and a manger, donkeys and camels, shepherds and Wisemen and our belief in Jesus as Son of God and Savior? Would they not think us unbelievably foolish and backward?

As I reviewed Christmas carols in preparation, my thinking changed. How could we not invite them? The carols, as the Christmas message, are filled with words of hope, forgiveness, love, joy and peace — priceless gifts that people of all times and places, ages and statuses long for. Our plans went forward.

One guest sat in the row farthest from the front, closest to the exit. I wondered what he was thinking and was amazed he had come at all. As long as I had known him, he had been an unwavering critic of the gospel. He was first to make his way up the center aisle after the singing.  He wanted me to know he had been deeply moved, that it had been one of the most special evenings he could remember.

Over coffee, others asked probing questions about the gospel and amazing conversations took place. More recently, I have been privileged to meet people who have just come to know Christ. Theirs is the wonder of children at Christmas, astonished by the gift of forgiveness for their sins, amazed by the love of God and of Christ, awed to experience joy after years of unhappiness, to have hope for the future.

In his letter to the Corinthians, the Apostle Paul wrote, “the foolishness of God is wiser than human wisdom,” (1 Cor. 1:25, NIV). To the Romans he said, “I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes.” (Rom. 1:16, NIV). It would appear God knows exactly what He is doing. Let us not consider Him or His message too foolish to share, nor be embarrassed to share it. Let us do the inviting and trust the Holy Spirit to do the convincing. There is no greater gift we can give than to share the greatest gift ever given.

 

Nancy Overgaard is a member of the Freeborn County Ministerial Association.