Christianless Churches
Michael Horton’s phrase, “Christless Christianity” gets a lot of play in our blog, magazine, and radio program. One of the more timely evidences of the problem will be on full display this Sunday, December 25th. We’re already hearing reports of churches that after offering a slew of programming on Christmas Eve will shut their doors on Christmas Day.
Not many Reformational churches will have this problem. They have a high enough view of the Lord’s Day that their services will still be held Sunday. But one problem they will face is the absence of some of their members, who because of family commitments and tradition will skip the service(s) in order to open presents, eat a big meal, and enjoy out of town guests.
One pastor shared his frustration with us and gave us permission to post a slightly edited version of his exhortation to the men of his congregation:
Men,
I can’t believe how ridiculous this is, but I am writing tonight to urge you to take your families to church on Sunday, December 25th. Before it is a holiday, before it is a family gathering, before it is anything else it is a Sunday: a day set aside by God himself to worship. It is a day that your elders have called the church together to worship. It is a day that you should be actively planning to take your family to church.
There is no excuse, not one, for not taking your family to church on Sunday. There may be some of you who will be out of town; find a church and take your family there. There will be some of you who are in town; you know where and when we meet. There is no reason for missing church on Christmas Day. In fact, a good argument can be made that of all the days to worship God, we should worship on Christmas Day. If we do not you are telling your family, your wives, your children, and your neighbors that Christmas isn’t really about Jesus at all. It will instead be about you, your family, your traditions, gifts, parties–everything that you will spend the next 12 months complaining about.
Some of you are part of extended families who have already made plans. Let me offer this piece of advice: be a man. Man up and tell your extended family that you are looking forward to seeing them and spending time with them but first you will take your family to church. It is your duty as a husband and father; it your responsibility; it is also your privilege.
This morning we read of King Ahaz in Isaiah 7 who despised the promise of the presence of God. It is easy for us to sit in judgment of the stupidity and hubris of Ahaz. But are you in danger of doing much the same thing? God promises to meet you and your family when you worship him. What possible reason can you have for turning away from that promise? What message does that send to your children?
I didn’t think I would have to write this email, but after several different conversations with people who could go to church on Christmas but are not going to, I felt I had no choice. It is my divine duty to call you out. This is not the life of discipleship that you are called to; this is not the obedience that you are obliged to; this is not what I want the men and potential leaders of _______ to be known for.
Go to church.
Pastor _____
For a few more posts on the subject, see:
- Pastor Chris Gordon on The Christmas Controversy
- Pastor Jason Stellman on The Treason for the Season
UPDATE: Dr. Horton weighs in on this discussion.
December 22nd, 2011 at 7:37 am
I’m planning on doing just that – taking my family (as always) to service on Sunday. And I’m not even Reformed.
December 22nd, 2011 at 8:57 am
Amen!
December 22nd, 2011 at 10:21 am
Amen! I’ve been thinking over this very issue, considering posting a letter of my own. This is so well written, I’ll just pass this link along to everyone I know. Thank you for posting this.
December 22nd, 2011 at 10:29 am
At the risk of enraging some readers here, might I say that there is no excuse for missing because there is no command that says that followers of Christ are commanded to be in church Christmas day. I am a pastor of a church that is meeting on Christmas day and I am looking forward to a special service on a special Lord’s day. However, I feel that a note of encouragement would be more appropriate, encouraging others based on the blessing received rather than a rebuke and a comparison to King Ahaz. Yes, there is the command to “not forsake the assembling”, but this letter seems to make and unfortunate leap to say that this means that Christians should never miss church ever. As a pastor, I would want to extend grace to those who choose to spend the holiday with family, not to compare them to an evil OT king.
December 22nd, 2011 at 10:32 am
Yes! It seems rather odd to celebrate the birth of the hypostatic Word, God engaging man through the incarnate Son, and simultaneously neglect the sacramental Word, the place where God has promised to engage us week and after week, in the means of grace. I can’t think of a better way to spend Christmas day than entering in to receive Christ and His benefits, the greatest gift of all!
December 22nd, 2011 at 10:51 am
As a church planter in a highly transitional city (no one is “from DC”), I look forward to preaching to about ten souls this Sunday.
God be praised.
December 22nd, 2011 at 11:09 am
Way to go, Pastor Lee. Thank you for keeping your hand firmly fixed on the plow.
December 22nd, 2011 at 11:41 am
I appreciate your heart but there’s not a shred of sound theology in that pastor’s statement. It is the picture of legalism. First of all Saturday was the Sabbath not Sunday. Furthermore, what does that say about us if we only count worship if it is on a Sunday? If a church celebrates on Saturday instead of Sunday there’s nothing inherently unbiblical about that. This is the kind of message that drives people away the other 51 Sundays of the year.
December 22nd, 2011 at 3:10 pm
Easy solution, move the service to Saturday. There is no requirement to keep it on Sunday. Sunday is a matter of convention, not constitution. There is one aspect of this though, the legalisms aside. The eldership determines the day(s), and if the case is that the elders have arranged the business of the church on Sunday and have not amended it, then it is a requirement, for the very reason that we honor those who have been place in authority over us and we should not grieve them. It is good that we do not do so. Our unity on Sunday, or Saturday, or any other day depends upon each of us submitting to another: “Bondservants, obey your earthly masters with fear and trembling, with a sincere heart, as you would Christ, not by the way of eye-service, as people-pleasers, but as bondservants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart, rendering service with a good will as to the Lord and not to man, knowing that whatever good anyone does, this he will receive back from the Lord, whether he is a bondservant or is free. Masters, do the same to them, and stop your threatening, knowing that he who is both their Master and yours is in heaven, and that there is no partiality with him.” It is simply this: That you do not use such a triviality to divide. But rather, that you love one another, yes, even those who govern the church.
December 22nd, 2011 at 3:31 pm
While I find it difficult to swallow Sunday as “a day set aside by God himself to worship,” Sunday is THE day our churches have set aside for corporate worship. As such, every member of a particular local fellowship has an appointment to keep on that morning. How ironic is it that those who profess to cherish and treasure Christ and Hs people forgo the day set aside to celebrate His birth, choosing instead to relish the lie that ‘Christmas is about spending time with family?” On this December 25th, churches will be tested, true affections exposed, and idols manifested. So, the rebuke is much needed. Here is the day. May the day be met with men who show the value and importance of the church with their feet…and lead their families to church.
December 22nd, 2011 at 5:54 pm
Both sides of this discussion have a point. However, I cannot imagine why you would not want to worship the LORD on His birthday. Please, spare everyone the argument about whether He was actually born on that day. I know He wasn’t, but Dec. 25th is when most all of Christendom celebrates it, so there. The ONLY purpose for this holiday, for a Christian, is to give gifts IN CELEBRATION of God’s most precious gift to us. Why on earth would you not attend church?
I have attended churches where they chose not to have services on Christmas day. I also noticed other patterns of behavior that showed me their focus was not squarely on the LORD’s business. Maybe it’s a good indicator of the spiritual condition of the pastor and staff.
Given the above, maybe it is a good indicator of the condition of anyone’s spiritual condition. Since the day is about Christ’s birth, and not about Turkey and family, then maybe we should regain some focus on this one.
I do agree that you shouldn’t condemn someone for missing church once in a while. Heb 10:25 is talking about not developing a pattern of missing church, not the occasional absence. But Christmas, Resurrection Day, Communion, and MOST Sundays really should not be optional.
I speak the above not from some command that must be obeyed, because we are under few commands past loving one another. But, as we rehearse in communion, from 2Cor 13, examine yourselves. Do it as a result of correct focus, not fear of a command.
December 22nd, 2011 at 6:21 pm
Thank you, Dwayne. I am aligning myself with your comment. That letter is (probably unintentionally) using guilt as a motivator. I will be with family and friends Christmas morning in our home. Some of them are not regenerate, and would probably not show up if we were away. I will subject them to our own family worship on Christmas morning, and they will happily take part in our structured celebration of the first Advent. Pray that God will give listening ears and hearts for them.
December 22nd, 2011 at 9:18 pm
one more thing… our local congregation is gathering for worship on Christmas Eve, and yes, I will be there.
Have a glorious Christmas, everyone!
December 23rd, 2011 at 12:15 am
I find it odd that folks who listen to the WHI don’t realize WHY we meet on Sunday:
The Lord rose on/after Sunday
The Lord appeared to His disciples on Sunday
The early church met on Sunday to commune and worship God and to commemorate the resurrection (which occurred after the OT Sabbath).
Sunday is the First Day of the week and commemorates the REST, which we enter into as we are IN THE NEW COVENANT…the Sabbath Rest partially realized (now and the not yet).
It’s not just a ‘Romish’ invention but a well-thought out doctrine (We see the gathering of the Saints on the FIRST Day in the bible…)
and NO an elder cannot compel one to attend church, to skip it for a pagan holiday says a lot about the state of Christendom. Xmas is pagan.
Now, I am not saying one cannot sing of Christ’s advent (but there is no proscribed church calendar for the Reformed–no matter what shenanigans some try to pull) and remembering his arrival is fine personally, etc., but puhleez: to skip the worship of God to celebrate a made up holiday and to claim it’s worshipping Him is the height of hubris and syncretistic ‘religion’.
have a tree, drink some ale and nog and give the wife a nice pearl necklace but don’t trample underfoot the things of God
He meets with us in a covenant renewal each week–what a blessing…why would you WANT to skip it? Since the church celebrates Christmas I would rather HAVE A LONGER CHURCH DAY (HATE THAT OUR CHURCH IS CUTTING OUT A SERVICE AND SS)….NOT A SHORTER ONE
GOD BE PRAISED.
December 23rd, 2011 at 1:16 am
I am disappointed in the men reading and responding to this blog. I am referring to the chauvinist undertones (although hardly undertones at all) of this post and its replies. Although I understand your concerns about worship, please, let’s do so in a way that does not insinuate that a woman could not have enough thought and ability to bring herself to church on Sundays. If church and worship is a way for you to exert control over your wife (although here that is called “manning up”) then you are not doing it correctly. The point of attending service is to serve the Lord and not yourself and your ego. So spare us all from your “manly” commands; a real man would know better of what it means to service the Lord. And some women would know even more.
December 23rd, 2011 at 5:37 am
Can’t say that I’m offended, but can’t say that I’m encouraged, either.
Taking the Christmas context out of the discussion, I’m almost embarrassed that a pastor would offer such a word to his flock, or any other flock (now it’s been offered to the entire flock of Christ since its posting here).
Sunday is “the Lord’s day?” Really?! Scripture to back that up? Oh, right, there isn’t any.
Sounds like you’re in good company of a long line of Pharisees.
I’ll be worshiping with my local church family on Christmas day, because I long for the presence of God indwelling His saints by the Holy Spirit.
December 23rd, 2011 at 7:22 am
“Since the day is about Christ’s birth, and not about Turkey and family, then maybe we should regain some focus on this one.”
But… it is not about Christ’s birth. It is a traditional holiday, set aside precisely for celebration, e.g., turkey and family, and not church. The reality is that the Puritan’s and many other Christian groups either banned, or sought to ban the celebration. Today’s celebration is more like what the Puritan’s feared. Now, if you look at it, people don’t go to church on Sunday for the very fact that it is Christmas- not because it is a solemn day which they are violating, but a festive one which they believe they are honoring.
December 23rd, 2011 at 8:01 am
My family attends a small church plant that meets at a public school. The school said that if we chose to meet on Sunday a.m., they would charge us triple the amount…so we are not meeting on Sunday morning. We just can’t afford it currently. My family, as I know many of the other families in our church are, will be having our own worship. Church does NOT have to be in a particular building with particular people. We will be praising our Lord on Sunday morning, just not in our church facility!
December 23rd, 2011 at 8:03 am
While I am for gathering together (Heb. 10:25), we ought to be careful not to alienate others or hold ourselves as “pious” or righteous because we “met on the Lord’s day,” but “those people” did not. This is divisiveness. I would say to have it available to whomever chooses to come, but shed grace to those who do not.
Didn’t Paul already address this?
“Therefore let no one pass judgment on you in questions of food and drink, or with regard to a festival or a new moon or a Sabbath.”
(Colossians 2:16 ESV)
December 23rd, 2011 at 8:14 am
Isn’t the Lords day actually on Saturday? We have propagated this change from the Sabbath to Sunday in the western church. In addition, isn’t our first ministry to our families? We need to keep in perspective that church is not a building but our fellow believers and fellowship with those believers. Afterall, the first churches were not in a building but in someones house. They met, ate, fellowshipped and loved on eachother.
Our celebration of Christmas is so skewed! We have taken pagan rituals and made them “Christian”. We celebrate Christmas as the birth of our Savior; the ultimate gift. We give expensive gifts to our family and friends. We don’t think about giving back to the one who actually gave us our Savior! We don’t utilize our God given gifts to give the ultimate gift back to him; the winning of souls of non-believers.
Worshiping the Lord should not be just at the local church building on Sundays. We should continue to worship the Lord everyday, in everything we do! Going or not going to church doesn’t mean that we don’t love the Lord any less or any more and we shouldn’t be duped into feeling guilty about going or not going to church on any day! It is good for fellow believers to congregate together to celebrate our Lord and Savior no matter where we are!
I for one will be celebrating the birth of our Lord at our church building on Christmas Eve; then I will be celebrating with my family in my house and worshiping the Lord with them.
December 23rd, 2011 at 8:58 am
We are not Reformed, but we are having Sunday School and corporate worship, it is Sunday
We aren’t having evening service, that is what is regular for a holiday Sunday.
December 23rd, 2011 at 9:05 am
All I am seeing is “going TO church”, “go TO church.”
All I see when reading this pastor’s open letter is legalistic anger that is not edifying to the church BODY as a whole. It saddens me that we have equated worshipping God with GOING to church. In fact, WE ARE the Church! And praise God that is the case, that I do not have to feel guilty in canceling our Sunday services out of fear that God will receive any less glory. Or that He will not be worshipped and glorified through my fellowshipping with lost members of my family, having gospel conversations with them that they otherwise would not have had listening to a sermon that they would have found disinteresting.
Having a Sunday service on Christmas morning does not make you any more holy, so please stop thinking you are being a “missional” church through your good intentions. It is time we learn to BE the church, and not just GO to church.
December 23rd, 2011 at 9:35 am
I don’t recall a single time when Jesus told anybody to “go to Church”. He told the church to “go to the world”. So sit smug in your churches guys. I hope you don’t injure a shoulder slapping yourselves on the back for being there.
December 23rd, 2011 at 9:43 am
It sounds to me that a lot of the comments throw out the term “legalism” way too quickly as a way to get out of worshiping this Sunday. Now I don’t believe that if you miss church on occasion, you’re in sin. But I think throwing out “legalism” is often just an excuse for people to be disobedient. In this case, it’s an excuse to get out worshiping the Lord on Christmas for those who are too wrapped up in the material aspects of the holiday. If Christmas was on Saturday or Monday – we wouldn’t be having this conversation. People would be in church. But because it’s interrupted by presents, Santa Claus and visitors – they won’t set aside 90 minutes to worship their Savior along with the rest of His Bride.
The fact is that the we and the majority of the world recognize Christmas as the day of our Savior’s birth. What better day to gather as God’s people to worship the One who made us part of God’s people? I find it sad to hear the excuses of some of the people (Sabbath is Saturday! It’s a pagan holiday! You’re legalists! This is divisive! You’ll push people away!) so they can skip glorifying the One who saved them. Maybe guilt isn’t the right motivator. But I do recall Jesus saying that the person who does not put Him above their family is not worthy of Him. In other words, where are our priorities? And what are we communicating to our family (extended and immediate) about our priorities?
But guilt is often a horrible motivator – especially for Christians. Instead, maybe joy should be our motivator – joy in what Christ has done for us, He died on the Cross, for us, so we could live. How convenient it is that Christmas is on Sunday this year so we can gather together and celebrate our Savior’s birth at the same time! And what an incredible privilege it is to be able to worship Him in a free nation, to celebrate His birth because He has saved us
That’s a great reason to be in church on Sunday!
December 23rd, 2011 at 9:58 am
Great article. Tom Ascol brought it to my attention on Twitter. We are a small church plant in St. Louis with a few families. But I’m delighted to report we are all looking forward to our worship Sunday at our pastor’s home (yep, we are a small congregation). I can’t imagine anything I’d rather be doing on Sunday morning than honoring our risen Saviour with heartfelt praise. And Christmas makes it even better as we keep our focus on Christ!
December 23rd, 2011 at 10:11 am
Matt, you have assumed that people posting in disagreement are making excuses for not worshiping together this weekend. That’s not the case for most.
The point is not to make too much out of Sunday gatherings. That’s it. We shouldn’t go off on our congregations half-cocked over a MAN-MADE tradition of worshiping on Sundays in the a.m.
If arguing that point is making excuses, then why should anyone ever argue for anything? It’s not an excuse for me, it’s a rebuke of the article. I’ll be with my church family leading worship this weekend, which has nothing at all to do with my disagreement with the author.
At least for me, I’m not making an excuse, I’m in fully opposition to the author’s point of view, which is, I think, unbiblical and unwise (if you wanted to encourage people to attend), in that it alienates and divides. It is this article that is divisive!
December 23rd, 2011 at 10:27 am
I concur, Matt!
December 23rd, 2011 at 10:42 am
I second the comments who pointed out the legalism, chauvanism, and guilt-trip tactic in this message.
December 23rd, 2011 at 11:15 am
The reasons listed above for meeting on Sunday (day Jesus rose, first day of the week, etc.) are all symbolic metaphorical nicety-nice reasons to meet on Sunday but what about Romans 14?
Romans 14:5-6, NJKV says “One person esteems one day above another; another esteems every day alike. Let each be fully convinced in his own mind. 6 He who observes the day, observes it to the Lord; and he who does not observe the day, to the Lord he does not observe it.”
In light of this scripture how can anyone get all holy, high, and mighty about “obligation” regarding meeting on Sunday. Hebrews 10:25 certainly doesn’t demand a day (or even a “big-church-everyone” type of format for that matter).
If we (only) worship on Sunday at church, then we have a much bigger problem then living up to someone’s view of what “proper” commemoration of Christ’s birth is supposed to be….that means we don’t view all the other supposedly “evil” traditions we’re doing as worship. Then we don’t view eating meals with family as worship. Then we don’t view giving gifts to our children as worship. Then we don’t view playing with our children as worship. Then we can’t possibly ever worship at home in a “family worship” mode. Then hanging out with unbelieving family and friends hoping to be a witness with them or share the Gospel (as someone above mentioned will be happening in their home on Christmas day) isn’t worship either. If sitting in a pew singing songs I’ve heard a million times and listening to a yet another message about the three wise men is the only thing that counts as worshiping my God this Sunday then Christianity is pretty lame.
IT’S ALL WORSHIP. Or at least it all should be. I’ll admit I’m not there yet. I need my heart to be crying out to God (in thanks and praise and adoration and supplication and confession) more often throughout the entire 168 hours per week of regular life rather than making Sunday some sort of special worship quarantine time-clock-punching endeavor where I do all my worshiping in the scope of 1 1/2 hours.
December 23rd, 2011 at 11:20 am
Looking at some of the quotes that have responded to this article all I can say is that it is a good thing that we have ‘The White Horse Inn’ broadcasts to listen too. Mike, Rod, Kim and Ken as you can see by some of these responses there is still much work to do.
Merry Christmas, God bless.
December 23rd, 2011 at 12:47 pm
Amen, Dave! I couldn’t have said it better!!
December 23rd, 2011 at 1:20 pm
Thank you!
December 23rd, 2011 at 2:21 pm
Dr. Horton adds his comments to this discussion:
http://www.whitehorseinn.org/blog/2011/12/23/are-we-required-to-attend-church-on-sunday/
December 23rd, 2011 at 4:06 pm
Wow, I would never attend that Pastor’s worship services. I don’t need a Pastor, Priest or Preacher to “grade” my faith or devotion as a motivation to get me to “church.” This attitude repels people away from the proclamation of the Good News and away from Jesus. Our church community offers services on Saturdays and Sundays all year long. It opens up more opportunities for people to worship the God they seek and adore. BTW, we don’t “go to church” we ARE the church, every hour of every day. A building has never been “the church.” We have this great opportunity to worship him through each day in all we do as we reflect the attitude of the Good News and offer the Good News to strangers, family and friends. In our situations we will continue to have our services this Saturday, December 24 and Sunday, December 25. People will come because they are inspired, not because they are coerced.
December 23rd, 2011 at 4:56 pm
This appears to be a highly charged issue to debate. While I concurred that strong arming people into church on Christmas Day may have a negative affect, the situation seems to be simple. How many hours would you be in church in Sunday? How many hours are in the day? Couldn’t we easily “fit in” a service to celebrate Christ’s coming, without whom we wouldn’t even have any faith to celebrate? Why not invite unsaved family to join you for services? Would they really roll their eyes while you went without them?
Make the service part of your day. What a beautiful way to celebrate it. We plan to have a late morning service so as to give families time in the morning for traditions. We personally plan to save a few things for after the service.
Believe me, I know that this is a big family day, but if you heard all the reasons people give for missing a church services you’d really rethink the whole scenario. I’ve heard them all. My husband is a minister and we have known people who miss church a lot for “good reasons”…family reunion lunch, special birthday party, sports, recitals, out of town, one person out of 5-6 is sick, etc. Add it up and you’ve got sporadic attendance at God’s House. Christmas does not fall on Sunday very often. It could be one of the best family memories you have by being together as a family in God’s House. The other night one of our families brought their entire extended family to our Wednesday Candlelight Service. It meant so much to them, and did their hearts a world of good. May we each examine our hearts and see what lies within. Merry Christmas.
December 23rd, 2011 at 10:16 pm
This is coercion.
(“There is no excuse, not one, for not taking your family to church on Sunday.”
No thanks, but I’ll pass on the idolatry of the “golden calf” that is called the four walls.
The church is not the four walls, but the people are, no matter where they are.
FYI, on December 25th, the origin of many demon-gods were birthed on this day, not Jesus Christ. This holiday has it’s roots in paganism.
I will keep my hands out of the hungry throats of the offering plates and oppression of religious, corporate, man-made rules of the four walls.
“For where two or three have gathered together in My name, I am there in their midst.” — Matthew 18:20
This verse does not mean in the pastor’s name, where he works, as the pastor would have you believe in his exhortation above.
December 24th, 2011 at 5:03 am
[...] Christianless Churches [...]
December 24th, 2011 at 8:32 am
“Be a man”? Maybe being a man is honoring your wife and mercifully letting her have some more time with her family, for instance. Or a pastor having a bit more understanding toward his flock than that. Christ will understand, folks. It’s just as bad to be a pharisee over church attendance as going to the other extreme. I’m purposefully going to honor God with more time with my family this Christmas.
December 26th, 2011 at 6:34 pm
I’m still having a difficult time understanding how the title of this entry is relevent to the content, or how it even makes sense. “Christianless Churches” – are you implying that, when the holidays hit, Christians are apt to abandon church attendance, thereby leaving the church empty of Christians? or are you implying that the Church is full of non-Christians? Confusing. I disagree either way, but am honestly not even sure if I’m disagreeing with the author’s intent.
December 27th, 2011 at 2:24 pm
Great question Lisa. Perhaps it’s partially the same old issue of “Good Christian” vs. “Bad Christian”, “Committed Christian” vs. “Carnal Christian”, “Real” vs. “Fake”, “Reformed Christian” vs. “Every other kind of Christian.” I am sincerely curious regarding the Reformed tendency to measure others. Really, it’s worth a discussion.
December 28th, 2011 at 10:27 am
I live outside the USA. I have an orphanage and school in Haiti. Yes, I took the 37 children who live in my home to church on Sunday, Christmas Day. The 6 workers helped me with them. We all wanted to be in the House of the Lord on the day commonly celebrated as his birthday. It had nothing to do with legalism – we wanted to be there because we love Jesus. What better place could we be on Christmas Day!!!