Is there a practical value to celebrating Christmas?

No. How can there be value to a pagan holiday/syncretism?

The real value is in God’s holy days (Leviticus 23) that have everything to do with Christ & his redemption.

jargew said:

Hello,

I am wondering if you think celebrating Christmas has a value in building Christ's Church?
I am not asking whether you think it is an "ethical or unethical" holiday. I am asking, from a practical point of view, does celebrating Christmas 1) bring people to know Jesus 2) build the faith of believers 3) benefit the Church in some other way?

While I think Christmas is great, I'm unsure that it is of any practical utility to the Kingdom. It seems to me that we should always praise God for sending His son and not just focus on this once per year. What are your thoughts?

Click to expand...

Interesting question I’d not considered.
I think God’s gospel of Grace and Salvation can and should be preached all year around but knowing that many unbelievers enter a church building at Easter and Christmas it’s indeed an opportunity to preach to the unconverted while you have them.

The only value that I can see in even acknowledging Xmas is in a Mars' Hill type of outreach...

Christmas is not a pagan holiday. There is nothing pagan about celebrating the birth of Christ.

All of Advent has a very special role. It calls to mind Christ's first coming and prepares us for His second coming.

jargew said:

It seems to me that we should always praise God for sending His son and not just focus on this once per year. What are your thoughts?

Click to expand...

...... the pagan glitz and glitter and selfish motivations feel good ....
and
take the place of truth.

It is easy to sin.
Things that make it feel better to continue in sin without
actually serving Yahweh (God) or trusting Jesus
ease the conscience, sometimes past recovery....

jargew said:

Hello,

I am wondering if you think celebrating Christmas has a value in building Christ's Church?
I am not asking whether you think it is an "ethical or unethical" holiday. I am asking, from a practical point of view, does celebrating Christmas 1) bring people to know Jesus 2) build the faith of believers 3) benefit the Church in some other way?

While I think Christmas is great, I'm unsure that it is of any practical utility to the Kingdom. It seems to me that we should always praise God for sending His son and not just focus on this once per year. What are your thoughts?

Click to expand...

Christmas is possibly the only time of year when those who are determined to have nothing to do with Christ might be vaguely reminded that He is real, and is born. I feel happy to hear about Christians celebrating Christmas as Christ's birth!

jargew said:

Hello,

I am wondering if you think celebrating Christmas has a value in building Christ's Church?
I am not asking whether you think it is an "ethical or unethical" holiday. I am asking, from a practical point of view, does celebrating Christmas 1) bring people to know Jesus 2) build the faith of believers 3) benefit the Church in some other way?

While I think Christmas is great, I'm unsure that it is of any practical utility to the Kingdom. It seems to me that we should always praise God for sending His son and not just focus on this once per year. What are your thoughts?

Click to expand...

I think that taking time out of the year to focus on the incarnation and also the second coming of Christ is certainly useful. These are two essential pieces of the gospel and they could be focused on at any time. But the usefulness of the traditional church year is that, if we follow it, it ensures that we focus on every important aspect of the gospel:

1. Advent - Christ came in the flesh. He will come again in glory.
2. Epiphany - Christ is the light of the world. His life and teaching provide wisdom for our daily lives.
3. Lent - We are lost in sin and in need of redemption. We need to acknowledge our sin and repent.
4. Easter - Christ died for our sins and rose again. We too will rise again on the last day.
5. Pentecost - Christ dwells in our midst by the power of the Holy Spirit. The church is the temple of the living God.
6. Ordinary time - By the power of the Spirit we are called to forsake sin and live according to God's law.

If you remove advent from the context of the Christian year, it might make less sense. But put it within its proper context and you can see the logic.

Jesus is still Lord in December, but

"...those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.” John 4:24 NKJV

What could possibly be wrong with celebrating the birth of Christ?

And besides, it gives those who like to go on with their astounding news that Christmas is not a biblical holiday, a chance to beat their chests with that, and other newsflash claims.

Can anyone show me where the bible forbade Christians from creating a holiday to celebrate their lord ans savior?

Messianic Jews have calculated His birthday to be during the Feast of Tabernacles, with a second guess being around Passover.

If we have a reliable date from the Jews, themselves, why do we need to use Winter Solstice festivals in the name of "nobody knows for sure?"