Day: December 14, 2022

Source: The Gospel Coalition

Christmas has everything to do with missions, says David Platt. He challenges Christians to reflect at Christmas on the many people around the world who still have not heard the good news of the gospel.

Watch the video (or click on the image below). It’s just a few minutes long.

You might also be encouraged by a recent article from The Gospel Coalition, 4 Ways to “Be Still and Know” This Christmas. It’s a reflection on Psalm 46 and its implications for Christmas and God’s global mission.

Source: OSCAR

Christmas is a great time to reach out and connect with a missionary you know! OK, maybe any time is. But as you’re looking through your Christmas list, consider if one or more of these items should be added. The article is from Mike Frith at OSCAR, the UK mission information service.

1. Send them Christmas greetings
2. Send a Christmas present
3. Give them a financial gift
4. Pray for their Christmas celebrations
5. Pray for their Christmas outreach
6. Include them in your Christmas
7. Help those recently returned

Read the brief article, then browse OSCAR’s Christmas resource list.

It’s probably too late to post packages. But you can still bless friends abroad in other ways. Any of these might be much appreciated.

Source: Upstream Collective

Far from home and feeling a bit down about it? Maybe you could use some words of lament to speak and pray. Upstream published some last year.

Take a look and download the liturgy to use with your team or family or share with a friend.

See also A Liturgy for When a Loved One Is Ailing Back Home.

Source: Wycliffe Bible Translators

Kids off school next week? Consider taking the time to dive into Scripture as a family with this five-day family devotional. Each day, enjoy a short, Scripture-based teaching, questions to answer together and a fun activity (including a few international recipes).

Download the 11-page PDF, The Best Gift Ever: A 5-Day Christmas Devotional with Kate & Mack devotional. No registration required.

Also see Kate & Mack’s 12 Days of Christmas (a look at Christmas traditions around the world) and other Wycliffe resources for kids.

Source: Wheaton College Billy Graham Center

Where: Zoom
When: Wednesday, December 14, 7pm Central Time

Christmas time is full of social gatherings with family and friends as well as opportunities for meaningful conversations. To help us enter the season with hopeful expectations, Wheaton professor emeritus Dr. Jerry Root will present his annual talk on sharing Christ with your friends and family at Christmas. Dr. Root shares inspiring stories and winsome ways to help us all share our faith boldly.

Dr. Timothy Larsen, author of The Oxford Handbook of Christmas, will follow to share some of the rich history of our Christmas traditions.

Register to attend.

For a taste of Tim Larsen, see his article No One Took Christ Out of Christmas (Christianity Today). The subtitle summarizes, “Let’s dispense with our worries that Christmas as we know it isn’t Christian.” Whew!

Ready to think about the new year? Check out our growing calendar of 2023 mission events. Submissions welcome.