by Josh Snodgrass

1. Talk to a newish person

Make them feel welcome. 

If it’s their first time, find out where they’ve come from, why they’re visiting, how they found the service, and how you can help them. If they’ve been around for a while, make sure you introduce them to someone else. Helping them to connect with others is just as important as making them feel welcome in the first place.

2. Talk to a small group / bible study member

Try and touch base with a few of the members in your group. How was their week? Did God answer that prayer? How did that date go? Do they need any prayer for anything else? 

You don’t have to go deep with each person every week, but catching one or two for a quick conversation can go a long way. Doing this each week should enable you to chat to everyone in your group every few weeks.

3. Talk to your friends

Church isn’t a social club, but we’re naturally going to click with some people more than others. That’s fine! In fact it’s necessary ... church is just as much about giving encouragement to others as it is about receiving encouragement ourselves. We need our friends, so talk to them all you like. Just make sure you don’t do it to the exclusion of everyone else.

It’s important to say that this order won’t be possible every time! If you’re sitting with friends, don’t ignore them until you find a new person. You also don’t need to follow this advice religiously either. It’s more about getting you to think about who you talk to, than it is about getting you to follow the order.

Finally, doing this each week will take time. Rather than ducking off every week before the final song, give yourself half an hour to stay and chat. Church is the gathering of God’s people, not just a spiritual shot in the arm. Who knows, you may even make a few friends in the process.

by Sara White


Yes its Christmas time already and I found this article I wanted to share with you. This is an excerpt from an article written by Martha Noebel.

It’s that time of year again. December has come and with it all the joys of Christmas. But what is the real meaning of Christmas? Is it the gifts under the tree, the lights in the windows, the cards in the mail, turkey dinners with family and friends, snow in the yard, stockings hanging in the living room, and shouts of “Merry Christmas” to those who pass us on the streets? Is this really Christmas? 

For many people, Christmas is a time of sorrow. They don’t have the extra money to buy presents for their children, family, and friends. Many are saddened at Christmas time when they think of their loved ones who will not be able to come home for various reasons. Turkey dinners may be only a wish and not a reality for some. 

Yet, Christmas can be a season of great joy. It is a time of God showing His great love for us. It can be a time of healing and renewed strength. You see, Christmas is when we celebrate the birth of the Christ Child. God sent His Son Jesus into world to be born. His birth brought great joy to the world. Shepherds, wise men and angels all shared in the excitement of knowing about this great event. They knew this was no ordinary baby. The prophets had told of His coming hundreds of years before. The star stopped over Bethlehem just to mark the way for those who were looking for this special child. Read Luke 2:4-19 

Why did He come? Why did God send His Son to this sometimes cruel and hard world? He sent Jesus to us so that one day, He would grow up to become a very important part of history. 

His story (history) is one of truth, love, and hope. It brought salvation to all of us. Without Jesus, we would all die in our sins. 

“But if we confess our sins to him, he is faithful and just
to forgive us and to cleanse us from every wrong.“ - 1 John 1:9 

We can truly be happy at Christmas! No matter what may be happening, we can know that we are His children. We then become sons and daughters of God. Heaven will be our home one day. 

This is the year to invite Jesus into your heart. You will then have a “Merry Christmas.” The joy and peace will last all year as you look to God for all your needs to be met. 

Jesus Is The Reason For The Season! Rejoice! 

by Shon Sanders

Let us praise, pray, sing & shout joyfully this Christmas season and proclaim that Jesus Christ was born. Luke 2:13-14 tells us that on that night “Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom his favor rests”. 

The Bible Study Planet blog gives us a commentary on a beloved Christmas carol written by Charles Wesley that I hope you all enjoy: 

“Hark! The herald angels sing, Glory to the newborn King;
Peace on earth, and mercy mild, God and sinners reconciled!”

“God and sinners reconciled” through Christ. This is the true meaning of Christmas and the true meaning of Christianity. Jesus Christ was sent “through the tender mercy of our God to give light to those who sit in darkness and the shadow of death” (Luke 1:78-79). We’re forgiven for our sins because Christ has “made peace through the blood of His cross” (Colossians 1:20).

Joyful, all ye nations rise, Join the triumph of the skies;
With angelic host proclaim, “Christ is born in Bethlehem!”

“Where was the Christ to be born?” Herod asked the chief priests and scribes. “In Bethlehem of Judea,” they answered. Bethlehem, the little, insignificant town would be the last place we would have chosen for God to enter the world. But, just as the Lord chose a place unworthy to host Him He chooses to save us, who are unworthy of such an honor. (Luke 1:52; 1 Corinthians 1:27)

Christ, by highest Heaven adored; Christ the everlasting Lord;
Late in time, behold Him come, Offspring of a virgin’s womb.
Veiled in flesh the Godhead see; Hail incarnate Deity,
Pleased with us in flesh to dwell, Jesus our Emmanuel.

The miracle of Christmas isn’t that a little baby was born in a manager, or that a star appeared, or that angels filled the sky. The miracle of Christmas is the incarnation of Christ Jesus, “who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men. And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross” (Philippians 2:5-8). Christ, in some mysterious way, laid aside His divine rights, clothed Himself in humanity, dwelt among us, and served His creation by going to the cross — this is the miracle of Christmas.

Such sacrifice and love is beyond human comprehension and it causes us to join the angels in praise of the King of kings.

“Hark! The herald angels sing, Glory to the newborn King;
Peace on earth, and mercy mild, God and sinners reconciled!"

by Trina Riley

Isn’t it ironic that as we rush into this holiday season… time, hearts and souls filled with parties, appointments, meetings, food, obligations, stress, rush, and stuff, we are entering into a beautiful sacred period of time in the Christian year known as Advent… WAITING?  In the midst of chaos, a baby is born in a manger to a carpenter and a young girl who said “yes” to something far beyond her… beautiful, dark, and uncertain… and then spent her whole life pondering the coming of Jesus into her life.  Ponder means to consider and carry deeply within.  It does not mean to fix, escape or even to figure out.  Could it be that this Jesus came to teach us not to be more spiritual, but to be human… real… humble… fully present… eyes to really see Him?  To say “yes,” to wait, to carry deeply, to be with, to wonder and to see?  I am astounded at my own tendencies and oftentimes knee-jerk reactions to life.  Subtle undertones of guilt, condemnation, escapism, analyzing, and even fixing in the name of Jesus often thrust me into willpower and striving.  But I am gently reminded this Advent season that life is a season of active waiting… not passively waiting to get out of the present trials or darkness, but of “waiting in God,” as Rick puts it.  To live fully present with Him in the midst of life, eyes wide open with expectant hope, learning to truly see Christ.  Leaning in to Him and letting go… loosening my clenched grip around expectations and security.  Tending to the longings of my soul… my longing for Him.  Patiently watching for Him to show up and surprise me.  Surprise, because He most often shows up in ways I am not expecting, if only I have eyes to see.  As I get quiet and present, arms wide and hands emptied, He shows up in power and glory in the ordinary… far beyond my wildest imaginations, time and time again.  Advent literally means “arrival.” What are the longings of your heart?  Will you “wait in God” this Advent season to be surprised at the arrival of Christ in your life?