A
Christmas Gathering is a get-together of friends
or neighbors in an individual's home. The party features
holiday food, spontaneous sharing of Christmas
traditions, a brief, non-threatening talk on the meaning of
Christmas and an opportunity to receive Christ.
Since I first spoke at a party in 1981, these
gatherings have brought exciting changes in people's lives
through a relationship with Jesus Christ. They also foster
incomparable growth opportunities for Christians who want to
reach out and share their faith with others. There are many benefits to hosting an
evangelistic holiday celebration:
- Utilizes the holiday season to present the good
news of Jesus Christ
- Uses our homes as a non-threatening environment
to glorify God
- Builds relationships
- Counteracts the trend of isolation - many people
are never invited into someone's home and they are honored to
be included
- Requires only two people to initiate
- Guests may experience the joy of trusting God
 Prepare
God does not care as much about our ability as
our availability. Allow Him to work in your heart as you
consider a gathering in your home. "I can do everything through Him who gives me
strength" (Philippians 4:13)
- God prepares you and empowers you as you surrender yourself
to Him God asks that we serve Him "not by might, not by
power, but by His Spirit" (Zechariah 4:6) Our eyes should not be on ourselves or the
results of our gatherings Successful witnessing is sharing Christ in
the power of the Holy Spirit and leaving the results to God
- Our eyes should be fixed on God's power, His
sufficiency and His ability to accomplish His purpose in our
lives and in the lives of others. "The One who calls you is
faithful and He will do it." (1 Thess. 5:24)
 Responsibilities of
Hostess/Host
Before
planning your gathering, prayerfully consider the group you
would like to reach. Select an appropriate day and time for this
group. Some good times may be weekday evenings, Saturday
mornings or Sunday afternoons. Although most gatherings are for
neighbors (women or couples), you could also invite co-workers,
clubs, sports groups, mothers and daughters, extended families,
baby-sitting co-ops or teens. Your party can be as formal or as informal as
your neighborhood or workplace. You may use holiday paper plates
or your best china and silver! Use your home or apartment, or in
some cases, a party room or community center might be more satisfactory. "And my God will
meet all your needs according to His glorious riches in Christ
Jesus" (Philippians 4:19) Selecting a speaker for your gathering is an
important part of your plans.
Here are some things to keep in
mind:
- It's best that you don't speak at your own
gathering
- If your party is part of a coordinated effort
in a church or city, a trained speaker should be provided
- If you're selecting your own speaker, read the
material found in the speaker's section of the manual
- Prayerfully choose an appropriate speaker and
ask them to follow the guidelines in the speaker's section
- It is best to use a male speaker for couples'
gatherings
The number of guests you invite will vary. As a
general rule, invite 3x the number of people you desire
to attend. Begin with a minimum of 30 invitations; it is
best to have at least 8-10 guests at a party, although many
gatherings include more guests. You may wish to include a close
Christian friend or relative to help you serve the
food so that you're able to focus on your guests. On the
invitations nclude the
date, time (beginning and ending), your name, place and phone#. Indicate
clearly that a friend will be sharing some inspiring thoughts
about Christmas.
Plan your menu according to the type of gathering
or theme that you desire for your guests. Foods can range from simple
Christmas cookies or dessert to a brunch or a nice dinner.
Decorate your home cheerfully for the holidays - you may want to
borrow decorations from friends - and arrange your room so
people can best view the speaker, have easy conversation, and
 enter or leave with little distraction.
Your Party Sample
time schedule:
Evening Gathering from 7 - 9pm
7:00 - 7:30 Arrival, Conversation, Refreshments
7:30 - 8:00 Sharing of Traditions
8:00 - 8:30 Speaker and Comment Cards
8:30 - 9:00 More Refreshments and Visiting It is recommended that gatherings be held the
first 2 weeks of December. The later it is, the harder it is
to get people to come. Parties should be 2 hours in length.
Welcome Your Speaker
Your speaker will likely arrive for prayer 30 minutes before
your gathering, to get oriented to the
setting, and to assist you for a relaxed beginning. Introduce
your speaker individually to the guests as they arrive, treating
your speaker as one of your guests. Simply identify your speaker
as, "______, who'll be sharing with us later."
 Guiding the Sharing Time
After your guests have been served refreshments, put them at
ease with a guided sharing time to help them know one another
better and create a comfortable atmosphere for the speaker's
message. It's best to allow spontaneous sharing rather than
going around the circle. This makes it easier to introduce your
speaker. You may begin the sharing time as follows:
"One of the things I find enjoyable and
interesting is learning about other people's Christmas
traditions. Why don't we take a few moments to share some of our
traditions with one another, such as foods you eat, customs,
special things you do in your family, or perhaps you would like
to share your Christmas plans this year. In order to give you a
moment or two to think of what you might share, I'll share
first." (Caution: Please select a nonreligious tradition)
End the sharing time on
schedule to give your speaker enough time. Be prepared to cut
off the sharing at the appropriate time as follows: "This has been such fun hearing your various traditions. I
feel we have just started. Maybe we can share more of them a
little later."
 Continue by Introducing Your
Speaker
"Christmas is such a special
time of year, isn't it? I wanted to add to the specialness of my
Christmas this year by having you in my home. I hope being
together is equally enjoyable for you. As I said on my
invitation, a friend of mine will be sharing with us today. I
don't know about you, but it's easy for me to get caught up in
a whirlwind of activities at Christmastime and not take the
time to really remember its significance. I am eager to hear
what our speaker will share with us."
Closing Your Party
Graciously
thank your speaker and invite guests to enjoy more refreshments.
Remember, from the moment your first guest arrives, your focus
is to be on welcoming and enjoying your guests.
"However, I consider my life worth nothing to me,
if only I may finish the race and complete the task the Lord
Jesus has given me  - the task of testifying to the gospel of
God's grace" (Acts 20:24).
Follow Up
Use the comment cards the speaker has provided to
determine what kind of follow-up is needed. Following the party,
the speaker and host can pray together and discuss what the Lord
would have them do (individually or together). If there are a
few people interested in a Bible study, plan a 4-6 week
study to begin in January. (Information is available
in the manual on "How to
Begin an Evangelistic Bible Study.")
Responses
There are generally three type of responses.
After determining the nature of the response, pray about your
next step. The following are suggestions you could consider.
 Spiritual
Response:
(response to message and prayer)
- If possible, start a follow-up Bible study or
take them to another basic Bible study If they have received Christ, explain what took
place and help them be assured of their salvation Get together for coffee and share your personal
testimony and the gospel with them - You could use a small
booklet such as The Four Spiritual Laws) Invite them to another Christian activity.
Social Response:
(response to you and being in your home)
Take a personal interest in them and their
activities (hobbies, shopping). Purpose to not talk about spiritual things
unless they initiate the conversation .
No Response/
Negative Response:
When there is no apparent response, concentrate on those who
seemed open to the gospel and you. When there is negative
response, diffuse their resentment by personally apologizing if
you offended them by including them in your gathering. Explain
that you purposefully stated that a friend would be sharing some
thought about Christmas, so they would not be taken by surprise.Remember, you are not apologizing for the gospel.Ask God what He wants you to do in the lives of
people as a result of your gathering! "May the God who
gives endurance and encouragement give you a spirit of unity
among yourselves as you follow Jesus Christ, so that with one
heart and mouth you may glorify the God and Father of our Lord
Jesus Christ" (Romans 15:5)
 Checklist
- Set a definite date/time/place for gathering
- Notify coordinator (if
applicable) and speaker
- Deliver invitations to your guests at least 7-10
days prior (hand-deliver, if possible)
- Aim for 10+ guests - send 3x as many as you
hope will attend
- Arrange childcare for daytime gathering
- Prepare food ahead of time
- Decorate home cheerfully
- Make follow-up invitational calls to guests (if necessary)
- Use name tags
- Call speaker with information about appropriate
dress, directions to home, prayer
- Turn off phone and other
noisemakers
- Find 1 or 2 people to pray for your
gathering
 Through
Christmas Gatherings, hundreds have indicated that they have
received Jesus Christ, and numerous follow-up Bible studies have
been started. Many Christians have been excited by the ease of
sharing the gospel with friends and neighbors in such an
informal atmosphere. It is my hope and prayer that this information
will be used to encourage and equip you to help reach your world
with His powerful gospel. May you experience, as I have, God's
enabling power and delight.
Joyce
Bademan is the Founder and National Director of Christmas Gatherings.
Extensive resource manuals are available - please contact Joyce
by email at Jbademan@aol.com or
write to:
Christmas Gatherings
24904 Logan Avenue,
Lakeville MN, 55044 USA
For more help and ideas check
out Joyce's manual: click
here
 Thanks to: www.retirementwithapurpose.com
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