Posts Tagged ‘holidays’
Should churches have a Mother’s Day event?
Question: Should churches have a Mother’s Day event? Answer: Why? Where do you find God requiring churches to create special events around secular holidays? After all, Mother’s Day in the United States started in 1908 and became an officially recognized day in 1914. It is easy to get caught up in seeing the “good” and…
Read MoreHappy Appearance Day
by Terry Wane Benton I am glad many people were at church on what the world (not God) has termed “Easter”. I am glad that people, who normally have very little spiritual commitment, let themselves get exposed to spiritual things at any time. Some have been convinced that this day, once a year, is very…
Read MoreIs it wrong to have an Easter egg hunt after services?
Question: Hello, I was reading one of the articles on your website about Easter. I am a member of the church and studying what has been taking place in a previous congregation I’ve attended. There was an Easter egg hunt directly after the service. Is that wrong or not since the activity occurred after the…
Read MoreIs it wrong to observe All Souls Day?
Question: Good day, brother Jeff. I want to know what are your thoughts about the observation of All Saints Day or All Souls Day that is done by many brethren here in the Philippines. One elderly lady asked me about this, and I promised to give her an answer by the time we meet. She…
Read MoreAre these points about Easter true?
Question: Is this true? Origin of Easter: Origin of word, “Easter”: Anglo-Saxon goddess of spring: “Eostre” In her honor sacrifices were offered at the vernal equinox or spring By 8th century church leaders applied “Eostre” to Christ’s resurrection In Acts 12:4, “Passover” in mistranslated “Easter” is in some Bibles Origin of symbols of Easter: Easter…
Read MoreSome Thoughts on Christmas
by Darrell Hamilton I actually don’t believe that God intended for us to celebrate the birth of Christ, so I am one of those who purposely separates any religious aspects from Christmas — which is actually quite easy to do. I see Christmas as a holiday that is dedicated to some good virtues. Just like…
Read MoreIs it sinful to listen to a song against Christmas?
Question: Is it sinful to listen to a song against Christmas? The song does not speak against the true meaning of Christmas (the birth of our Lord Jesus Christ) and rather speaks against Christmas traditions, such as eggnog, Christmas trees, gift-giving, etc. The song also uses some bad language. It also claims Christmas is a horrible…
Read MoreIs it wrong to want to smash pumpkins in protest of Halloween?
Question: This one was really on my mind, and I was reminded of a Bible verse: “Be angry and sin not.” I’m not sure where it came from, but I remember hearing it from another brother. The thing is that I see all these costumes. You have the girl costumes which are skimpy and you…
Read MoreShould churches observe Advent?
Question: Thought’s on Advent: Christ coming into the world, anticipating his second coming. Obviously preaching and teaching about Christ coming into the world and preaching and teaching about the fact that Christ will return again can be scheduled anytime during the year but for those who make Advent a November through December tradition, what are your thoughts?…
Read MoreDo the churches of Christ observe Palms Sunday?
Question: Do the churches of Christ observe Palms Sunday? Answer: Christians observe every Sunday in the worship of the Lord, but there is no teaching in the Bible to observe one Sunday differently from all other Sundays. Palms Sunday is a term used to refer to the day of Jesus’ triumphal entry into Jerusalem, but…
Read MoreDo Christians celebrate Yom Kippur?
Question: Hello! Do Christians celebrate Yom Kippur? Should Christians fast on Yom Kippur? Why or why not? Is there anything that Christians should do on Yom Kippur? Thanks! Answer: Yom Kippur and the other Jewish feasts are a part of the Old Testament. Jews continue to celebrate them because they refuse to believe that the…
Read MoreShould Christians celebrate Christmas at all?
Question: Hi, Thanks for taking up the time to answer all our questions. Forgive me if my English doesn’t seem correct since it isn’t my first language, but should we Christians even celebrate Christmas at all? Jeremiah 10:1-5 states: “Hear ye the word which the LORD speaketh unto you, O house of Israel: Thus saith…
Read MoreIs it a sin to celebrate the New Year?
Question: Is it wrong to celebrate January 1st as being New Year’s day? I recently saw a video stating that January 1st isn’t New Year’s day and the video goes as far as to imply that the whole global community celebrating January 1st as New Year’s is sinning. If this is true, what makes celebrating…
Read MoreShould Christ be put into Christmas?
Question: It just doesn’t seem right that we shouldn’t bring Christ into everything. I thought that’s what we were supposed to do. Wouldn’t it be alright to sing carols about Christ because they are just songs about his birth, even though some of them might have Christmas in them? This is really difficult for me…
Read MoreCan’t men give glory to God by creating holidays?
Question: I am a little confused by Holiday Observances. So are we not supposed to think of religion when celebrating Easter or Christmas or holidays like that? Is it bad to associate the Bible with holidays? Answer: The problem is that these are not what God asked of men. Men made them up to satisfy their…
Read MoreWhere does God say not to celebrate Jesus’ birth?
Question: Where in the Bible does God tell us not to celebrate Jesus’ birthday, but His death, resurrection, and return? Are we really not to celebrate Christmas as Jesus’ birth? Answer: Your question is backward. God told us everything needed for life and godliness (II Peter 1:2-4). “Everything” leaves nothing out. So the question is…
Read MoreGive Me that Good ODD Religion!
by Steve Klein Churches of Christ are typically viewed as “odd” by denominational folk. Two of the main reasons for this view are that churches of Christ don’t use instruments of music in worship and they don’t celebrate December 25th as the birth of Christ. While these things seem odd to members of modern denominations,…
Read MoreWhen was the earliest Christmas celebration performed?
Question: When was the earliest Christ Mass performed ever? Answer: According to historian Bruce David Forbes in Christmas: A Candid History: “Early Christians had no Christmas. The first written evidence of an annual celebration on December 25 commemorating the birth of Jesus comes from the fourth century. Epiphany developed a little earlier, in the eastern portion…
Read MoreHoly Days
by Clem Thurman via Gospel Minutes, Vol. 57, No. 24, June 13, 2008 Question: Does Galatians 4:9-11 refer to holy days (religious observance)? Or could it have a reference to such days as July 4th or our birthdays? Answer: The letter to the Galatians was written primarily to teach these new Christians that it was…
Read MoreIsn’t the Nicene creed wrong and don’t most Christians celebrate Christmas on the wrong day?
Question: I was very interested in your ideas about the Roman Church, two changes were brought in not on your list. The Nicene Creed: Papists believe that the Holy Spirit proceeds from the Father and the Son, whereas true Christians believe in what Jesus said, that the Holy Spirit proceeds from the Father. This change…
Read MoreDo you perpetuate the myth of Santa Claus?
Question: Do you, or the flock, there perpetuate the deceit that is the myth of Santa Claus? Thank you for your time. I apologize for repeatedly bugging you about things. I hope I am not a burden, I just don’t have very many people I can trust to ask difficult questions. Answer: I don’t mind…
Read MoreChristians and the Passover
by Gilbert Alexander The death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ is honored with deep love and respect by all Christians everywhere, and they assemble in localities throughout the world on the first day of every week to remember His death in His memorial supper as He commanded and as Christians have done since the…
Read MoreHoliday Observances
by Jeffrey W. Hamilton It is that time of year again when one holiday after another is observed: Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas, and then New Year. As usual for this time of year, the question arises as to how Christians are to treat these events. Should we celebrate them, or should we ignore them? Though ignoring…
Read MoreWho Put Christ in Christmas?
by Larry Ray Hafley During December we are reminded to, “Keep Christ in Christmas.” Who, though, put Him there in the first place? Did God? We know “the Father sent the Son to be the Savior of the world” (I John 4:14). Jesus said that He neither acted nor spoke of his own will, but…
Read MoreServices Canceled Due To Christmas!
by Zeke Flores Much is said this time of year about Christmas. Some scream about “putting the Christ back in Christmas,” while others bemoan the fact that retail stores are “pushing Christmas out” by replacing the term “Merry Christmas” with “Happy Holidays” in their ads. Still others grumble about the increasing “secularization” of Christmas as…
Read MoreRemembering His Resurrection Annually?
by Richard Thetford The calendar reads “Easter Sunday.” As a result, many people throughout the world will be attending the “church of their choice” to remember the resurrection of Jesus. It won’t be the “normal” service, but rather a “special” service of remembering the resurrection of our Lord that no doubt will include different plays,…
Read MoreHalloween
by Jeffrey W. Hamilton In Matthew 5:14-16, Jesus tells his audience that we are to be lights that shine forth in a dark world. Letting our lights shine lets the world see what it is like to be a follower of God. As we shine forth, our reputations reflect the glory of the Father, bringing…
Read MoreChristians and Christmas
by Ethan R. Longhenry It’s that time of year again: the weather is getting cold, snow is beginning to fall, and we are constantly bombarded by retail stores and their marketing blitzes. Christmastime is upon us yet again, and every year it seems more commercialized, more cutthroat, and less about family and togetherness. Many attempts…
Read MoreSomeone Writes Asking About Christmas
by Wayne Goforth Hello Becky! I appreciate your good thoughts here, and certainly, I am not trying to encourage you to go against your conscience (Romans 14) or to observe Christmas in any type of way. I simply want to explain why I believe, as a Christian, we have the liberty of celebrating a national holiday on December…
Read MoreDrifting
by Jeffrey W. Hamilton Text: Ecclesiastes 1:9-11 I. J.D. Tant, a preacher in Texas back in the late 1800’s, often ended his articles with the warning, “Brethren, we are drifting.” A. Such seems to be the tendency of man. B. We forget the past and just assume that what is currently done has always been that way…
Read MoreObserving Holidays
https://www.lavistachurchofchrist.org/cms/wp-content/uploads/2004/04/ObservingHolidays.mp3 I. It is that time of year when one holiday after another is observed: Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas, and finally New Years. A. Usually this time of year also brings up the question of how we, as Christians, treat these celebrations? B. Many denominations do special events for these days 1. Christmas being the main one with denominations…
Read MoreHalloween
by Jeffrey W. Hamilton I. What is your reputation like? A. As Christians, you are a city set on a hill, whose light cannot be hid – Mt. 5:14-16 1. We are to let our lights shine as our reputation reflects the Father and brings him glory. B. Phil. 2:15-16 – We hold out the light of the gospel…
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