Seasonal Outreach Events: Benefit or Drawback?

The holiday season offers many opportunities to bring more people through the front doors of the church building. Christmas music is nearly universal. A worship gathering, candlelight service, outreach choir, living Christmas tree, or children’s Christmas pageant can offer a dose of the Christmas cheer that most everyone is searching for. But do seasonal outreach events help or hurt?

The case for

Many people only attend church on the two big religious holidays—Christmas and Easter. We only have one chance with these people, so we’d better not waste it. We need to choreograph our best services of the year, wow them with our production, and woo them with a crystal-clear gospel message. If we do it right, lots of people will make professions of faith and join the church in January.

The case against

If we do special services around the holidays, guests will come to expect that from us all the time. If they are compelled to stay, they’ll be disappointed when they experience our regular services next month. We shouldn’t set false expectations with elaborate seasonal services. The holidays bring new people in the door on their own. We just have to execute a solid service, and let the Holy Spirit work.
What is your church’s approach to the holiday season? Tell us in the comments.