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Advent Conspiracy: Can Christmas Still Change the World? by Rick McKinley
Worship More, Spend Less, Give Presence, Love All Are you tired of how consumerism has stolen the soul of Christmas? This year, take a stand! Join the groundswell of Christ-followers who are choosing to make Christmas what it should be---a joyous celebration of Jesus' birth that enriches our hearts and the world around us, not a retail circus that depletes our pocketbooks and defeats our spirits. Advent Conspiracy shows you how to substitute consumption with compassion by practicing four simple but powerful, countercultural Worship Fully---because Christmas begins and ends with Jesus! Spend Less---and free your resources for things that truly matter. Give More---of your your hands, your words, your time, your heart. Love All---the poor, the forgotten, the marginalized, and the sick in ways that make a difference. Find out how to have a Christmas worth remembering, not dreading. Christmas can still change the world when you, like Jesus, give what matters most---your presence.
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Published January 1, 1800
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January 10, 2024
A PROPOSAL TO WORSHIP MORE FULLY, AND TO LOVE ALL IN JESUS’ NAME
Author Rick Mc Kinley and Pastors Chris Seay and Greg Holder, wrote in the first chapter of this 2009 book, “The Advent Conspiracy is not a four-point checklist for how to do Christmas. It is not a formula or a fool-proof system to make your Christmas more meaningful. The Advent Conspiracy is the story of the wondrous moment when God entered our world to make things right. It is the greatest story ever told, and it changes everything---including the way we celebrate Christmas. As you read this book, understand what you’re doing and why you’re doing it. This is not about anger, disgust, or guilt---it is about entering the story of Jesus more deeply with a desire to worship more fully. It is not enough to say no to the way Christmas is celebrated by many; we need to say yes to a different way of celebrating. Our dream is that as you read this book you will discover Christ and be transformed by entering his story. The idea is simple, yet sometimes it is simple ideas that change our lives in the best way possible.” (Pg. 16-17)
They recount, “Several years ago a few of us friends were lamenting how much we hate pastoring at Christmas. We shared our dread of preparing to proclaim, celebrate, and worship Jesus at his Incarnation while we---along with our congregations---are consumed with idolatry… So we decided to try an experiment. What if, instead of acting like bystanders to the nativity, we led our congregations INTO the nativity story as participants? We didn’t know what to expect, but we knew we needed to reclaim the story of Christmas, the foundational narrative of the church. As we strove to see the birth of Christ from inside the stable instead of inside the mall, our holiday practices began to change.” (Pg. 10-11)
They continue, “We were convinced that an inescapable consequence of truly entering the Christmas story was compulsion to love all… When we considered that the coming of Christ was good news for all people
... we began to think of how this announcement could show up in tangible ways all over the world. One of our friends began to be burdened about the world water crisis… So, partnering with Living Water International, we used the money we saved from worshiping more and spending less to build many wells… we traveled at Christmas to these villages with new wells to celebrate the hope of Jesus with them… wells … were tangible local expressions that the announcement of Christ was good news to the least of these in our own communities… What if we invited more faith communities to join us? We… launched a website, and invited others to join the Advent Conspiracy Jesus began so many years ago … The story caught on, and people joined us. Hundreds of churches began to worship fully, spend less, give more, and love all. It became a movement that is still growing today… This book is about the prophetic dream birthed by the Advent of Jesus Christ---the dream that every Jesus follower would worship fully, spend less, given more, and courageously love all in the name and power of Jesus.” (Pg. 12-16)
They observe, “It is now clear that the primary threat to true Christianity in America is consumerism---not liberalism, fundamentalism, Darwinism, secularism, or any other-ism that happens to achieve some level of influence and power.” (Pg. 22)
They acknowledge, “One of the common fears people have about the Advent Conspiracy is what their relatives might think, do, feel, or say. Quite honestly, in this day and time, it does sound crazy at first to spend less, to give more, and to use our holiday money to love our brothers and sisters around the world. Joseph, however, reminds us that while the call of God isn’t always easy or conventional, it is always right---and God will give us the courage to follow if we are willing to obey. Like Joseph, when we act in obedience to God’s invitation---despite even the social cost---we help God’s will be done on earth as it is in heaven.” (Pg. 41)
They explain, “We have inserted ourselves into Jesus’ birth story and opened our hearts to the possibility of a deeper, fuller worship experience---not only at Christmas, but beyond. Jesus has become the reason for our season… Christmas is a season of excess. It is difficult to walk against the crowd that seems to want nothing more than to ‘eat, drink, and be merry.’ Spending less requires us to plan, research, and cultivate relationships---pursuits that are more taxing then flipping through the latest catalog of bingeing at the mall. However, as we choose to go against the cultural flow, it is important to remember that spending less on Christmas presents doesn’t mean we love our friends and family any less. In fact, we will often find that those to whom we give creative, personal gifts will see our love---and perhaps God’s---more clearly than ever before.” (Pg. 50-51)
They state, “Apart from the Incarnation, we would never fully know the depths to which we are loved or the lengths to which God can be trusted. That’s what we celebrate each Christmas.” (Pg. 69)
They say, “God came to the poor---in other words, to each of us… What does this mean? Jesus gave up the glory of heaven to be born into a sin-scarred world. That glorious night in Bethlehem, every day of his life, and in the deadly pain of the cross, Jesus became poor for our sake. Jesus entered our poverty so we would no longer be poor. The priceless gift of a restored relationship with God and others is now offered to those who could never afford it. The outrageous wealth of his righteousness is credited to those who don’t deserve it. To those of us who are poor, this is very good news. But is it still relevant news? Can Christmas still change the world? We’re discovering that the answer is a resounding yes!” (Pg. 84-85)
This book will be of keen interest to Christians concerned with social applications of the faith.
Author Rick Mc Kinley and Pastors Chris Seay and Greg Holder, wrote in the first chapter of this 2009 book, “The Advent Conspiracy is not a four-point checklist for how to do Christmas. It is not a formula or a fool-proof system to make your Christmas more meaningful. The Advent Conspiracy is the story of the wondrous moment when God entered our world to make things right. It is the greatest story ever told, and it changes everything---including the way we celebrate Christmas. As you read this book, understand what you’re doing and why you’re doing it. This is not about anger, disgust, or guilt---it is about entering the story of Jesus more deeply with a desire to worship more fully. It is not enough to say no to the way Christmas is celebrated by many; we need to say yes to a different way of celebrating. Our dream is that as you read this book you will discover Christ and be transformed by entering his story. The idea is simple, yet sometimes it is simple ideas that change our lives in the best way possible.” (Pg. 16-17)
They recount, “Several years ago a few of us friends were lamenting how much we hate pastoring at Christmas. We shared our dread of preparing to proclaim, celebrate, and worship Jesus at his Incarnation while we---along with our congregations---are consumed with idolatry… So we decided to try an experiment. What if, instead of acting like bystanders to the nativity, we led our congregations INTO the nativity story as participants? We didn’t know what to expect, but we knew we needed to reclaim the story of Christmas, the foundational narrative of the church. As we strove to see the birth of Christ from inside the stable instead of inside the mall, our holiday practices began to change.” (Pg. 10-11)
They continue, “We were convinced that an inescapable consequence of truly entering the Christmas story was compulsion to love all… When we considered that the coming of Christ was good news for all people
... we began to think of how this announcement could show up in tangible ways all over the world. One of our friends began to be burdened about the world water crisis… So, partnering with Living Water International, we used the money we saved from worshiping more and spending less to build many wells… we traveled at Christmas to these villages with new wells to celebrate the hope of Jesus with them… wells … were tangible local expressions that the announcement of Christ was good news to the least of these in our own communities… What if we invited more faith communities to join us? We… launched a website, and invited others to join the Advent Conspiracy Jesus began so many years ago … The story caught on, and people joined us. Hundreds of churches began to worship fully, spend less, give more, and love all. It became a movement that is still growing today… This book is about the prophetic dream birthed by the Advent of Jesus Christ---the dream that every Jesus follower would worship fully, spend less, given more, and courageously love all in the name and power of Jesus.” (Pg. 12-16)
They observe, “It is now clear that the primary threat to true Christianity in America is consumerism---not liberalism, fundamentalism, Darwinism, secularism, or any other-ism that happens to achieve some level of influence and power.” (Pg. 22)
They acknowledge, “One of the common fears people have about the Advent Conspiracy is what their relatives might think, do, feel, or say. Quite honestly, in this day and time, it does sound crazy at first to spend less, to give more, and to use our holiday money to love our brothers and sisters around the world. Joseph, however, reminds us that while the call of God isn’t always easy or conventional, it is always right---and God will give us the courage to follow if we are willing to obey. Like Joseph, when we act in obedience to God’s invitation---despite even the social cost---we help God’s will be done on earth as it is in heaven.” (Pg. 41)
They explain, “We have inserted ourselves into Jesus’ birth story and opened our hearts to the possibility of a deeper, fuller worship experience---not only at Christmas, but beyond. Jesus has become the reason for our season… Christmas is a season of excess. It is difficult to walk against the crowd that seems to want nothing more than to ‘eat, drink, and be merry.’ Spending less requires us to plan, research, and cultivate relationships---pursuits that are more taxing then flipping through the latest catalog of bingeing at the mall. However, as we choose to go against the cultural flow, it is important to remember that spending less on Christmas presents doesn’t mean we love our friends and family any less. In fact, we will often find that those to whom we give creative, personal gifts will see our love---and perhaps God’s---more clearly than ever before.” (Pg. 50-51)
They state, “Apart from the Incarnation, we would never fully know the depths to which we are loved or the lengths to which God can be trusted. That’s what we celebrate each Christmas.” (Pg. 69)
They say, “God came to the poor---in other words, to each of us… What does this mean? Jesus gave up the glory of heaven to be born into a sin-scarred world. That glorious night in Bethlehem, every day of his life, and in the deadly pain of the cross, Jesus became poor for our sake. Jesus entered our poverty so we would no longer be poor. The priceless gift of a restored relationship with God and others is now offered to those who could never afford it. The outrageous wealth of his righteousness is credited to those who don’t deserve it. To those of us who are poor, this is very good news. But is it still relevant news? Can Christmas still change the world? We’re discovering that the answer is a resounding yes!” (Pg. 84-85)
This book will be of keen interest to Christians concerned with social applications of the faith.
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