A Bethlehem Christmas: Celebrating the Joyful Season

by Charles R. Swindoll

The world changed forever one Bethlehem night. Best-selling author Charles R. Swindoll invites us to sit back and enjoy his personal and engaging retelling of the first Christmas story. Combining both regal mystery and humble human experience, the book focuses on four major Gabriel, Mary, Joseph, and Immanuel. A Bethlehem Christmas provides biblical insight with the heart and warmth of a gifted storyteller to bring what happened at the nativity to life and renew the joyful hope of Christmas.

Genres: Christmas, Christian, Nonfiction

191 pages, Hardcover

First published September 18, 2007

About the author

Charles Swindoll has devoted over four decades to two passions: an unwavering commitment to the practical communication and application of God's Word, and an untiring devotion to seeing lives transformed by God's grace. Chuck graduated magna cum laude from Dallas Theological Seminary and has since been honored with four doctorates. For his teaching on Insight for Living, he has received the Program of the Year award and the Hall of Fame award from the National Religious Broadcasters as well as multiple book awards.

Reviews

[Amelia Sanders · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book reminded me a lot of John Pipers book, The Innkeeper. While it obviously is a fiction work, it served like Pipers book, as a reminder to slow down when reading biblical stories that I think I “know” because I’ve heard them so many times. Swindoll gives perspectives on the birth of Christ from Mary, Joseph and then Gabriel. Perspectives that I miss when I just read passages that I “know” and don’t faithfully sit down and chew on them. Oh what a night that must have been in Bethlehem!

[Kimmie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent! Fiction book, but tells of what the birth of Christ could be from the perspectives of Mary, Joseph, and Gabriel. Can you imagine being Mary and having to tell your family that you are with child, the Messiah at that, and you are still a virgin?

[Natalie Cruz · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love this book! Go back to it every couple of years.

[Georgia Herod · Rating 5 out of 5]

As usual, Swindoll has written a lively narrative, allowing the reader to enter the hearts, minds, and experiences of the nativity participants: Joseph, Mary, and Gabriel. Swindoll has succeeded in giving us a fresh look into the circumstances that have changed the world. Beautifully written.

[Naomi · Rating 3 out of 5]

Now I have even MORE questions, but it was good. It got me thinking, and pondering, and learning, and looking more things up in the Bible. I especially had never thought of the story from Gabriel's perspective.

[Peter Way · Rating 5 out of 5]

A wonderful recount of the saviours birth.

A great retelling of the Christmas story. The history of the life of the Jews put this into what could have been, what the reality of the time of Jesus birth was like.

[Ellen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great new perspective on the Christmas story.

[Lana · Rating 2 out of 5]

I liked Mary's point of view, but didn't care much for the others.

[Willie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great!

[Nicolas · Rating 4 out of 5]

A well written, engaging take on the Nativity story.

[Keshia · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars

I struggled to rate this book. I did enjoy the different perspectives of the Christmas story, but for me, nothing will ever top the original :)

[Athena Anderson · Rating 5 out of 5]

It's a good book to read and I would highly recommend any family to read this 😇☺

[Ron · Rating 4 out of 5]

Chuck Swindoll is a very Good author. I don't always agree with his theology, but I do enjoy reading many of his works.

In this simple book he discusses the birth of Jesus as seen through the eyes of Mary, Joseph and the Angel Gabriel.

This story is respectful and enlightening.

His discussion on Joseph seeking to divorce Mary privately, and the connection to an old Bible story brought forth a different dimension that I had not thought of before.

It's a very short read just a few hours, but well worth it.

[Leanne Bondhus · Rating 5 out of 5]

What an amazing book! Hearing the events of Christmas directly from Mary and Joseph and angel Gabriel touched my heart and mind so deeply. Each character came to life and I could feel their pain and confusion. I loved the questions that Gabriel asked God—-questions that we often ask as well. This book made the grace and compassion of God for the people He loves, even when we are unlovable, understandable, and that makes Christmas even more wonderful. My recommendation is to read this book and share it with anyone you care about.

[Patrice · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm going to read this book at the beginning of December each year. It does a great job setting the tone for the month of Advent: waiting for the Messiah, and fulling understanding why the baby came. Merry Christmas!

[Leslie · Rating 3 out of 5]

A fictional rendition of the true Christmas story - I enjoyed the viewpoints and the creativity put into the narrative of how it may have happened. It makes you think about the feelings, responses, and dialogue that may have taken place.

[Eric · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is an interesting and somewhat engaging fictional account of the the birth of Christ.

[Sandra Lee · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very good read.

[Carol Blankenhorn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wonderful and creative!!

[Susie Michaels · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Bethlehem Christmas by Charles R. Swindoll is timeless classic.
I highly recommend this book!

[Caryn · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great Christmas read about the main characters of the Christmas story

[Sharon Winkler · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love reading this book every year the week of Christmas. It tells of the different challenges that Mary, Joseph and Gabriel had to overcome.

[Madelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

Chuck Swindoll uses first person accounts of Mary, Joseph and the angel Gabriel, to tell the Christmas story through their eyes. It is beautifully written. The illustrations reminded me of old world master artists. They are gorgeous. Thinking about each of these tree and their parts in the birth of Jesus was lovely.

[Della Tingle · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love this precious little book told from the viewpoints of Mary, Joseph, and the Angel Gabriel. ❤️❤️

“Obey first; understand later” (45).

“In all my years, I have never known the Lord to be cruel” (121).

“God’s promises always exceed expectations” (158).

“Not every heart is prepared to receive a savior, or to recognize Him when He arrives…Humans pursue happiness and fulfillment apart from Him. Some even think that communion with God will mean the end of personal satisfaction. Most are barely aware that sin has separated them from the source of their contentment and continue to live in vain pursuit of cheap substitutes” (179).

[Madelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

For some reason I was not excited to read this little Christmas story selected by my Book Club for December, but I loved it! Chuck Swindoll has a magnificent way of connecting with his readers. He has managed to tell the Christmas story in the first person, getting inside the minds, emotions, and thoughts of Mary, Joseph and the angel Gabriel. He brought a new freshness to this very famililar story

[Kristina · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a super short book. It has a mini amount of information concerning the birth of the Christ. However, it is Swindoll so it is still enlightening as far as understanding the history of the time and why everything was so significant. There are 3 chapters: Mary, Joseph, and Gabriel. I thought the view from Gabriel was amazing and eye-opening. Swindoll takes you all the way back to Eden and talks about the curse and how from then God knew what would happen.

I love Swindoll because he puts these revaluations in such plain words that you feel the magnitude of God. I am always amazed by his writings.