Surrendering Christmas

Why is the move to secularize Christmas entirely out of the public arena going so well for the allies of Islamic jihad (ACLU, the usual suspects among the Loony Left Moonbat Brigade, the Mass Media Podpeople's Army, et al)? Because all too many Christians have no faith at all, just a "country club" association with the fashoinable church du jour or a tepid connection to a weak-kneed "traditional values" concept. Witness: Megachurches cancel services on Christmas Huh?!? Yep "Churches" (big, successful, ever more secular and image/marketing-conscious Willow Creek prominently featured) are backpedaling on... Christmas. "This is a consumer mentality at work: 'Let's not impose the church on people. Let's not make church in any way inconvenient,' " said David Wells, professor of history and systematic theology at Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary in Hamilton, Mass. "I think what this does is feed into the individualism that is found throughout American culture, where everyone does their own thing." I think perhaps some of these churches have lost sight of some central principles. "I beg you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, [which is] your reasonable service. And do not conform to this world: but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what [is] that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God." Romans 12: 1-2 Or, if reading from their Bibles is too taxing, pperhaps counsel in a book written in the popular vein might help... Brothers, We Are Not Professionals: A Plea to Pastors for Radical Ministry Contra to the "conform to the secular world" ideas of "marketing the Gospel" and "targeting and audience" that leads to... canceling a Sunday service because... becuase it's on Christmas day???-Piper offers this model: "We pastors are being killed by the professionalizing of the pastoral ministry. . . professionalism has nothing to do with the essence and heart of the Christian ministry. The more professional we long to be, the more spiritual death we will leave in our wake. For there is no professional childlikeness, there is no professional tenderheartedness. There is no professional panting after God." Nah. They'd need the video. "Books are too haaaaard." Yep. The more Christians-churches-try to emulate pagans, the more the pagans win. "Here, let me put just a drop of poison in that glass of milk. How about another drop? More?" Crossposted at Cathouse Chat Shamelessly flogged at Cao's Blog Mid Week OTB. :-)