December 2, 2021

by Erin Bird

The Christmas season has descended upon us! To help you make the most of this season, I want us as a church family to reconsider the four tenets of Advent Conspiracy: Worship Fully, Spend Less, Give More, and Love All. If you are familiar with Advent Conspiracy, I encourage you to not skim or skip, but to take time to read and ponder. If you are unfamiliar with the heart and intent behind Advent Conspiracy, read this explanation.

To help us kick off this series, here is the Advent Conspiracy team with their thoughts on Tenet #1: Worship Fully.* Enjoy!

For many of us, the time of year when focusing on Christ should be the easiest, is often the hardest. Our calendars are full of activities, the to-do lists are getting longer, the stores are getting busier, and overwhelming stress has crept into our hearts.

So how do we get back to the heart of the Christmas narrative?

For starters, worship. There’s a reason Worship Fully is the first tenet of Advent Conspiracy. We believe that when our hearts are oriented towards Christ, the rest of the tenets fall into place. The way we spend, give, and love will radically change when it comes from a place of true worship.

Each year Advent brings another opportunity to worship the miracle of the Incarnation when God revealed himself to people in a new way. If you read the Christmas narrative, nearly every character who encountered the infant King had the same response: worship.

Excitement, anticipation, hope—each of these emotions swell around the object of our dearest affection. The reality is that we spend our time and energy on what matters most to us. Notice what you’re spending your time and energy on. Is it drawing you closer to God, or is it distracting you from something else?

Here’s a tough question: Does the way we spend our time, money, and energy testify that we worship God incarnate? Sit with that today. Ask God to open your eyes and heart to the truth.

Some ideas to help you Worship Fully:

Use the Advent Devotionals, Youth Devotionals, or Guided Prayers to help you connect your heart with God each day
Invite a friend over or give them a phone call to see how they’re doing. Listen well.
If you are a parent, use the Advent Conspiracy Family Kit and/or the Stories for Kids with your children.
For one night, unplug from all technology and social media. (In a world full of noise, be intentional about quiet time.)
Turn the radio off in the car and spend 10 minutes thanking God for the ways He has blessed you.
Invite a friend or family member to our Christmas Eve service on Friday, Dec 24 at 4:30 pm and/or to a Sunday Worship Gathering.