December 2024
Together In Mission
Monthly Reflections from BCC
Why We Need Advent Before We Celebrate Christmas
By Phil Rushton
Lead Pastor
Have you ever had someone walk in on you when you were watching a climactic scene in a movie? It can be a frustrating experience. You have been waiting a long time for this moment. You have endured all the tragic twists and turns in the story and have become emotionally invested in the characters. When the resolution finally arrives there is a sense of relief or joy. However, while you are caught up on the story, the latecomer doesn’t have the same reaction. They likely have an uninterested look on their face. Or worse, they pepper you with questions to try and understand what is happening. Whatever the case may be, the latecomer has missed the impact of the climax because they entered the story too late.
A similar dynamic may happen if we celebrate Christmas without Advent. If we hope to experience the impact of Christmas we need to enter the story early. For us to understand the great hope of the coming savior, we need to begin by recognizing our need for salvation. This is what Advent seeks to do. It is a time when we rewind the story of scripture to the place where the people of God were without hope. We read the texts that anticipate a light that will come into the darkness. We read texts that help us recognize our brokenness so that we might create space for God to come to us.
The problem, however, is that we don’t always want to engage in this early part of the story. We like the climactic moments, but we do not always want to endure the unresolved and messy parts. The human story is not always an easy one to watch, let alone live. More often than not, it involves tragic experiences that we would prefer to fast-forward. As a result, we spend much of our Advent avoiding reality. We seek out counterfeit saviors that help us avoid the painful parts of our stories. We try to fill the emptiness in our lives with food, gifts, and nostalgic traditions.
However, there is something greater in store for those who are willing to enter the unresolved, dark, and messy parts of the human story. It is only as we do this that the true impact of Christmas will be felt. We can risk stepping into the painful parts of the story because this is where God promises to show up. As Mary reminds us in her song in Luke 1:46-55, God is mindful of those in a humble state, God lifts up the lowly, and God fills the hungry with good things. As Thomas Merton articulates, “Christ seeks the straw of the most desolate cribs to make his Bethlehem.”
BCC Faces: The Spainhours
Celebrate Advent with BCC
Click on the images for more information on each Advent event:
Up Next:
No Life Together Classes
December 8-January 5
CoWork Corner
Every Tuesday & Thursday
12:00 pm-3:00 pm in Cafe Fika
*This is a shared workspace for those who work or study from home
Prime Timers Brunch
Thursday, December 5
12:30 pm in the Dining Room
*Prime Timers is a ministry for those who are 60(ish) and above
Small Group Leaders Gathering
Sunday, January 5, 2025
10:45-11:45
Life Together Classes Resume
January 12, 2025
10:45-11:45