During the Christmas season, we can plant seeds of
compassion in children that can shape their faith for a lifetime.
By Brenda Benitez, Kids Ministry Leader
Sun Valley, California, U.S.
The Christmas season is one of the richest times of the year to disciple children and point them to Jesus. It is a season full of traditions, stories, and opportunities that can either distract from the true meaning of Christmas or highlight the beauty of the gospel.
In Comunion de Gracia Sun Valley, we believe that as parents, teachers, and ministry leaders, we are entrusted with the responsibility of participating by the Spirit in shaping the hearts of children in ways that can help them to know, love, and follow Jesus. We also believe that discipleship is not only about formal teaching but is also about guiding children to see Christ in everyday life, helping them grow in faith, and encouraging them to live it out in their own lives. The Christmas season gives us a unique opportunity to let the children see, feel, and live the message of our Incarnate Savior, Jesus — God’s greatest gift to humanity. At Comunion de Gracia Sun Valley, one of our favorite ways to disciple children during Christmas is by teaching them the true meaning of the miracle of the incarnation of the Son of God.
In a culture where the Christmas season is dominated by Santa Claus, gifts, and holiday lights, children can easily lose sight of the miracle of Christ’s incarnation. We embrace the opportunity the season affords us to retell the nativity story to children directly from the Scriptures. The stories of shepherds and wisemen, holiday lights, and other Christmas symbols point to the reality of Jesus, and we find it extremely helpful to point them back to the biblical account. By doing this, we can emphasize God’s love displayed through the sending of his Son into the world.
Additionally, we encourage family devotions and prayers during this season. The goal behind involving the family is not just to teach children about Advent and the pending return of Christ, but also to create lasting memories that reinforce a spiritual reality. We create spaces for parents and children to seek God in prayer of thanksgiving that can begin to shape in children a posture of gratitude for God’s gift to humanity.
Christmas also provides an opportunity to disciple children by nurturing a heart that reflects the heart of God. We do this by supporting a posture of giving to others, praying for the least among us, and seeking opportunities to share Christ’s love. In the last few years, we have engaged families in need. Our children have participated in serving others at Christmas time. When children experience the love and joy of giving of themselves and blessing others, they learn the important element that a disciple of Christ is not self-centered but rather seeks an outward focus. Through our activities during the Christmas season, we seek to celebrate the miracle of Christmas, but also to plant seeds of compassion in children that can shape their faith for a lifetime.
One Friday evening close to Christmas day, our Love Avenue hosts a community event that we call, “A Night in Bethlehem.” This event recreates the environment around Judea at the time of the birth of Christ. Children take part in the event by participating in a play and a children’s choir, which then spills over into our Christmas service. Music is one of the powerful tools that we use for discipling children. Christmas music recounts the nativity story in ways that children connect with easily. The idea is not just to involve children in the life of the church at Christmas, but to also to provide a clear biblically-based Christmas message to our children. By keeping Christ at the center of our Christmas celebration, we hope to continually point children to the incarnate Savior in memorable ways and to model for them a Christlike approach to the season.
Discipling children during the Christmas season is both a responsibility and a privilege. By recounting the Christmas story, encouraging family devotions and prayers, serving others, using music and worship, and modeling Christ-like attitudes, we help children see that Jesus is the true reason for the season. More importantly, we help them understand that Christmas is not just a story from the past but the foundation of their faith. When children are discipled in these ways, they grow in love for God and others. They not only learn to follow Jesus at Christmas, but throughout their lives.
