The Impact of the Children's Christmas Service

The annual Children's Christmas Service is a wonderful tradition. (This year CPH has released To Us a Child Is Born, a classic service by Lisa Clark and organized around the gorgeous new Christmas song. Check it out!) It provides an opportunity for in-depth instruction about the Nativity during preparation, and for children to share the Gospel with family, congregation, and community.

Plan carefully, though, to ensure that preparing for this service does not detract from Sunday School's chief purpose, to instruct children in that Gospel. Limit the use of Sunday School time for rehearsal; never skip the Sunday School lesson completely. Use the songs the children will sing in the service as part of your Sunday School openings or closings for several weeks before the service. Encourage parents to step up, helping their children learn songs and speaking parts at home.

Then smile as those lambs, angels, shepherds, Wise Men, and Holy Family speak and sing the Gospel in the days before Christmas, sharing "the blessed gift of heaven!"

God bless you as you teach His children the Christmas Gospel.

Things You Won't Hear from a Lutheran Educator

Lutheran educators are those who truly understand Lutheran theology and care about teaching the Bible accurately according to the Lutheran Confessions. You will not hear them say . . .

• "This is good material, but use your Lutheran filters." Material for Lutheran Christian education will be fundamentally Lutheran, created with a Lutheran world view.
• "I use XXX Publisher's material, but I tweak it to be more Lutheran." Lutheranism is not a tweak. Heterodox material with a little Lutheranism added is still heterodox material.
• "The material we use is not Lutheran, but it is solid Christian material. It is good enough for Sunday School." Where will Sunday School students learn about discerning Law and Gospel, understanding their vocations, and the benefits of the Sacraments? What will they gain from a steady diet of moralism and works righteousness?

God bless you as you teach His children His Word!