RL 371: A Quick Christmas Encouragement

[00:00:00] I think especially of the next generation of like Gen Zers, Gen Alpha. Some of them are coming and they've not been in your building. They've not really been involved in the church at all. They may not even know this story. They know Jesus was born. There were some angels, maybe some shepherds involved, but maybe they don't know this story. And so I just want to encourage you to just tell it with passion and the love that you bring to it.

[00:00:27] Hey, Merry Christmas, everyone. Welcome to The Reclaimed Leader. This is episode 371. If you're listening in real time, it's Christmas Eve. And we know you've got maybe a few things going on. So it's going to be a short episode where we talk about some last minute reminders and encouragements for this important moment in the life of your church. That's today on The Reclaimed Leader.

[00:00:53] Welcome to The Reclaimed Leader Podcast. I'm Jason Tucker.

[00:00:57] And I'm Jesse Skiffington.

[00:00:58] We're two pastors in the trenches who are passionate about church health for greater gospel impact.

[00:01:04] We share the ups and downs of ministry, strategies that work for us.

[00:01:07] And some that didn't.

[00:01:09] Best practices and practical tools for church leadership.

[00:01:12] The goal? To help all of our churches flourish. Let's get started.

[00:01:19] Hey, Merry Christmas, Jesse. It's Christmas time, man. It's here. It is Christmas Eve. If you're listening in real time, we're just going to say it. Merry Christmas.

[00:01:28] You made it this far.

[00:01:30] We did. We did. Merry Christmas to you, Jason. And everybody listening in. We hope, you know, this is like we're saying Merry Christmas.

[00:01:37] I don't know that a pastor really says Merry Christmas and means it until after Christmas Eve services are over.

[00:01:43] Is that how that goes?

[00:01:44] That's right. So what are your traditions?

[00:01:46] How do I'm really curious? I'd love to hear. Listen, most of this can be a quickie episode because I know everybody's obviously it's your Super Bowl, as they say.

[00:01:54] That's right.

[00:01:55] But what's your tradition on Christmas Eve? We have services all day and night. And so ours is we've talked about before.

[00:02:02] We do Jersey mics around my office table with my family.

[00:02:05] That's our Christmas Eve.

[00:02:07] Yeah. And the kids actually look forward to it. It's become a thing. And we play Pictionary on my whiteboard.

[00:02:13] That's so cool.

[00:02:14] That's our tradition. How about you guys?

[00:02:15] I love it. Nothing is as fancy as all that. I mean, Jersey mics and a whiteboard. That's pretty next level.

[00:02:21] But a lot of times we've tended to do our services. We've kind of bailed out of the late, late service. So we have three, five and seven o'clock services.

[00:02:29] And so between the five and the seven, Callie and the kids will usually bring pizza or something like that.

[00:02:34] And we'll hang out and just kind of touch base and catch up. And then they'll head home and get ready for Christmas while I finish things off.

[00:02:42] And if everything works just right, there's a little bit of snow coming out of the sky at the end of the seven o'clock service.

[00:02:47] And then it's a white Christmas the next morning.

[00:02:49] Cue the deer.

[00:02:50] Yeah, exactly.

[00:02:52] Yeah, I love that.

[00:02:53] That's awesome.

[00:02:54] Well, hey, listen, pastors, this is it.

[00:02:58] Just wanted to drop a quick note of encouragement, maybe a couple of reminders.

[00:03:01] These are things I'm thinking about today as we get ready to start our services shortly.

[00:03:08] First of all, it doesn't sound really exciting, but just make sure all of your first aid gear, your AED system, everything's ready to go.

[00:03:18] So we had an intimate last-

[00:03:20] We are here to save you just like Jesus saved you.

[00:03:22] Listen, last Christmas at our final service of the night before the final candlelight part, we had a woman collapse.

[00:03:32] And we had to deal with that.

[00:03:34] And one of the issues was not everybody knew where all the things were.

[00:03:38] So I just think it's a nice reminder.

[00:03:40] You can have a lot more people, a lot of guests that you don't know.

[00:03:42] Yeah, yeah.

[00:03:43] That's funny that you start with that.

[00:03:44] We just did some training with our ushers and greeters and stuff.

[00:03:49] Who's going to meet the EMTs?

[00:03:51] Who's going to make the call?

[00:03:52] We're going to make an announcement.

[00:03:54] Are there any medical personnel here to help?

[00:03:56] I mean, it's kind of like an airplane sort of, but a lot more people.

[00:04:00] So if something does happen, you want to be ready.

[00:04:03] That's an interesting one to open with.

[00:04:04] I know.

[00:04:05] I know.

[00:04:06] I want to get that one out of the way.

[00:04:07] Just the very practical.

[00:04:08] Like, do you have all the candles ready to go?

[00:04:11] Like, are you right?

[00:04:12] I'm sure you do.

[00:04:13] But just it's one of those.

[00:04:14] Just make sure at least you're thinking about it just in case you might need it during services.

[00:04:21] And then here's the kind of spiritual one.

[00:04:26] And I just want to encourage you pastors.

[00:04:28] And this is a little pep talk I give to myself.

[00:04:31] Don't forget that no matter how many times you've told this story,

[00:04:34] there's someone who may finally understand it tonight.

[00:04:37] Yeah.

[00:04:38] So good.

[00:04:39] That's really good.

[00:04:40] Yep.

[00:04:43] And I think especially of the next generation of like Gen Zers, Gen Alpha, right?

[00:04:50] College and younger.

[00:04:51] Some of them are coming and they've not been in your building.

[00:04:55] They've not really been involved in the church at all.

[00:04:58] They may not even know this story.

[00:05:00] They know Jesus was born.

[00:05:01] There were some angels.

[00:05:02] Maybe there's some shepherds involved.

[00:05:03] But maybe they don't know the story.

[00:05:05] And so I just want to encourage you to just tell it with passion and the love that you bring to it.

[00:05:11] Because I had somebody.

[00:05:13] So we have an intern here now.

[00:05:14] And a seminary intern.

[00:05:16] And one of the questions she had for us was,

[00:05:18] how do you avoid it getting so boring repeating the same thing every Christmas?

[00:05:23] And I said, that's actually a really interesting question.

[00:05:27] What I find is the story brings comfort to people.

[00:05:32] But what I love is you get an opportunity to talk about the basics of why do we have at least the Advent themes of hope and peace and joy and love.

[00:05:43] So anyway.

[00:05:44] Exactly.

[00:05:44] That's spot on.

[00:05:45] I mean, I think we've talked about trying to have that mentality that every Sunday is somebody's first Sunday.

[00:05:51] Every Christmas Eve, maybe that one time somebody gets to hear the gospel or at least for a year.

[00:05:57] So yeah, it's an opportunity.

[00:05:59] Don't miss that.

[00:05:59] And you have no idea what college kid's going to be there that's going to go home after break and just be a little more intentional about their faith when maybe they wouldn't have.

[00:06:08] I mean, we have no idea what God's doing.

[00:06:10] Okay.

[00:06:10] Yeah, I love it.

[00:06:11] I'd also say take a breath and have fun.

[00:06:16] Have fun.

[00:06:17] Try to enjoy it.

[00:06:19] I know it's a grind for all of us.

[00:06:21] There's just a lot going on.

[00:06:23] And there's going to be a lot of people.

[00:06:26] And just try to have fun.

[00:06:28] Try to enjoy it.

[00:06:28] Try to make it as life-giving for you as it is for them.

[00:06:33] Yeah.

[00:06:34] Yeah, I'm with you, Jason.

[00:06:35] I think if you're enjoying it, it comes across.

[00:06:39] I mean, people can tell.

[00:06:40] And so if you can kind of find yourself, maybe you need that little pep talk.

[00:06:44] How do you get yourself ready to preach?

[00:06:46] Do you say a quick prayer?

[00:06:48] How do you get yourself into that mindset?

[00:06:50] Well, I do.

[00:06:51] I say a prayer and the prayer's almost the same every week.

[00:06:55] It's basically praying that God will speak in me and to me and through me.

[00:07:00] Yeah, I love that.

[00:07:01] I'm not quite as polished as that.

[00:07:04] Mine is usually, Lord, I just do something good.

[00:07:06] You know, like, yeah, do something good.

[00:07:08] But then I also, I was, you know, both of us did some pretended to be athletes growing up stuff.

[00:07:14] And I kind of, like, picture myself stepping out onto the mound.

[00:07:18] Like, get yourself mentally prepared to go out there.

[00:07:21] Sometimes I even pinch the back of my arm really hard.

[00:07:24] Just a little boost of adrenaline or whatever.

[00:07:26] But have fun.

[00:07:27] Get yourself ready and go for it.

[00:07:28] This is the time to just take a swing.

[00:07:31] Have fun.

[00:07:32] And do the mac and cheese version of the swing.

[00:07:34] Yeah, yeah.

[00:07:35] Jason says.

[00:07:36] Don't know how.

[00:07:37] I might bust into the first aid kit and get the smelling salts.

[00:07:40] I don't know.

[00:07:41] Who knows?

[00:07:42] I like it.

[00:07:45] And then lastly, I would just say, what's one thing that you really hope people walk away with?

[00:07:50] Do that.

[00:07:52] Whatever that is for you.

[00:07:53] Maybe it's just you want them to know that on the other side of the new year, you have a ministry opportunity.

[00:07:58] Or maybe you just want them to know about a sermon series you're doing.

[00:08:01] Maybe you just want them to know that, you know, the light of God is with them.

[00:08:04] Whatever it is, just do that.

[00:08:07] Because I do think that's the kind of stuff that the Holy Spirit inspires in us to say.

[00:08:11] Yeah.

[00:08:12] And I think if we're intentional about it, we got a greater shot at faithfulness about it.

[00:08:16] Yeah.

[00:08:16] What's kind of your key takeaway this year for you guys?

[00:08:19] Yeah.

[00:08:19] So my takeaway is all about kind of this reset in the new year and how we're going to do a sermon series about kind of resetting or recalibrating with God, which isn't anything new or earth shattering for the new year.

[00:08:32] It's what we do.

[00:08:33] But just to remind her, hey, we hope you enjoy Christmas, but we're really excited that we want to do this next year different.

[00:08:41] And if you feel like you could grow in your relationship with God, why don't you grow with us?

[00:08:45] You know, that kind of thing.

[00:08:47] Yeah, it's good.

[00:08:48] Yeah, we're doing our key takeaway points to January 2.

[00:08:51] We're doing a series called Risk, Daring to Venture in Faith.

[00:08:54] So it's really a challenge to people who are committed Christians to really take a step to grow and invest in their faith this year.

[00:09:02] And for those who aren't, would you dare risking giving God an opportunity in your life and see what happens?

[00:09:09] And it's kind of a round risk in those two areas for believers and those who are just maybe wondering.

[00:09:14] And so, yeah, that's kind of where what we hope people walk away going, maybe we should come and listen and be a part of that.

[00:09:20] I love it.

[00:09:21] Well, that's it.

[00:09:22] Just a couple of reminders and an encouragement to all of our pastors.

[00:09:25] Just know that all the stuff that you're doing matters.

[00:09:29] And if you're listening to this on the other side of Christmas, congratulations, you made it.

[00:09:34] Merry Christmas.

[00:09:35] This time I'm here.

[00:09:36] Merry Christmas.

[00:09:36] And make sure that you get a little time to chill out, whatever that looks like for you.

[00:09:42] Do something for you because not enough people will do that for you.

[00:09:46] Make sure you're taking care of yourself.

[00:09:48] And next week, it's funny, we've never had this where the episode comes out on a Tuesday and it's a Christmas Eve and a New Year's Eve.

[00:09:55] So for New Year's Eve, we'll look a little bit into 2025.

[00:09:59] But for us, it's a lot of looking back at some highlights of 2024.

[00:10:02] We hope you'll join us.

[00:10:03] We're going to talk about our annual tradition of our five top episodes of the year.

[00:10:08] So that should be a lot of fun.

[00:10:09] Anything else before we sign off?

[00:10:11] Jesse?

[00:10:12] Yeah, you got this, Jason.

[00:10:13] Go make it happen.

[00:10:15] Have fun.

[00:10:16] Trust God's going to do something through you.

[00:10:18] And same for everybody tuning in.

[00:10:19] You know, you got this.

[00:10:21] God's put you in this position and you're ready to go.

[00:10:24] I know you've been working hard at it.

[00:10:25] So we're rooting for you, praying for you.

[00:10:27] And can't wait to hear some of the outcomes of the amazing ways that God will be at work.

[00:10:31] So really grateful to be a part of this with you all and with you, Jason.

[00:10:35] And again, Merry Christmas as we go.

[00:10:37] Merry Christmas.

[00:10:38] And remember, ministry is hard.

[00:10:40] It is so much better when we do it together.

[00:10:42] Thank you.