Apparently over 60% of the probable 2500 people we will see across our 7 Christmas services this year will be categorised as either non-regular church goers or those who are affectionately known as C & E’s. Twice a year. Christmas and Easter. People who give themselves 2 chances a year to hear the gospel message invade an otherwise secularised holiday season. An otherwise secularised lifestyle.

So believe me when I say that we take these two times of year very seriously when it comes to presenting the gospel message in an engaging and yes, dare i say it, an entertaining way. Entertaining from the point of view that if people drag themselves and their families to church on Christmas morning, we want them to go home having concluded that not only was it worth it, but that it inspired them. That the images, sounds and words stay in their mind long after the presents are unwrapped and the turkey is digested. That Jesus, and his story, were a significant part of their christmas celebrations.

My aim every year with these events is to engage people from the moment they walk in the auditorium. Multi-sensory engagement. The sounds that people hear. The things people see. Small details which capture people’s attention and build expectation. I always want to push our music team out of their comfort zone – to give us something to aspire to, and therefore a sense of achievement! Through lighting, multimedia and music – we hope to focus people on the message which is brought later in the service. We want people to leave having unapologetically heard – and been inspired by the gospel message. Inspired enough to respond. Inspired enough to bring some of the attention of festivities back to Jesus – through conversation and imagination. After all, for a lot of the people we see at Christmas, we only get 2 chances a year.