I realize it is becoming more politically correct for our nation to take the word "Christmas" out of the holidays (like the governor of Rhode Island calling the tree at the capital a "holiday" tree).  Since we don't celebrate Christ during the holidays as a church, would it be better for me to be in favor with the secularization of the holidays, or should I defend "Christmas" because removing the name is an attack on faith in Christ in general?  I am really confused where I should stand on this issue as a Christian.  I don't celebrate Christ at Christmas time, but I really dislike the attack on religion.  Please help.

Sincerely,
Mixed Feelings

Dear Mixed Feelings,

We here at AYP really feel your pain on this issue.  On the one hand, Christmas is not a biblical holiday (read “A Silent Summer Night” for more details on this issue), but on the other hand, we hate to see the constant attack upon the religious freedoms we enjoy in the United States.  The best way we can find to handle the issue is to be clear on both points.

1. You don’t personally celebrate Christmas as a religious holiday.
2. You have a problem with those who want to remove “Christ” from Christmas because of their hatred for Christianity.

Standing by the truth is always harder than just picking one of the popular positions, but in the end, we think it makes an even stronger case when someone who doesn’t personally celebrate Christmas as a spiritual holiday still respects the name of Christ enough to oppose those who fight against it in any arena.

    How do you know fasting wasn't required in the New Testament?  All we have are the examples; should we follow them?

Sincerely,
Not So Fast!

Dear Not So Fast,

Fasting is a Biblical practice, but there are no specific guidelines for when to do it.  Fasting is the practice of not eating for a designated period of time.  Jesus once fasted for forty days (Matt 4:2).  Fasting is often associated with times of grief and difficult decisions (Joel 2:12)… but not every grieving person fasted in the Bible.  The New Testament doesn’t require fasting, but it also shows the benefits of fasting during times of difficulty or when important decisions needed to be made (Acts 14:23).  If anything, Jesus’ disciples were noted for not fasting as often as the rest of the Jewish community (Matt 9:14), an indication that fasting doesn’t have the same level of emphasis in the New Testament.  There is a time for fasting, but it is purely up to personal discretion.

Does God have a sense of humor?

Sincerely,
Chuckles

Dear Chuckles, 

God definitely has a sense of humor, but just as a child often struggles to see his parents’ funny bone because they are busy raising the child, we often miss God’s sense of humor because we are His children and the works of His hands (1 Jn 3:1).  One of the simplest proofs of God’s ability to find humor is that we are made in His image (Gen 1:27), and we are able to laugh.  Since man has a sense of humor, God must have one also.

Ps 59:8 talks about God laughing at those who think they can outwit Him, and Ps 2:4 says the same.  There are other things that point to God’s sense of humor.  When we look at the animals and created world, we see the invisible attributes of God (Rom 1:20).  God made the platypus – that animal is downright hilarious-looking!

Lastly, there are other anecdotes in the Bible that show God’s sense of humor: the way He destroys the false god, Dagon, in 1 Sam 5:1-5 or how the false exorcists were put to flight in Acts 19:13-16.

    Should I leave the church I worship with because it is too boring?

Sincerely,
Unenthused

Dear Unenthused,

Christianity isn’t about entertainment, and if the only problem you have with a congregation is that it doesn't hold your attention, it is time to take a serious look at your own spirituality.

The church’s main job is to stand by the truth (1 Tim 3:15), and one sign of a congregation turning from the Lord is that the preaching and teaching are no longer about truth, but about entertaining the people (2 Tim 4:3-4).  So, using excitement or the feeling of being entertained isn’t a good benchmark.

On the other hand, a congregation whose love has grown cold (Matt 24:12) or one that has left their zealous love for the Lord (Rev 2:4) is sometimes seen as “boring”.  If a church is no longer active and working to be effective in its service for the Lord, that can be a real problem.  After all, we are to worship God in spirit and in truth (Jhn 4:24), and if a congregation holds to the truth in word, but not in deed, there is a definite issue.  That type of “boring” can be a reason to leave a group.

We have been meeting at a local elementary school for the past several months while some repairs are being done to our building.  Some of the members have been bringing potluck food items and using the cafeteria to eat together following Sunday worship.  I'm not sure if I should participate because I have never eaten at the building before.  Is this practice acceptable?  Please help.

Sincerely,
Building My Case

Dear Building My Case,

The Lord’s church doesn’t have authority to use its funds and resources (a church building would count as part of those resources) for potlucks, social events, etc.  You are right on this issue – there is simply no biblical precedent for the church functioning as a social organization.  The work of the church is simple, and anything that doesn’t fulfill that work shouldn’t be done.  We posted an answer to a question regarding the work of the church.  Read “The Purpose Driven Church” for more details on that subject.

However, while you are meeting at this elementary school, we have no idea what the arrangement is.  Is the congregation paying to use this facility, are individuals paying for it, or is it free?  The potluck issue is only an issue if the congregation is renting the facility, but if they aren’t, or if individuals are renting the facility separately after services, there is no issue.