As a child, my dad would show up for church twice a yr—Christmas and Easter. The remainder of the family went several times every week. Today, we’d call my dad a Chreaster. His mother loved Jesus and raised him in church, so he honored her in some ways by attending on those days.
Fortunately, time passed, and God revealed himself to my dad through situations and the Spirit. It took him some time to process his own past and what he actually believed. He’s now not a Chreaster.
When we use the word Chreaster, these might be people we love. Often, we desire to see them get more involved and revel in a deeper relationship with Christ and others. What can we understand about Chreasters? And how can we draw them into more local church participation?
What are Chreasters?
Some Christian communities use the term “Chreaster” to explain individuals who only attend church services on Christmas and Easter. “Chreaster” blends “Christmas” and “Easter.” The term might sound lighthearted, nevertheless it also carries some concern with churches. The Bible and most faith fellowships find regular church participation central to Christian growth.
Many churches notice a major increase in attendance on Christmas and Easter, often with people they don’t see the remaining of the yr. “Chreasters” might include members of the family who commonly attend. Others could be whole families who only come those two days. While church leaders at all times encourage more consistent involvement, in addition they recognize “Chreasters” could also be elsewhere of their faith journey.
Holiday-only attendance isn’t recent. People have gathered for Christmas and Easter for hundreds of years, even in the event that they weren’t practicing their faith the remaining of the yr. Christmas and Easter have great importance within the Christian calendar. Christmas celebrates the miraculous birth of Jesus, God coming into the world to dwell with humanity (Matthew 1:23). Through Christmas, we have fun the incarnation, where God chooses to initiate the Gospel by coming to be with us. Born as a human, he could live and speak our language to show and be a holy example. At the tip of his ministry, he submitted himself to death on a cross after which rose again. Easter celebrates this resurrection, when Jesus won the victory over sin and death (1 Corinthians 15:17). Through his resurrection, all believers will someday experience resurrection, as well, the final result of the born-again spiritual experience.
Why are Some People Chreasters?
“Chreasters” have various reasons for less than attending church on Christmas and Easter. For many, family events revolve around these two foremost holidays, with relatives coming into town and massive family gatherings. Attending church could be a part of the vacation customs. Even in the event that they don’t commonly attend church, they could feel connected with family during these traditions. Attending during Christmas and Easter can feel comforting with relatives and fogeys around.
For some, church on Christmas and Easter brings back great childhood memories. They remember the songs, the decorations, and the activities with fondness. This nostalgia alone might pull them back to church a couple of times a yr, reconnecting them to peaceful or reverent moments. Proverbs 22:6 tells us, “Train up a toddler in the way in which he should go, and when he’s old, he is not going to depart from it.” Despite straying from faith or attending church, early times of religion may draw them back, especially on major holidays with a lot symbolism and meaning.
Many Chreasters come on these holidays out of a way of duty or respect for members of the family who invite them. Certain families value faith, and so they want everyone together for these times. Attending church on Christmas and Easter honors the religion of fogeys, grandparents, or other close members of the family. Chreasters might show up to precise their respect or keep the peace.
Some Chreasters might feel disconnected from their faith but still imagine in Jesus or God. They see Christmas and Easter as crucial days to acknowledge these beliefs, even in the event that they don’t attend other times. These holidays reconnect them with their faith in Christ’s impact on their life, even in the event that they might feel comfortable with regular church or “religion.”
For others, they could feel life or work demands keep them from coming to church commonly. However, with special day without work for these holidays, they make a special effort to return to Christmas and Easter services. Work, family, or other responsibilities can overwhelm a schedule and make it hard to get to church.
Or it might be a mix of two or more of those. Chreasters all have their very own unique reasons for why they attend. Christmas and Easter provide opportunities to reconnect and experience deeper meaning, even when for less than one or two days a yr.
What are the Positives and Negatives of Being a Chreaster?
As one positive, being a Chreaster shows some understanding and respect for Christianity and the central redemptive moments of Christmas and Easter. By attending on lately, Chreasters connect with the core truths of Christianity, honoring Jesus’ birth, death, and resurrection despite not attending commonly. Christmas and Easter allow people to reconnect with faith and spirituality, and it may lead to deeper exploration. A visit on either day might be the beginning of a recent faith journey with others and Jesus.
These two holidays also change into touchpoints for relationship with other Christians, their families, or the pastors. If church happens to be a vital value for a member of the family, their local fellowship serves as one other family for them. Simply meeting people so involved in a loved one’s life helps a Chreaster to raised know their loved one. And the member of the family desires their church to know the Chreaster they love, too.
However, being a Chreaster has drawbacks, too, especially once we view it through biblical teachings on fellowship with other believers. The Bible commands commonly gathering with other Christians for mutual encouragement and growing in faith. Hebrews 10:24-25 warns us, “And allow us to consider how we may spur each other on toward love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together, as some are within the habit of doing, but encouraging one antoher—and all of the more as you see the Day approaching.” The writer of Hebrews wrote that around 2,000 years ago. We’re definitely closer to the ultimate Day of the Lord than we were then. The New Testament teaches the church to live like a family since we’ve got the identical Father in heaven. Attending twice a yr makes it difficult to construct real relationships with fellow disciples of Jesus and grow spiritually.
The Bible calls us to encourage one another each day. Only connecting a couple of times a yr risks losing faith altogether. Regular worship prevents unbelief. “See to it, brothers and sisters, that none of you has a sinful, unbelieving heart that turns away from the living God. But encourage each other each day, so long as it known as ‘Today,’ in order that none of you might be hardened by sin’s deceitfulness.” Unbelief differs from disbelief. Disbelief says, “God doesn’t exist.” Unbelief says, “God exists but we don’t need him and he can’t help us.”
In our modern culture, people might attempt to substitute online worship for doing so in person. While individuals can get great sermons and worship online, it’s not similar to being physically present. In person, Christians should forgive, show grace and love, and have a chance to share their gift. Online resources might be amazing, but we should always never imagine that they might be an alternative choice to in-person relationships.
How Can Local Churches Engage Chreasters for Deeper Faith Community?
Engaging Chreasters presents a challenge and a chance.
First, we should always at all times approach Chreasters with joy and acceptance, not judgment or condemnation. Their presence during these holidays reveals some openness to faith, and we should always have fun this, not critique it. Jesus welcomed all who got here to him, no matter their history or frequency. As his disciples, we must also show the identical love and style. Again, we don’t know where they’re on their faith journey. Criticism and judgment creates barriers, which is the last item we would like, but a warm welcome helps construct bridges where all people feel valued.
Next, we should always show Chreasters that Christian life and meaningful friendships don’t rely upon church attendance but on real connection and encouragement. Building these relationships outside of Sunday services reveals how we value people for who they’re and never where they show up or how often. Jesus frolicked with people wherever they were, teaching us the center of Christian fellowship lies in living out our love, kindness, and style. Inviting Chreasters to informal gatherings and small groups or just developing a friendship shows real, authentic Christian life.
Churches can use holiday services to explore faith in a straightforward, consistent way. For example, pastors can extend a simple invite for guests to affix small groups, Bible studies, or fellowship events. These should require minimal commitment, perhaps only every week or two, and it helps if these short classes or events address a felt need, something an irregular church attender could also be on the lookout for. Many who attend on holidays could also be checking the church out or searching for community but don’t know the way. By being specific with next steps, churches make it easier for people to feel they’ve a spot within the church.
Offering follow-up resources is an incredible approach. Churches can collect information and send follow-up messages to holiday visitors, thanking them for attending and providing links to other resources like podcasts or small group information. These follow-ups allow Chreasters to become involved at their very own pace.
Finally, churches shouldn’t be shy about sharing the importance of consistent fellowship. Pastors can highlight the blessings and support present in regular church attendance, using statistics about marriage and family improvements many individuals experience. Also, connect with passages like Hebrews 10:24-25. We must teach that Christian faith can only thrive in community, and this will help Chreasters see that their faith can grow with the support of others.
Engaging Chreasters requires patience, intentional effort, and understanding. We should listen and be ready to point out God’s love in any way we are able to to all people, irrespective of the situation. For those searching for more, God’s love invites them right into a supportive, Christ-centered community.
Peace.
Photo credit: ©GettyImages/gorodenkoff
