It’s not right for Pastors to put the sacrifice emphasis on Christmas, and use Christ as the reason for it. To say that people give stuff, and more stuff that nobody needs or really wants is extremely controlling and judgmental, and really an agenda for their poverty program that they themselves want. And that’s fine, they should give all their salary for poverty, but leave families to decide how they would like to share their love with their loved ones, and for one time in the year spoil their children, and the rest of the family. I think their minds should be on their family, and off the problems of the rest of the world at Christmas. My husbands father and mother were Medical Missionaries, he a doctor and minister, she a nurse. Everyone else came first and their family last…..this is wrong. If you want this don’t have children.

I was going to say “What a neat idea.” but you make a good point Henrietta. The extent to which a family does this should be an informed decision made by the family. But for those who want to do it, good for you!

I don’t see Christmas as a time for escapism from the poverty and pain of the world. It’s not a zero-sum game; one can invest more in loved ones and in serving the needy at the same time, and therein Christ is glorified, and that’s cool. We glorify Christ by loving each other and giving in relational ways.

(Confused) I don’t seem to understand, Henrietta, I don’t really see anything wrong with this “Conspiracy” (except for its name, which is a bit weird; maybe meant to emphasize its counterculturalism?). You seem to be indicating, with your mention of your in-laws, that the issue is people won’t spend enough time with their families, but that doesn’t seem to be what this is about; it’s merely telling people to spend less. People should be “spoiling” their kids with time, not money; and while I don’t think I would advocate the “no presents” approach, many people (my family too, as much fun at it is) really do get out of hand at this time of year.
God bless.

I think folks can buy for their families and still give to different charities too. This isn’t such a new idea. (maybe the name is!)

There are lots of folks working the same kind of projects. We have many members of our church who do not want more stuff, so they contribute to Heifer Project, Habitat, or other worthy groups in each others names. Instead of trying to make people feel guilty, we simply offer alternatives and try to keep the whole thing positive. there are times when “stuff” is important, and times when it is not. We try to find that mysterious magical balance.

Right! Give millions of hard earned money to the United Nations so they can what! Drill water wells? No, probably the money would end up in the pocket of some corrupt loonie tune from the U.N. I think the motive of these guys are ok, but they don’t need to be laying a guilt trip on the average family. You give to some of these church “leaders” and it goes for a second sports car or an addition on to their estate. Spend on family and friends, that’s my advice. Let the preachers give THEIR money to the third world.

I’ve heard Rick McKinley speak about the Advent Conspiracy and you guys are blowing this way out of proportion. The organizers behind this are not asking people to stop giving presents to their kids/relatives/friends but rather that they don’t put themselves in to debt doing it as well as giving to the less fortunate around them. By all accounts, those that participated last year had an amazing time with their families because instead of spending hours “bonding” at the mall trying to beat the holiday rush they were at home spending time together making gifts etc. And the money for clean water does not have to be given to the UN, but to organizations such as blood:water mission that work directly with the people to give them clean water. Are we really so selfish that we can’t give up some of our stuff and junk to help those who are in need?

It’s amazing to see how hard it is for people when they are asked to give up some presents or alter a holiday tradition. I don’t know everyone’s hearts or situations, but something bothers me when people are upset that they are asked to give less, receive less stuff you would see from the mall versus giving to those who might not have clean water to drink or give more quality time and cheaper personalized gifts to the family.
By the way, when giving to an organization or person in need or homeless person….. it’s not our job to decide if it will be used like it should. Do you do that with tithing at church? If God prompts us to give, shouldn’t we just give? Of course be good stewards of your money, but don’t use that as a crutch or an excuse.

bottom line…giving more of ones self is always good. how that’s conveyed to the masses is the tricky part. you have two sides of the same coin. you have people like Henrietta who voice a valid concern on the forced call to giving and you also have the reality that the average American spends less time with their families because of an 80 hour a week job that supports their need for materialism.
the point of God’s giving was the fact that He did so willingly. anything outside that on our part is less than what God desires.
if you’re going to give to causes that support water wells, then do so because the burden burns deep in you heart, and not because it’ll be away to give less into consumerism. if you’re going to spoil your kids with toys, them do do because you desire to bless your kids with something that’ll make them smile, just don’t go into debt doing so.
giving cheerfully is what Jesus taught us; whether its to the malls or to the man on Skid Row.

This is such a wonderful idea. I’m glad people are stepping up to the plate and putting the focus on what really matters.

I love this idea. I have been challenged myself to not spend so much money on gifts for people but make them a hat, or do something for them. We are one of the wealthiest countries why not share with those who can’t get clean water? Something Jesus said was to give to the poor, not buy your kids tons of gifts. There is nothing wrong with that though. I want to become like Jesus and give more not just buying someone something but providing a need someone should not live without. Many of the countries that Living Water provides wells for are infested with AIDS, many of the medications that people who have this disease will not be effective with dirty water. These people are not laying a guilt trip on people but are trying to become more like their father in not only caring and providing for your family, but others as well.

First of all, I would like to say that I’m sorry for those of you who have had preachers who use their positions to exploit the money of their followers in order that they themselves can have more income. I would like to say that not all preachers, pastors etc. do this or even a large percentage of them. Their are preachers, many times televangelists who use their position to bring themselves gain but I really doubt that Rick Mckinley is one of them. I challenge you to read Rick’s book “This Beautiful Mess” and those of people he is associated with, like Donald Miller and Shane Claiborne, before you cast unfair judgement on him and others advocating this option to escape consumerism. Henrietta, I’m sorry for what your husband’s family treated him but this is not about putting other people ahead of your children it’s about not hoarding all of the world’s resources and spending more TIME with your children and loved ones. It is not the lack of christmas gifts that constitutes a neglected child, it is the lack of time spent with them and love invested in them.

Thank you Henrietta for reminding me why I’m no longer a Christian. I usually have to listen to Bill O’rielly for that.

A great article, I added it to my blog as a link http://www.allamericanmidwesterner.blogspot.com , it is funny because it is the exact thing that I was writing about this christmas season, I had never heard of Advent Conspiracy and I liked what I read. Thanks for getting the word out. Throw off the burden of consumerism, it is way to heavy!

Laine you don’t understand my last sentence in my post. I said his family put everyone else before their family, and I meant just that. No time was spent with their children, it was all spent in church. In his whole childhood he went deep sea fishing with his father once. Where were they? They were in Church, and helping all manner of Charities 24/7. They didn’t come to his graduation, or to his state solo contest that he won, incidently, or anything else. They didn’t come to our babies christening, they were busy in their own church. Extremists are extremists, no matter how great their education or professions. Welcome to the world.

wow! defensive much? I didn’t read that anyone was encouraged to give to the U.N. directly. It seemed to me that they simply quoted the U.N.’s figures for how much it would cost to provide this clean water and solve this problem; $10 billion dollars. Compared to the estimated $475 BILLION that Americans alone will spend on the holidays, will we really have to “sacrifice” that much as individuals? Will we really spend less time with family or show our children (I have 2 of my own) that we really don’t love them as much as their friends families who maybe could afford to spend hundreds on each child?
To me it seems like the bottom line is a calll to Christians to get off our asses and actuallly DO something. Not talk about it. Not wait for the U.N. or our pastor to do something.
If you’re not a Christian, cool. Celebrate however you want w/ no guilt OR condemnation. But if you ARE a Christian who really believes we are celebrating this consumer driven holiday to remember the birth of a savior, then BE like Christ. Give unto death; love others more than yourself; and don’t throw the stone at someone who doesn’t feel the same as you.

To be honest this seems like another lame contrivance, like the huge conspiracy to “outlaw Chrismtas”. So either people are scared or shamed into giving to some project that may or may not accomplish the stated goals. I prefer helping people identify those agencies and organizations that rate wEll (on the above post this came out wIll, and that does not make anything clear. I usually let typos go, but I thought this was worth correcting)on the Charity accountability websites. I have not looked up the well-digging outfit – and I have no idea where they rank in terms of their administrative/program ratio. As the saying goes, “Trust, but verify”.
But I try very hard to make gift giving a joyous and hopeful occassion, and do not use fear or self-loathing as a means to accomplish a goal, no matter how well intentioned it is.

As we celebrate the birth of our Blessed Savior let us share the gifts He has given us. The Christmas my sons remember the most is the year we adopted a family with a very ill child. We recruited other people to help us and we bought them all winter coats, new pjs, a month’s supply of groceries and toys for the 3 children. It was great.
Thank you for this article!

Ree530
Now THAT*S a Christmas! Awesome.

Our Sunday School class did that last year. We couldn’t believe the huge pile of Christmas presents we all gathered at one of our more prestigous members homes for a huge gift-wrap! It took us so long we couldn’t even deliver them that night. Had to be done in a pick-up truck the next morning! Much fun, and such a good feeling. We had done this before in other classes, but on a less elborate scale. After such a long lifetime I could write a book on giving at Christmas. However that is not what I was referring to in my first post.

We were discussing the “Advent Conspiracy” yesterday at Coffee Hour after church. We realized that we already give far more to others than we do within our own families.
Between programs at work, our communties in which we live and the many, many programs our church supports. We have two programs for Christmas to provide books to all the kids at an elmentary school in neighboring Hartford. We have a program to collect new hats and gloves for all the kids at a different school in Hartford. We have another program where we collected coats and blankets for kid on the Lakota reservation in the midwest. We take a day each month at a soup kitchen in Hartford feeding lunch to those without homes…or, simply can not afford enough food. Year round, we provide items such as towels, sheets, dishes, etc for those people moving out of rehab back into their own apartments. We support a mentoring program for lgbt youth in state care by providing the youth with gift cards to buy new cloths to attend an annual youth conference each spring.
In all, our church actively supports 33 social programs. And, I do mean actively. So, we wondered where these other churches have been and what they have been doing.
Perhaps some of these churches have been so busy opposing equal-rights and supporting prejudice that they have not had time to provide support for those in need.

I think the Advent Conspiracy is a great idea and a great motivation to spend less on material possessions. It’s not that the church is “pushing an agenda”, the pastor is only reminding those of us willing to listen that we as Americans spend heaps of cash on “things”, when our hard earned money could go to more noble causes. And when I use the word “noble”, I don’t think there is any subjectivity in its meaning; you and I both know, for a fact, what is noble and what is not. We could argue back and forth all day how the UN misuses funds, but in the end it’s pretty clear that buying my dad a bottle of cologne or a new tie is pretty pointless when that 50 or 60 dollars could buy some impoverished kid a new goat or 25 bags of rice.

Ian, to each his own.

Ian and others
I don’t think there is any complaint about how the money is used or to where it is donated. My comments are simply that the rationale presented for the giving is based on fear or guilt, rather than out of joy or thanksgiving. Why promote a non-existent conspiracy, when it is simply easier to urge and assist people to give creatively and generously?

I agree with you jestrfyl, the charity that the pastor is talking about should be discussed and then leave it to the congregation to decide if they feel generous to the cause. They may not, and would rather give to one that is in their community that they have an honest urge to be generous with. I resent being, in esscense, told this is what we need to do and laying the guilt trip if you don’t comply. Being a member of a church shouldn’t take a members individual choice away from them as how they chose to donate.

Whew! I’m exhausted just from reading all this back-and-forth. Sweet Lord, if you have issues, they won’t be resolved here. I, too, think the Conspiracy moniker is unfortunate, but I think the bottom line is simply put Christ back in Christmas. What would Jesus do? It’s not brain surgery or rocket science. Do unto others in whatever way you are able or that you desire. Take the focus off yourself and put it on others. Adopt an “angel” from an angel tree…any angel tree. If you have issues with the Salvation Army, go elsewhere to help, maybe to your children’s school. It’s so much easier than you think, and it gets easier the more you do it. My answer might not be like anybody else’s but we all know what this is about or we wouldn’t be here.

Why be generous just at the holiday season? Most churches are usually helping someone or some group year round. Maybe this church is a “holiday” giving only church?

Just an FYI – Rick Warren “tithes” 90% of what he makes, and does not take a salary from his church. So…

Personally, if every modern Church was like the First Century Church, then their giving would start with their local congregations, and not in a third world country that is far-removed from home. The rich in the community of believers would free up their wealth to provide food, clothing and shelter for their less-fortunate brothers and sisters in Christ at home. Furthermore, there would be a year-round effort by the elders of the Church to make sure everyone within the congregation was provided for, and had all their needs met. This would not be done so that the people could just relax, and have a good time, but actively minister to others outside of their community without worrying about where their next meal was coming from, or whether or not they would have a home of their own when they returned from helping others, and spreading the Gospel.
I’m afraid the real problem with the commercialization of Christmas, and most Christian holidays is that there is not one Church in America today that operates like the First Century Churches did, or really cares about its congregants. In fact, I have been involved in only one Church where the people in the congregation acted like the disciples of the First Century did, and really went out of their way to help me, and others in the congregation when they needed help. Ironically, their behavior was also in stark contrast to the lack of charity shown by the elders and pastors of that Church. To be truly honoring the mandates of Christ, we need to be loving our fellow congregants here at home!
Forget about Africa or South America for now! What about caring for the lady sitting next to you in Church this Sunday who may be too busy worrying about where her next mortgage payment is coming from since she just lost her job, rather than focusing on the pastor’s sermon? Aren’t her needs more important than that water well in Sudan, where they are too busy killing Christians to care whose money digs their wells for them? It’s time the Churches in America did what they are supposed to do, and made a much bigger effort to care for their own suffering congregants before worrying about the poor elsewhere. In other words, if America’s Churches were being true to God Word, it would be Christmas every day of the year for their communities, not just on December 25th.

I agree with Helena in regards to the fact that we need to think about our own neighbors who are struggling and out into our community beyond the material gifts. I don’t have a problem with kids receiving a donated toy but also the family should receive some help with their groceries, bills etc. Time spent with our neighbors could be pretty enlightening and we can probably find many needs within our own sphere of influence to share with as well as to across the world. And, yes, we need to be like Jesus and be aware of and be concerned for others needs. Help them where they need help with words of encouragement, help finding a job, food, a friendly face, a chance to talk with someone and yes, financially when it is appropriate. The best thing we can share is Jesus Love, when we love on others, we caress the face of God! Merry Christmas! P.S. We have a huge combined family and even though we have been going against the family tradition we do not buy gifts. We can’t afford it. But, we are right there to share our love (Jesus love) with them during this Christmas Holiday.

You can’t put Christ back into something that He never was a part of in the first place…We all know (or should know) that Jesus was not born on the 25th of December, but we conveniently ignore that fact because we don’t want to go against what is popular/accepted and hard not to take part in (John 12:43), but sure as we live and breathe we will be held accountable for this “going along with the world” when we stand before the Lord at His Judgment Seat(2 Corinthians 5:10)
…Ask yourself this – if God wanted us to celebrate His Son’s birthday on one particular day then why wasn’t it mentioned in the scriptures anywhere? Why didn’t the apostles and the early church do it? Because it is something we are to Praise & Thank the Father for each & every day not just on one day…What feasts did Jesus and the early church celebrate? Those are what we are still to be following today, those are the Holy Days, not these pagan ones that Constantine used to blend the two religions of Christianity & paganism into one …Do you actually think it honorable to mix Jesus into an original pagan holiday (Saturnalia/Easter) ???
Doesn’t scripture remind us that “a little leaven leavens the whole lump”? NO WONDER Christmas is such a big mess today! It never will be what we would like…too much flesh/worldliness in it to begin with…If you really want to start a new tradition, try to do away with it all together & teach our familes what scripture actually says –> what it really means to celebrate Jesus -> to take up our cross daily and FOLLOW HIM, not just say we do BUT ACTUALLY DO IT! Yes, give away to anyone in need – anywhere…
may the Lord Bless us all as we try to learn & live the TRUTH of HIS WORD!!!
John 14:21;Mark 10:21

While the idea to spend less during this time of year is not new, I think it is necessary. Many people take money from bills and run credit card limits past their allowance to make others feel happy and keep up a front for others, and it seems to be around this time of year that we get caught up in the bad habit of debt.
I think we can balance it out. I just want to point out that the Christmas holiday was a pagan holiday and that Christ was not born on this date nor at this time of year. I think this is a scheme of the enemy to keep our eyes off of the real reason CHRIST came and its working.

Giving should come from the heart. People should look out for those in need throughout the year. I agree that we are a society of excess, but will people give willingly with love and purpose? Have we become so material driven that we need to have a conspiracy to change us? I guess it’s okay, if that’s what it takes!