Reaching the Lost at Christmas Eve Service

Estimated reading time: 4 minutes

Christmas is when much of the world celebrates the birth of the Savior, and it’s the day that many feel obligated to attend church. In a poll of 1,000 Americans, Lifeway Research found six out of 10 Americans typically attend church at Christmas. However, among those who don’t attend church at that time, a majority (57 percent) said they would likely go if someone they knew invited them. And those who do attend are prime candidates for the gospel. 

We don’t know the reason people go to church at Christmas. Perhaps their conscience is stirring them to do what they believe is the right thing. Most who do so probably think their attendance is pleasing to God. Others perhaps think it will help to earn them a place in Heaven. But we know better. Scripture tells us that it’s not by works of righteousness that He saves us but according to His mercy (see Titus 3:5). And mercy cannot be earned.

With all the negatives of Christmas—the commercialism and emphasis on everything but the cross, sinners coming to a service is the silver lining. If we are fishers of men, we should train up our people so that they know how to toss out a line. On the days leading up to Christmas, they can ask neighbors and friends if they would like to go to your Christmas service. 

Here are three things that you could do as a pastor to help your church effectively do this: 

1. Teach them what to say to invite their friends and neighbors to church.

You may not think they need this, but most of us find it a little nerve-racking (because of a fear of rejection) to invite someone to a service. So, a little pastoral help is much appreciated. Give them examples from the pulpit (and in your bulletin), such as, “I go to a great church. I’d love you to come for our Christmas service. Would you like to come?” Or, “Do you ever wonder what happens after people die? Where do they go? My pastor will be talking about that issue for our Christmas service. Would you like to come?” 

2. Remind them of the importance of greeting strangers who attend the service.

These are dark days when people are rethinking their relationship with God, and a warm welcome will touch them. Again, give some examples of what to say to greet people and to show them that you care. I remember when someone turned around from the pew and showed interest in me. I was a new Christian, and it was my first time attending that church. I will never forget the warmth of their greeting.

3. Assure your congregation that if they get people to church, you will be faithful to preach the gospel.

Then, determine to start off in the manger and end up at the cross. Don’t water down the bitter medicine of sin, righteousness, and judgment. If you do that, you may make your message palatable, but you will strip it of its curative properties. Always remember that when you proclaim the gospel to a dying person, death could seize upon them within the hour. In the light of their eternal destiny, what they think of you and me doesn’t matter. 

Our ministry, Living Waters, exists to help pastors and church leaders equip their people to reach the lost. One way we do that is by taking advantage of national holidays. We have a million-dollar gospel tract for Halloween, July 4th, and even for Christmas. In Acts 17, you will see the Apostle Paul bouncing off Greek poets while addressing the Athenians. This was because his heart was to reach the lost. We leverage public interest in national holidays to do the same.

In his book, The Resilient Pastor, Bruce Garner says: 

“A pastor must not only be courageous within the walls of his church. In the same paragraph that challenges Timothy to keep preaching the Scriptures, Paul says: ‘Always be sober-minded, endure suffering, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry.’”

Scott McConnell, vice president of Nashville-based Lifeway Research, said, “Regular churchgoers may assume the rest of America has already made up their mind not to attend church. In reality, many would welcome going to a Christmas service with someone they know.”

In light of that thought, don’t let this Christmas pass you by without a concerted effort to reach out to this sad, fearful, and dying world. 

©2023, 2025 Ray Comfort. Used with permission.