WND EXCLUSIVE
Yes, pastors call on 'The Force' to fill pews this Christmas season
Published: 5 days ago
A long time ago in a manger far, far away …
WASHINGTON – In Morristown, N.J., at one of the state’s fastest-growing churches, it’s being hailed as the “Cosmic Christmas” services, a three-week series centering around “Star Wars” characters and plots – even a live “nativity scene” featuring Princess Leia, Han Solo, Chewbacca, and R2D2.
In Middletown, Ill., another church is telling the Christmas story through a “Star Wars” pageant.
In Clarendon Hills, Ill., another church is capitalizing on the release of “The Force Awakens” Dec. 18 to help ministers retell the Christmas story because more Americans are familiar with the “Star Wars” saga than they are with the first two chapters of the Book of Luke.
Those are just three of many examples of American churches turning to “The Force” this Christmas season to fill the pews and the offering plates giving Jesus, Mary and Joseph a break.
Is it a trivialization of the gospel? Heresy? Profane? Blasphemy? A sacrilege?
Take it up with the churches.
“We want to draw on the excitement surrounding ‘Star Wars’ in order to reach new people and teach them about Jesus Christ,” explained Tim Lucas, lead pastor and founder of Liquid Church in Morristown. “There are no rules that says church needs to be dry and boring. One of our core values at Liquid is that ‘church is fun.’ It’s OK to laugh and celebrate together while talking about Christmas. If that means having ‘Star wars’ characters in costume and dancing storm troopers, I’m all for it.”
The church promises 14 Christmas services will be “jam-packed with ‘Star Wars’ surprises” and expects 7,000 people to attend.
Watch Pastor Tim Lucas share his excitement for Cosmic Christmas.
A long time ago in a manger far, far away …
WASHINGTON – In Morristown, N.J., at one of the state’s fastest-growing churches, it’s being hailed as the “Cosmic Christmas” services, a three-week series centering around “Star Wars” characters and plots – even a live “nativity scene” featuring Princess Leia, Han Solo, Chewbacca, and R2D2.
In Middletown, Ill., another church is telling the Christmas story through a “Star Wars” pageant.
In Clarendon Hills, Ill., another church is capitalizing on the release of “The Force Awakens” Dec. 18 to help ministers retell the Christmas story because more Americans are familiar with the “Star Wars” saga than they are with the first two chapters of the Book of Luke.
Those are just three of many examples of American churches turning to “The Force” this Christmas season to fill the pews and the offering plates giving Jesus, Mary and Joseph a break.
Is it a trivialization of the gospel? Heresy? Profane? Blasphemy? A sacrilege?
Take it up with the churches.
“We want to draw on the excitement surrounding ‘Star Wars’ in order to reach new people and teach them about Jesus Christ,” explained Tim Lucas, lead pastor and founder of Liquid Church in Morristown. “There are no rules that says church needs to be dry and boring. One of our core values at Liquid is that ‘church is fun.’ It’s OK to laugh and celebrate together while talking about Christmas. If that means having ‘Star wars’ characters in costume and dancing storm troopers, I’m all for it.”
The church promises 14 Christmas services will be “jam-packed with ‘Star Wars’ surprises” and expects 7,000 people to attend.
Watch Pastor Tim Lucas share his excitement for Cosmic Christmas.
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A Creche (a set of statues that represents the scene of Jesus Christ's birth and that is displayed during Christmas), or Nativity Statue Scene is not Christian; It is Roman Catholic, instead.
ReplyDeleteThe second Commandment of the 10 Commandments specifically forbids making images or idols of Christ's likeness:
Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth.
5 Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: for I the Lord thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me;
6 And shewing mercy unto thousands of them that love me, and keep my commandments.
Exodus 20:4-6