Christmas is all about the Gospel—the Son of God coming to Earth to seek and save the lost—and about sharing that good news with strangers and neighbors.
On the first Christmas morning, an angel of the Lord appeared to a bunch of shepherds who were just minding their own business outside Bethlehem. And the angel said to them:
‘Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; He is the Messiah, the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.’ Luke 2:10-12
After hearing this, the shepherds simply had to see the baby for themselves!
Of course, we know that this baby grew into a man named Jesus, who lived a perfect, sinless life and was crucified at the hands of men, before rising from the dead three days later. His sacrificial death for the sins of all humanity was the fulfillment of the “good news of great joy” proclaimed by the angels three decades earlier.
Before ascending to the right hand of the Father, Jesus left His followers with this commandment:
He said to them, ‘Go into all the world and proclaim the Gospel to the whole creation.’ Mark 16:15
The invitation and expectation is for us to bring Good News of great joy to all people, just as the angel did for the shepherds on that first Christmas night. And there’s hardly a more appropriate time to share this news than Christmas.
Here are a few simple ideas to help your students share the Good News of Jesus this Christmas season.
1. Go Christmas caroling.
Take your youth group outside the church walls and into the surrounding neighborhoods. Be sure to bring lots of Christmas cheer, music, and the Gospel. Have your students knock on doors, sing a Christmas carol or two, and ask the residents how you can pray for them. If they’re open to it, pray for them right then and there before marching on to the next house. Look for an opportunity to share the real reason for the season. It could be the first time they’ve ever heard the true Gospel!
2. Ring the Salvation Army bell.
An excellent group outreach activity you can do during the holidays is volunteer to ring the Salvation Army bell at your local grocery store. They’re always looking for volunteers, and they’re a fantastic global organization. Ringing the bell puts you in a perfect position to start some great conversations with people who pass by. Not everyone will want to stop and talk, but many will. Prepare your students to ask if they can pray for people who stop by, and always be looking for opportunities to share the Gospel afterward.
3. Provide free snow-shoveling services.
If there’s snow on the ground, help your students coordinate some snow shoveling, free of charge. If people try to pay your teens, or simply when they’ve finished their hard work, encourage them to share the best free gift there is, the gift of Jesus Christ! Then, have your students invite the residents to your church’s Christmas Eve service.
4. Spend an evening writing Christmas cards.
You can have your students share the Gospel without leaving the walls of your church. Gather your students together to craft Christmas cards and include a handwritten note inside. Each student could bring the name and address of a family member, friend, co-worker, or fellow student who doesn’t know Jesus or just needs some spiritual encouragement. You can spend your youth group time writing meaningful, handwritten letters that include the powerful truth of the Gospel and the real reason we celebrate Christmas.
5. Hold a clothing drive.
While snow is a Christmas staple, not having warm clothing can turn the dream of a white Christmas into a nightmare. Encourage your students to collect and bring warm winter clothing items. Then, one night, invite the people in your community to come and receive the donated clothing. Bonus points if you provide hot cocoa to warm people inside and out! While people are getting clothes or cocoa, encourage your students to ask how they can pray for people and share the Gospel if people are open to receiving it.
6. Lead a Christmas-party mission trip.
Throwing a Christmas party for your youth group can be super fun, but what if you brought your Christmas party to a less fortunate group? Some of the most impactful moments of my youth ministry career have been when I took my youth group on Christmas mission trips to other towns with higher poverty rates than the neighborhoods we live in. We invited everyone in town to the party, fed them all, handed out Christmas gifts, and shared the Gospel both from the stage and in one-on-one conversations. We can be like Jesus and use a party as an opportunity to share the Good News.
Mobilize your teens.
When doing any of these outreach activities, it’s important that students are able to not only pray and care for their neighbors, but also to know how to share the Gospel with them. Be sure to remind your students of the G.O.S.P.E.L. acrostic before beginning any of these activities. And encourage them to download the Life in 6 Words evangelism app if they haven’t already.
With a little planning and equipping, Christmas can be an excellent opportunity to mobilize your teens to share the Good News with great joy.
When they had seen Him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them. Luke 2:17-18
