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SECULAR HOLIDAYS: AN ARGUMENT AGAINST CENTERING CHRISTIAN WORSHIP AROUND THEM
Today is
Mother’s Day. As such, many churches (particularly American churches) will
honor mothers. While there is nothing wrong with honoring mothers, believers
should question the approach churches should take in doing so. Moreover,
Christians should consider whether to employ any secular holiday in the context
of worship. Certainly, one may celebrate a secular holiday and glorify God;
yet, placing its focus in Christian worship gatherings raises an entirely new
set of questions. My argument is that secular holidays are not rooted in
biblical Christianity and, therefore, have no place in weekly Christian
worship. I have three pillars to my argument, which support the overarching
notion that secular holidays should be removed from Christian worship.
The Focus of
Christian Worship Should Solely Be God’s Glory
The only
issue that matters in all of life is God’s glory; his glory is always the issue
no matter the situation. Even more, Christian worship holds the glory of God as
its central focus. By nature, Christian worship is designed for God’s people to
take a small amount of time each week and focus on God, his story, and what he
has done for his people. Anything that distracts from this central focus should
not be incorporated. This is not to suggest that real elements of human life
cannot or should not be acknowledged, for certainly, God cares about his people
in all regards; it is, however, to suggest that when these peripheral matters
because an element on which God’s people focus, it is wrong. Mother’s Day, for
example, is not a biblical holiday or even one derived from Christian
principles. Surely, everyone alive has a mother and motherhood should be
honored and celebrated; yet, when the entirety of a Christian worship service
is designed around the celebration of mothers, God’s glory is lost. Acknowledge
and celebrate mothers; do not, however, make the Hallmark holiday itself a
focus of an entire worship gathering. The same could be said of patriotic
holidays. Jesus did not die for the American dream so to place the United
States on the same level of honor as God himself is nothing short of idolatry.
In fact, I suggest that any nationalistic approach to Christian worship should
be avoided. I am thankful for the country in which I live; yet, I do not
attempt to place my country on the same level of honor as my God. Many might
argue that they do not do so even in a patriotically-themed worship service.
Nonetheless, I would invite them to examine the elements of the service; most
of the time, they will quickly realize that American patriotism (or otherwise)
is elevated to or above God’s glory. The focus of Christian worship should
unapologetically be God’s glory, not the happiness or pleasures of others.
Centering Worship
around Secular Holidays Places Them on an Equal Level to the Gospel
Already
briefly mentioned, when a worship service is centered around a secular holiday,
not only is God’s glory lost, people gain the idea that these non-biblical
holidays are equal to the gospel story. One might think, for example, that July
4th is equally worthy to be celebrated as the birth of Christ.
Christian worship is designed to tell the story of God and his people, which is
why liturgical traditions utilize a lectionary that moves through the entire
Bible. Mixing secular holidays with the story of God could easily confuse
people to believe that extra-biblical events are equal to the gospel story.
Ministers and worship leaders should be careful not to take a syncretic
approach to Christian worship. Certainly, celebrate and acknowledge the good
aspects of life; yet, mixing secular holidays with the story of God portrays
the wrong message. Nothing is equal to the story of God. As a younger man, I
was adamantly opposed to the employment of a lectionary. Now, however, I fully
support it, for it focuses Christian worship on the full gospel story without
any influence of secular nature. As the adage goes, keep the main thing the
main thing.
Younger
Generations Learn from and Imitate What We Do
Younger
generations constantly watch what we do as experienced believers. When a young
worship leader or minister sees God’s people incorporating secular holidays in
a Christian worship context, the chances of him or her doing so to an even
greater degree are high. Whether we realize it or not, we are being watched.
The influence is perhaps subconscious but certain. To model the supremacy of
the gospel story in Christian worship, leaders should be careful to design the
experience with a central focus on God and his glory. With Scripture permeating
the worship dialogue, meaningful and well-thought prayers, and music with a
central theme, churches can assuredly provide a good example to younger
generations. Whether using a lectionary or not, churches should strive to tell
the story, i.e. every portion of the worship service should be a part of the
dialogue. Churches have become so accustomed and okay with disconnected worship
dialogues that many people do not realize the importance of planning. Some may
feel that planning quenches the Holy Spirit; I contend, however, that the Holy
Spirit moves equally through planning as he does through spontaneity. As a good
example for younger generations then, believers should strive to proclaim the
gospel story and eliminate any distractions from the worship experience that
hinder the proclamation of the gospel story.
God Has Redeemed
His People; Doesn’t He Deserve a Fraction of Their Time?
If churches
cannot remove their own desires and devices for a brief time so that his story
is proclaimed each week, how important is the gospel in their lives? Many
people do not understand the seriousness of worship; it is unequivocally the
most important thing God’s people do. For a brief time, people should remove
all distractions for the sole purpose of glorifying God through the
proclamation of his story. There is plenty of time to recognize secular
holidays and even do so in a way that glorifies God. The Christian worship
gathering is not one of those times. The argument against the employment of
secular holidays in Christian worship, therefore, is one supported by the
church throughout history and one that should remind people of the vast
importance of Christian worship gatherings.
