The Christmas season for most of us tends to be a time to slow down, celebrate, and reflect. Yet, Christmas can also provide unique opportunities for Christians to live missionally in tangible ways. While the busyness of the holiday season can sometimes distract us from spiritual priorities, Christmas is a powerful reminder of God’s mission to the world, embodied in the birth of Jesus. Christians can leverage the Christmas season to point people to Jesus and remind us of the invitation we have to join God in his mission of redemption in the world.

  1. Missional Conversations with Family and Friends

The beauty of the Christmas holiday is that it brings families together. During Christmas, extended families gather to share meals, exchange gifts, and enjoy quality time with one another. During this special time together, unique opportunities arise to share the love of Christ. When we share meals together, it is natural for us to converse about the things going on in our lives. While some family members may be believers, others may not know Christ or may be distant from Him.

For many, bringing up Christ, the Gospel, or church in family settings can feel awkward. Conversations can easily become uncomfortable, especially when we’re sitting across from someone who may be disinterested or even hostile to the Christian faith. As Christians, we understand that the gospel is often a stumbling block and offense to unbelievers (1 Corinthians 1:23). However, we also know that the gospel is “the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes” (Romans 1:16). The Christmas season offers a chance to weave the threads of the gospel into natural conversations around the table.

Instead of launching into a formal presentation of the gospel, consider talking about what God has been teaching you recently. Share something meaningful from your Bible study or a sermon from church that has impacted you. Ask family members kind yet intentional questions about faith or how they are doing spiritually. It’s often these personal touches that open the door to deeper conversations. And if the opportunity presents itself, consider using gospel-sharing tools like “3 Circles,” “The Story,” or “Creation to Christ” to help guide the conversation.

It’s crucial to remember that, while the conversation may become tense or awkward, eternity is at stake. The family member you are speaking with is created in the image of God, loved by God, and God desires to redeem and reconcile them to Himself. This should motivate us to speak truth in love and point others to the hope of Christ. Christmas time provides us with a unique opportunity to have these more intentional gospel conversations with those closest to us.

  1. Giving to Missions as a Reflection of the Gospel

Another way to focus on missions during the Christmas season is through the practice of giving. Christmas is already a season of generosity, but Christian giving is more than just gift-giving. It’s an opportunity to reflect the ultimate gift—Jesus Christ, whom God gave for the salvation of the world. One of the tangible ways that Christians can be involved in missions is through giving directly to mission causes locally and globally.

Consider setting aside part of your Christmas budget to donate to organizations that are spreading the gospel to unreached people groups or supporting church plants in hard-to-reach areas. Discuss with your family how you can pool resources together to make a meaningful contribution to these causes. This practice not only strengthens the mission of the church globally but also teaches children and family members the value of missional generosity. Through sacrificial and generous giving, you are participating in both local and global missions and embodying the message of Jesus in a tangible way.

  1. Praying for the Lost and Unreached

Christmas is also a time to renew our commitment to prayer, particularly for the lost and the unreached. As you gather with your family, make prayer a central part of your holiday celebrations. Consider setting aside specific times during the Christmas season to pray for family members who don’t yet know Christ, as well as for missionaries serving around the world.

Create a family tradition where, before or after Christmas meals, you pray together for specific individuals or groups. Pray for boldness and clarity in gospel conversations and for open hearts to receive the message of salvation. Pray for God’s guidance as you seek to serve others during this season and for opportunities to share the gospel. As you align your heart with God’s mission through prayer, you will likely find that opportunities to engage in missions during Christmas become more evident.

  1. Living on Mission In Our Families, Neighborhoods, and Communities

Finally, Christmas is an ideal time to focus on serving others, both within your family and in your community. Jesus came not to be served but to serve (Mark 10:45), and Christmas offers countless opportunities for us to do the same. Whether it’s through small acts of kindness toward family members or larger efforts to help those in need, service is a powerful way to live out the message of Christmas.

Consider how you can serve your neighbors, coworkers, or those in your church who may be struggling during the holidays. You might offer to babysit for a single parent, provide meals for a family in need, or invite a lonely neighbor or international student to join your Christmas celebration. Serving others with no expectation of return reflects the selfless love of Christ and opens doors for gospel conversations.

Serving doesn’t have to be complex. It can be as simple as offering a listening ear, showing patience with difficult relatives, or spending extra time with someone who is grieving during the holidays. As we serve others in small and large ways, we point them to the One who came to serve and give His life as a ransom for many.

Conclusion

Christmas is much more than a festive holiday—it is a unique opportunity to focus on missions in every aspect of our lives. Through family time, giving, praying, and serving, we can turn this season into a time of intentional gospel witness. As we gather with loved ones and celebrate the birth of Christ, let’s keep the mission of God at the forefront of our hearts. Let’s strive together to make disciples of all nations— around the dinner table and to the ends of the earth for the glory of the one who took on flesh so that we might have life eternally.