There seems to be a Scrooge movement against preaching an Advent series. Thou must, by ways of verse by verse, sticketh to thine method of expository on thy book which currently be in question for thine pulpit. At the same time, there are many newer pastors trying to figure out how to handle the Advent and whether to present such a series. Here are some thoughts in no particular order:

Exposit means to expound

Expository preaching means to expound or explain a particular text. It does not mean verse-by-verse preaching. Does the Bible instruct us to explain the text? Absolutely. Does it do so by means of verse-by-verse? No, because they weren’t invented until centuries later. Is preaching an Advent series violating the holy grail of expository preaching? No, because you are explaining a key aspect of the Bible. The Gospel has as its foundation the sinless life which Christ lived, how he entered the world, and the fulfillment of Old Testament prophecies. Advent series help us explain who Christ is.

Birthdays matter

For our culture, birthdays matter. Childhood matters. To take a month to celebrate the most significant birth in history makes sense. But, there is another reason for the celebration. Life is hard and not fair. To have a season that is light, joyful, and optimistic is good medicine for the depressed soul. Further, the reminder that God pursued us is significant. Many religions one has to pursue to obtain, yet in the Advent, God came to us, hence one of his names, Emmanuel.

Theme suggestions

As our culture is too predisposed to novelty, changing up how you handle Christmas is helpful. Here are some suggestions.

• Rotate between the three Advent stories: Matthew— traditional Christmas, Luke— celebrating people who demonstrated daily faithfulness, John— Jesus the light of the world.
• Preach on Old Testament prophecies about Christ: Each prophetic utterance is often at a time of calamity or sin. So in the fall of sin, there is a prediction of hope. This helps build confidence in God’s Word and in God’s grace.
• Aim your preaching schedule to match the Advent: When I preached through Romans, I placed the discussion of grace— an unmerited gift— to hit during the Advent season. Other times, I take a break from the book, which is good for you and your church.
• Topical preaching can be done, though I’m not a fan. But there are theologies of giving, generosity, grace, patience, faithfulness, etc., that reflect the Advent spirit well.

Have fun.

There are so many hardships we have to deal with in ministry. Many sins we must confront. There are seasons of work and seasons of rest. Shepherding is not always driving your flock hard. It involves times of celebration and play. Enjoy the season and let your church be family. Rest from the work of the year. Eat, drink, and enjoy the fruit of your labor, for this too is a gift from God. As for the naysayers, ignore them. When January hits, it’s time to get at it again. But for the Advent season, rest and enjoy the presence of God and church family.