It’s that time of the year – Christmas is only a few weeks away. You’ve been busy working extra hours so you can take some much needed vacation time, and you’re trying to wrap up your Christmas shopping in the evening and on weekends. Just two weeks ago you spent Thanksgiving weekend decorating your house and yard for Christmas (in a spirit of friendly competition with the neighbors, no doubt). Here are three ways your group can thrive, not dive, during the busy Christmas season:

1. Plan a group Christmas fellowship and invite guests – many of you already do this, but don’t forget to include your group’s prospects! It’s easy to focus on inviting your regular attending group members, but remember that during the year you’ve seen a number of people come through your Bible study group in search of a new “home” for Christian community. Don’t forget about them at the holidays. Many would come back and participate in a fun, social event, especially if it was hosted by someone in your group at an off-campus location.
2. Invite your group members and guests to your church’s Christmas Eve services – Dr. Thom Rainer recently released a blog post on 9 trends taking place in Christmas Eve services (click here to jump over to that blog post). Two of the trends he mentioned are that Christmas Eve services are becoming more important each year, and that they are increasingly being attended by non-church members. Encourage your group members and prospects to sit together, or perhaps to go and share a meal at a restaurant before or after those evening services.
3. Take advantage of New Year’s resolutions – send an email to your group members and prospects, detailing a few of the Bible studies your group will experience in January. Challenge them to start their new year on the right foot by committing to be regular in attendance. Many people are in the mood to make some New Year’s resolutions, so give them one or two ideas they can accomplish that will help them grow spiritually. Consider challenging them to read their Bible daily, pray daily, or to serve in some ministry in your church.

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