Trending Faith: How do I Make Christ the Center of Christmas?

On this week’s episode of Trending Faith, Grand Canyon University Pastor and Dean of Students Tim Griffin and Dean of the College of Theology Jason Hiles, PhD, sat down to discuss how to make Christ the center of Christmas.

Dr. Hiles began by saying it may be challenging to make Christ the center of Christmas if we have ignored Him the rest of the year.

“Our celebration of the holidays needs to flow out of what we do naturally throughout the rest of the year,” he said.

However, from the standpoint of a father, Dr. Hiles discussed how it takes intentional conversation with his children in order to turn their focus to Jesus during Christmas.

Naturally, children focus on the gifts they want and other various traditions during the holidays. For this reason, it is important to remind them of why we celebrate Christmas in the first place.

God sent His son to earth to save us from the brokenness of the world. Jesus came to live among us in the most vulnerable of ways, as a baby. He lived a perfect life, giving us an example of how we ought to live.

Christmas serves as a reminder that God is not distant from us. He loves us more than we can imagine, which gives us hope and joy during the Christmas season.

While the gifts, candy and traditions associated with Christmas are all good, it is important to focus on the true meaning of the holiday.

There is something deeper about finding joy in Christ during the Christmas season, as it brings families together in a way that has long-term effects going into the New Year.

Hear the full discussion by watching the video below:

Do you have questions for Dr. Hiles and Pastor Tim? Use #trendingfaith or send your questions to trendingfaith@gcu.edu. For more information about a Christian education at GCU, visit our website.