The Subtle Genius of Throwing a Birthday Party for Jesus

Trey helps decorate another kid like a Christmas tree at Tabernacle Baptist Church's annual "Birthday Party for Jesus"Our church, like many other Baptist churches, holds a “Birthday Party for Jesus” around Christmas time. Calling a Christmas celebration that may seem a bit childish, but that is the point! It actually makes a lot of sense for kids.

Even at a very young age a child understands that a birthday involves receiving gifts. With a “Birthday Party for Jesus” a few important ideas about the true meaning of Christmas are relayed.

  1. Christmas is about Jesus’ birth. It is HIS birthday we celebrate.
  2. Like a birthday party, Christmas is a time when family and friends get together to have fun and celebrate a very special person that they all love.
  3. Normally the birthday boy/girl receives gifts, but on Jesus’ birthday we receive the gifts. Why do we get gifts and not Jesus? We don’t deserve them – it’s not our birthday – it’s His!

Trey listens attentively to the Bible story at Tabernacle Baptist Church's "Birthday Party for Jesus"That last one may be subtle but it will stick with a child as he grows up and he associates year after year that Jesus’ birthday means undeserved gifts for him. When that child is old enough to understand the Good News about the gift of salvation it will make perfect sense that he would receive such an incredible undeserved gift from Jesus.

Here is a video I made of Trey and the kids at our church party. Follow this link to our church’s Facebook page to see photos (Trey’s in there too!)

Like the music? That track is by Sufjan Stevens who has an amazing 5 CD box set of Christmas songs for only $15! It’s our favorite Christmas album every year.