Rico Tice

Every preacher knows that Christmas is prime time to reach unchurched people. But how do you do it, especially in an increasingly secular culture? We posed that question to Rico Tice, our preaching colleague from across the pond and the author of Honest Evangelism. In this week's preaching skills article, Rico helps us get ready for Christmas preaching by adopting a two-fold outlook: expect skepticism from secular people but also get ready to meet spiritual hunger. Check out the links and ideas he's shared about reaching secular people during the holidays.

C.J. Coffee

Also, in this week's featured sermon, C.J. Coffee from Portland, OR, begins his Christmas Eve service with an incredibly simple but powerful question: "Who is Jesus?" Then he uses some straightforward exegesis as he walks us through an excellent Christmas preaching text—Colossians 1:15-20. The outline is simple—explore the names for Jesus mentioned in Colossians 1 and weave in some compelling personal stories. And you don't have to worry about plagiarizing his outline because it's just the biblical text.

Also, check out these new resources:

• Featured Illustration: Guinness Record for Most Christmas Lights
• Featured Video: Our Prayer This Christmas: Christmas is a time to stop and remember the amazing grace of God, the birth of the Messiah, and the grace God has shown us through him.
• Featured Sermon: "Who Is Jesus?" by C.J. Coffee
• Featured Skills Article: "Reaching a Secular Culture at Christmas" by Rico Tice

Matt Woodley
Editor, PreachingToday.com
mwoodley@christianitytoday.com

P.S. God's rich blessings on your role preaching the incredible, multi-faceted, life-giving, soul-saving, world-restoring message of Christmas. And remember: the One you preach about is also the One who walks beside you and lives within you. You can't lose at preaching this Christmas season.

Matt Woodley is the pastor of compassion ministries at Church of the Resurrection in Wheaton, Illinois.