Chuck Bridges Blog

Here’s a small glance into what we will be sharing in the Christmas season.

Our theme for this year’s Christmas season is called: “FIT FOR LIFE”. This year we are not just focusing on the wonderful story of Jesus’ Advent into time and space. We are going in a little different direction to highlight the difference Jesus makes now because He came over 2,000 years ago.

In our culture people are obsessed with physical fitness, dieting, health, etc. Health clubs, gyms, fad diets, and the myriad of get-FIT-the-quick-and-easy-way products reveals how conscious people are about being healthy and physically fit. Christmas is also the time for giving gifts. Oh, I know how many times we say “Jesus is the Reason for the Season” and how many of us sincerely try to spend less on purchasing gifts. But, on December 26th we realize that it happened again. (at least I do)

So, instead of trying to deemphasize the Gift-Giving part of Christmas, I thought we would try to provide some gifts that will help people get a head start on their “New Year’s” renewal of last year’s resolution to eat better, exercise more, etc. (you know the drill) This year we are using the Motiff of gyms, workouts, nutrition, etc. to illustrate how Jesus’ Advent contains everything we need to be “FIT FOR LIFE” (both Now and Forever).

Jesus even said: “I have come that you might have life and that life more abundant.” The “Abundant Life” that Jesus came to give us needs to be clarified. It begins with a Healthy Heart; leads to being Strengthened in our relationship with Christ; then we are more conscious of the kind of things that need to stay out of our lives; and finally, living the Abundant Life prepares us for the eternity God has planned for us.

Each week in December we are going to take one of these areas and talk about how we can be “FIT FOR LIFE” the way Jesus wants us to live it. We are going to be giving away some cool gifts to encourage people to be more conscious about Health — Physical, Spiritual, Mental, and Emotional. We are going to have some fun with the Physical Fitness stuff. You may see me really “sweating it” during the preaching time! I have been working out to get ready for this series so I hope you will plan to come and bring someone with you.

God bless and MERRY CHRISTMAS? (wait, who said that?)