The Evangelistic Opportunity of the Christmas Concerts
Rolando almost didn’t go. In 2022, a coworker of his girlfriend, Lesminda, invited the couple to Grace Community Church’s Christmas Concert. Rolando wasn’t particularly interested. But when he learned she already had tickets, he assumed she had paid for them and felt obligated to go—not realizing the concert was free!
He didn’t expect the evening to leave such a lasting impression.
As the congregation sang together, Rolando remembers being struck by the warmth of hundreds of voices lifted in praise. But it was the children’s choir that affected him most. Watching the children sing, he was overcome with emotion. Having lost his own father to gang violence when he was young, Rolando now faced the responsibilities of fatherhood himself. He began thinking about his three children and the kind of legacy he would leave them. He wanted to make sure they would be cared for if something happened to him.
But his thoughts turned to something more important. “I was convicted that God being a Savior is what I needed,” he recalls.
That evening marked the beginning of a spiritual journey for Rolando and Lesminda. They continued attending Grace Church, and what began as curiosity grew into a hunger to know God. Through the preaching and teaching of Scripture, they began to understand who God is and, in turn, their own need for repentance. After participating in Commissioned and getting their children involved in the church’s children’s ministry, both embraced Christ in saving faith. They eventually married through Grace Church.
Their family’s story has continued to unfold. Rolando and Lesminda now make a point of inviting unbelieving relatives to the Christmas Concert each year. Rolando’s mother, Anna, has also come to faith in Christ and is now involved in Commissioned and taking Fundamentals of the Faith classes. And this year, their daughter is rehearsing with the children’s choir for the very concert that first stirred her father’s heart.
Their story is one of many reminders of what God can do through the faithful proclamation of the gospel. For some, a Christmas concert may be the first—and perhaps only—occasion when they are willing to step inside a church. It is an opportunity to hear the good news announced by the angel: “I bring you good news of great joy which will be for all the people” (Luke 2:10).
That is precisely why Grace Church hosts these concerts. This Christmas, consider who might come if you simply invited them. A coworker, neighbor, friend, or family member may be more willing than you think. Secure tickets and give them an opportunity to hear the message of the Savior who came to save sinners.