Natwivity Christmas Bible engagement …
Knocking on a non-Christian’s door and asking him or her to read the Bible will, in many cases, probably be as effective as asking me to bungee jump – it’s just not going to happen!
So, how do we invite non-Christians to connect with the Bible? Incrementally and creatively!
Jeremiah, my grandson, recently celebrated his first birthday. It was a big moment. His parents decided he’d get to eat sugar for the first time. After the presents were opened, he was given a cupcake. It was a sight to behold! Jamming fistfuls of icing-smothered cake into his mouth, he devoured it in less time than you could say, “Release the hounds!”
Newborn babies drink milk. Cupcakes aren’t on the menu for the first few months of life. Learning to eat is incremental – we start a baby on liquids and gradually introduce solids. So here’s a Bible engagement maxim: sip milk before you eat cupcakes.
Jeremiah eats cupcakes, but he’s iffy on beans. The fact that he doesn’t like beans hasn’t deterred his mum. She’s found cre8tve ways to make them palatable by mixing them with other foods.
Huw Tyler, Ali Johnson, Katherine Cook and Andy Kind of the Share Creative project know something about making Bible engagement incremental and cre8tve. They developed the Natwivity: daily Christmas tweets of 140 characters with a thought or comment from Mary, Joseph, Wise Men and Shepherds, with further entries from Herod, an Inn Keeper and his wife, and friends of Mary and Joseph. Social media is a great tool for inviting engagement with the Bible. Check out the Natwivity, and while you’re at it, check out The Digital Story of the Nativity on YouTube.
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Summary
Natwivity Christmas Bible engagement: Engaging non-Christians with the Bible requires a creative and incremental approach, much like introducing a baby to solid foods. Instead of pushing Bible reading directly, initiatives like the Natwivity—a series of daily Christmas tweets featuring characters from the Nativity story—offer a more accessible way to spark interest. By using social media, this project invites people to connect with Scripture in a relatable and non-threatening way.
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