The Advent Conspiracy is an international movement centered around bringing a deeper meaning to Christmas. It started in 2006 when five pastors decided to make Christmas a revolutionary event by encouraging their faith communities to unite around four principles: Worship Fully, Spend Less, Give More and Love All. Over the last several years, this ecumenical alternative to consumerism has grown to include more than 1500 congregations representing a variety of Christian traditions. For more information about Advent Conspiracy like them on Facebook, follow them on Twitter, or watch their videos.
So What?
The movement received wider notice after their 2008 YouTube video went viral. In 2009, three of the group’s leaders (Rick McKinley of Imago Dei Community in Portland, Oregon; Greg Holder from Windsor Crossing in St. Louis, Missouri; and Chris Seay of Ecclesia in Houston, Texas) co-authored a book, Advent Conspiracy: Can Christmas Still Change the World?, which at $12.99 per copy seemed to fuel the very Christmas consumerism they were seeking to end.
- In your own experience, are your views of Christmas shaped more by your faith or by culture?
- In the weeks leading up to Advent and during the season of Advent, what activities, classes, and literature are available in your congregation for those seeking to develop a richer understanding of Advent and Christmas? What are your personal plans for faith practices this Advent?
- What is your initial reaction to a movement based on the four principles of Worship Fully, Spend Less, Give More and Love All? What gifts do you believe Advent Conspiracy has to offer the wider church? What concerns do you have about their ministry?