My church gave Jesus a bed for Christmas

I KNOW that the title of this post sounds odd. But it’s true.

I found out about it on Christmas Eve—the perfect night to hear the news.

The church I attend has multiple locations throughout the Greater Kansas City area: Church of the Resurrection.

We call each location a “campus.” My wife and I attend a young campus in the burbs on KC’s west side. Our kids attend another church nearby.

With Christmas Eve just one day after Sunday, our church decided to start the Christmas Eve services a day early: on Christmas Eve Eve. So those of us who attended the Sunday morning services as usual had little reason to attend the Christmas Eve service. The sermon would be the same.

Our family has a long tradition of going to Christmas Eve services together. So this year, we went to the church my kids attend: Heartland Community Church.

Senior pastor Dan Deeble, who did a marvelous job with the sermon, said the church conducted an Angel Tree ministry this year. They provided two Christmas gifts to every kid they came across who might not otherwise get a gift.

Heartland invited each child to make a wish for one practical gift and one fun gift. Then the church members went shopping. They gave gifts to 1,000 kids.

But Heartland got one phone call they couldn’t handle.

A girl with a Hispanic accent said she knew a boy who needed a Christmas gift.

The church person taking the call said, “Sure. What one practical gift and one fun gift would he like?”

The girl hesitated.

Then she simply said, “He needs a bed.”

There was no bed for this boy. The ministry wasn’t set up to provide gifts of that size and expense.

The boy’s name in Spanish is pronounced “HAY soos.”

Jesus.

Heartland knew that Church of the Resurrection had those kinds of resources. So they made the call.

Church of the Resurrection gave a bed to Jesus.

Merry Christmas Jesus. Sweet dreams.

A book giveaway

Beginning today, I’ll be having a weekly book giveaway.

To enter, all you have to do is send me a question about the Bible, God, or the Christian faith.

Deadline: Midnight every Friday.

Game plan: I’ll pick one question, and answer it in my blog on the next Monday. The person who asked the question will get a free book. I’ll give you a choice between lots of books—some of which are by me, and others that aren’t. All new books. I wouldn’t pawn a used one off on you.

You can send me the question any way you like: blog comment, Facebook, Twitter, email.

Happy New Year. Stay safe, as best you can.