Christian leaders from around the world are asking for prayers and government protection for Christian minority communities, following threats of attacks during the Christmas season this year.

Christmas holidays are the most dangerous time of the year in predominantly Muslim countries where Islamist extremists have been known to launch attacks on religious minorities in the past–most infamously in Iraq, Pakistan and Nigeria.

But Hindus have also threatened anti-Christian attacks during the Christmas season in the past, according to a statement from International Christian Concern (ICC), a persecution watchdog agency based in Washington D.C., on Thursday. Christians living in Orissa, India are reportedly "on edge" due to fears of attacks by Hindu radicals. more >>

Stanley Hudson from NBC’s “The Office” appears to have lightened up this year’s battle over being politically correct during the Christmas season in a recent episode that many, including Christian leaders, are giving a thumbs up.

The episode “Christmas Wishes,” that aired Dec. 8, begins in typical style of the program, a staff meeting with employees. It then evolves into a rant by Stanley.

“The Office” is described by its producers as a fly-on-the-wall "docu-reality" parody about modern American office life. The show delves into the lives of the workers at Dunder Mifflin, a paper supply company in Scranton, Pa. more >>

There are many multitalented people in the world but few like Michael A. Milton. Seeing the Music for Missions recording artist as a musician would just be scratching the surface. Pastor, seminary chancellor, and army chaplain are just a few roles that Milton has but he’s made time this year to return with a stirring theological Christmas single and to offer sound words to the “War on Christmas.”

Working on his fourth album, the sophisticated and smooth voiced Milton has graced his fans with a Christmas single that delivers the depths of theological truths, wrapped in everyday language.

Milton, who has a doctorate in theology from the University of Wales, recently released “When Heaven Came Down” which not only captures the incarnation of Jesus but unlike most Christmas songs, completes the story with the second advent of Jesus, leaving the listeners thinking of eternity. more >>

The Christmas season is once again upon us and with it overwhelming encouragement from Madison Avenue to spend what we have not earned to buy what we cannot afford. The day after Thanksgiving, known as Black Friday (indicating the point at which retailers are in the black-or at least hope to be), signaled the start of the “holiday shopping season.” That phrase in and of itself reveals the commercialized emphasis that has unfortunately come to define Christmas for many Americans.

The thrust of this consumerist message is that the holiday is best enjoyed or most fully realized through the acquisition of “things.” Advertisements bombard us with images of bountiful Christmas scenes in which beautiful packages surround the tree, and “happiness” is realized upon the receipt of this or that consumer product. Credit card issuers alone (those most interested in seeing you spend what you don’t have) spend more than $150 million on holiday advertising and promotions. Evidence that these messages work is found in the fact that, according to financial advisor Dave Ramsey, “over 50 percent of Christmas shoppers will spend well over what they planned to and will go further into debt.”

As to the severity of this debt, Ramsey points out that “more than $70 billion, over half of what was charged last year, ended up as revolving debt and the interest on last year’s gifts are still being paid today.” On average, “two-thirds (65 percent) of shoppers overspent their budget by $100–$500 and 75 percent overspent by $50–$100.” more >>

LifeChurch.tv is hosting 100 Christmas services this week at its 14 campuses, and another 100 are being offered online.

Knowing that many people are open-minded about attending church during the week of Christmas more so than at any other time of the year, the innovative and fast-growing church is hoping to draw as many people as possible to the message of Christ.

“Of course we pour a lot of work and energy into every aspect of our Christmas services, but what makes them unique are the people at each experience,” the church’s innovation leader, Pastor Bobby Gruenewald, told The Christian Post. “We strongly believe that the church isn't a building, but the people within – from dedicated volunteers who serve multiple times to passionate attenders who spend weeks inviting guests to the thousands who come together to worship Christ.” more >>

Ho! Ho! No!!!

Too many times we as Christians either avoid sharing the gospel with family and friends during Christmas or we do it in ways that are borderline ineffective or over-the-liine obnoxious.

Here’s a few examples of what not to do: more >>