There’s a lot of controversy right now over the Tulsa Christmas Parade being renamed Holiday Parade of Lights. Christians are upset (and understandably so). In response, people have created an alternative Christmas parade. I’m not sure this is the best way to respond.

There’s a trend happening with Christians today. When we don’t like what is happening in the world we create a Christian alternative. We now have GodTube, ChristianChirp (Twitter for Christians), and a host of other things.

Instead of creating a Christian subculture we should be infiltrating the culture. Light was meant to penetrate darkness. Imagine if Jesus had said to God, “There’s no way I’m going down there its way too dark.”

We shouldn’t be surprised when Jesus’ name is taken out of things. We now live in a post-Christian America.

Baby boomers went to church and took their kids…Gen Xer’s became adults and stopped going…and now Mosaics are the first completely unchurched generation. The name of Jesus means nothing to them. That doesn’t make me angry, it makes me grieve.

If they were barring all expressions of Christ at the Holiday Parade of Lights I could understand an alternative. But, I checked and it’s OK to have “Merry Christmas” on parade entries. Seems to me it would be better to enter a float that says “Merry Christmas” and bring a little light to a very dark world instead of lighting up the light at a Christian alternative.

“How can they believe in him if they have never heard about him? And how can they hear about him unless someone tells them?” Apostle Paul.

The name of Christ has evoked passion and controversy for over 2,000 years. Men have fought battles in His name, used His name in vain, and even tried to remove His name from the holiday that marks His birth. Join us this Christmas as we look a The Names of Christ.