The Beauty of the Church Calendar

A perpetual holiday is a good working definition of hell. – George Bernard Shaw

The title of this blog, "The Celebration Project," could be a little misleading.  One might assume that we think we should be full-on partying and celebrating all the time.  This is NOT the case.  If someone is looking for that kind of life, then might we point you to Rhett and Link and their holiday-celebrating series?

In truth, the church calendar provides plenty of opportunities for fun celebrations, but it is much more than that as well.  There are distinct rhythms, changing seasons with different themes.  There is even a long period of time (Lent), during which the focus is, at least in part, repentance and self-denial… which is hardly “fun.”

Much of the Christian church calendar seems to have taken its cues from the Old Testament feasts schedule.  Right from the beginning, God instituted several rhythms and seasons, comprised of days with specific purposes.

At this point let me point out that I am not a theologian and have never been to seminary.  I have studied the Bible and a few other sources on the following topics, but let’s face it:  I have not done a ton of research.  I have 4 young children who interrupt me approximately every 13 seconds when I am on the computer, so my research time is limited.

But from this layman’s eyes, I see a few specific types of “celebrations” or feast-days in the Old Testament.

1.) There were days set aside for FEASTING.  The Hebrew word, “khag,” meaning “feast” or “festival” occurs 62 times in the Old Testament.  God seems to love a good party.  Take Deuteronomy 16:13-15 as an example:

You must observe the Festival of Shelters for seven days at the end of the harvest season, after the grain has been threshed and the grapes have been pressed. This festival will be a happy time of celebrating with your sons and daughters, your male and female servants, and the Levites, foreigners, orphans, and widows from your towns. For seven days you must celebrate this festival to honor the LORD your God at the place he chooses, for it is he who blesses you with bountiful harvests and gives you success in all your work. This festival will be a time of great joy for all.

2.) There were days set aside for RESTING.  Most obvious, of course, is the weekly pause that God ordained in the Ten Commandments: the Sabbath day.   But there were also longer times of rest as well.  For example, in Leviticus 25:3-5, God says,

‘Six years you shall sow your field, and six years you shall prune your vineyard and gather in its crop, but during the seventh year the land shall have a sabbath rest, a sabbath to the LORD; you shall not sow your field nor prune your vineyard. Your harvest’s aftergrowth you shall not reap, and your grapes of untrimmed vines you shall not gather; the land shall have a sabbatical year. 

3.) There were also times for RE-SETTING.  In Leviticus chapters 25 and 27, God institutes the year of Jubilee, to be celebrated every 50th year, when confiscated property is returned to its original owners and those sold into slavery are set free.  Also, the Day of Atonement each year was meant to be a time of purification, partly involving solemn reflection and rest.

4.) There were days set aside for FASTING.  Leviticus 16, as one example, talks about the Day of Atonement, which was meant as a cleansing time.  God instructed the people to only not work, but also to deny themselves, or in other translations, to fast.


So each year we see patterns, seasons, rhythms.  It’s not all about partying, but it is all about reminding the people who they are, who God is, and what He has done.  The Lord knew we needed different paces, different points of focus to remind us of these things.

The Christian calendar keeps this same idea of healthy rhythm.  The flow of the year is all centered around they story of Christ, some of the days building in anticipation, some of the days celebrating what has already come to pass, some of the days focused on our future.  There are times of repentance, times of rest, times of re-setting, and times of full-on feasting.

Here, then, are some of the beautiful benefits to following the Christian calendar:

• Our memories can be very short, so having these annual reminders is good for us!  

• Having these built-in times of rest and celebration can help us keep a healthy balance in life.  Too often in our culture we just run full-throttle, and then crash.  The patterns that God set up will keep us from that mode. 

• Our celebrations give us a sense of identity.  We are part of God’s family and celebrate His family holidays.

• Special days provide many opportunities for teaching our children about who God is, and who they are in Him.  Holidays are full of hands-on creating and learning.

Join with us this year as we explore and enjoy this rhythmic life!