The Greatest Story Ever Told: An Interactive, Instant Christmas Program

Christmas programs can be the bane of every children ministry leader’s existence. Practices, memorization and set building – it’s not easy! Then begs the question – is it the best use of yours (and your families’!) time?

While I don’t have the answers to any of these questions, I do have a creative solution for this year’s Christmas program – “The Greatest Story Ever Told.”

This 1-night extravaganza requires no practice, and families will absolutely love it.

An Instant Christmas Program is exactly how it sounds – families show up, and get to participate in an amazing night of fun and telling the Christmas story. This “instant Christmas program” could be put together in 3 ways:

1. On a typical Sunday, invite families to join you for a production of “The Greatest Story Ever Told.” Have some of your older students or teens lined up to be part of your Narration Team. Share the narrations with them a couple of weeks in advance so they can be familiar with all the lines! As families arrive, hand minimal costume props (more on that later!) to the kids who join you and tell them to wait for their cue to participate. Amidst the program, have your worship team sing the suggested songs, or other fitting Christmas worship songs.

2. Plan a special night out for families to present the production of “The Greatest Story Ever Told.” This format would essentially follow the same format as it would in the Sunday service, except it would be exclusively the parents of your ministry there. You could follow up the production with some yummy Christmas snacks (think hot chocolate, cookies or other seasonal favorites!) and a photobooth or carol sing for families.
3. Make “The Greatest Story Ever Told” a part of a special family night out. Start the night with some snacks and/or crafts (more on that below), and then have families participate in the production. After the production is complete, have families participate in some games and/or a discussion time!