This book was provided by the Advent Conspiracy in exchange for a review.

When I was first reading this book I was going to title the review, Pack your bags we’re going on a guilt trip. The first part of the book is a screed against comsumerism and a guilt trip towards the audience. It feels like a really condemnatory sermon. The tone changes as the book goes on and paints a great picture of how advent conspiracy can change us, our family, our church and internationally. The more I read the more I liked the book, the book took on a more positive tone as it went on. The last two year the church we attend has taken part in Advent Conspiracy. Last year we spent less and donated to the charity our church was sponsoring to give clean water to people around the world. Overall this was a good book, I would like to see a more positive beginning. RRr
Rating: 3 / 5

I first heard about this small band of churches that were thinking about Christmas differently a few years back. This group had come together to rethink the modern day Christian response to December 25th, the day we celebrate Jesus Christ’s birth. What a novel concept I thought as I browsed through their website, intrigued, but at the not much else. Some thing sat with me since that time as I look around at “Christmas” spending, splurging and indebtedness that has come to be a regular part of the holidays and as is normal, the Christian way is the same as the non-Christian way. But for us that was about to change.

I have been fortunate enough to be changed by two short-term trips to Haiti that were way more beneficial to me that the Haitian people. Seeing extreme poverty up close and personal will not leave you the same person. Interacting with the people, learning about their culture and heritage and also seeing the destructiveness of greed and corruption had upon them as a people. Walking away I knew that my selfish, materialistic behaviors were not right and had to change. Honestly I still struggle with those demons most days as I click on the Charity Water picture of the day from my iPhone. But today hundreds of churches are banding together to as the book explains to “remain in the gospel of Jesus and worship Him- no matter how strongly the cultural demands of Christmas pull at us”. Calling God’s people to give relationally to those around us (family and friends) the gifts that really matter so we can send the money we spend on people who have most everything already, to those who need it for the basic needs, like clean water.

Advent Conspiracy is more than an idea, concept or book it’s a movement of Christ following people who are using a time of year set aside for receiving, to give like they see the example Jesus left for us through coming to earth that night and giving us what we could never have on our own, a relationship with God. If we allow the hustle and bustle of this time of year to distract us from it’s real meaning we have lost more than a month out of the year we have lost an opportunity share with others the whole reason Jesus came to earth in the form of a baby to unlikely parents, announced by angels to lowly shepards 2000 some odd years ago.

Worship Fully, Spend Less, Give More and Love All

A few of my favorite quotes.

“Our worship has to be reborn. The wise men show us what happens when someone glimpses the true worthiness of Christ. We will travel around the world to meet Him, confront dominant world systems and give our King, our all.”

“What transformation would occur as God’s people moved across the globe loving Jesus with our time, attention and money?”

“We spend less at Christmas, except when we should spend more.”

Quoted of C.S. Lewis’ Mere Christianity, “There ought to be things we would like to do and cannot do because our charitable expenditures exclude them.”

“The conscious giving of our time and presence to another is not a new concept, but a neglected one.”

“We cannot allow the broken and vulnerable to become invisible.”

“When God’s people serve the poor in humble, generous ways, the story of Jesus is told again and again. The poor in our world will be touched by God through how we choose to celebrate Christmas.”

“Clean water for every person in the world. That is our dream, and, yes it’s a big one.”

This is a must read for every person who longs to celebrate Christmas in meaningful and long lasting ways. Which is all of us, who have started a the new year after celebrating Christmas wishing it had be different and meant more.

DISCLOSURE OF MATERIAL CONNECTION: I have a material connection because I received a sample or review copy, or an item of nominal value that I can keep for consideration in preparing to write this content.
Rating: 5 / 5

I found Advent Conspiracy on Facebook. I was excited, when they offered me a free book to review!

As Catholics, my family has always celebrated Advent. There was still a disconnect. There was the Christian Christmas & there was the secular Christmas. I think a lot of people have the same feeling of missing something. The message is great! Don’t just wish for a more spiritual Christmas. Make one!
Rating: 5 / 5

As we come into Advent and look toward Christmas, consider picking up this book, published earlier this year. You’ll get a flavor for the book at [...], but the book goes deeper in all the subjects discussed there.

What would it mean to make Advent a time of preparation for the birth of our savior? It always sounds like a good idea, but by Christmas Eve most of us will be frazzled and anxious, worn out by the tired rituals and endless scurry of preparing for this holiday. Advent Conspiracy offers practical suggestions for changing those patterns, with four specific, memorable steps: 1. Worship fully; 2. Spend less; 3. Give more; and 4. Love all. The idea of giving PRESENCE rather than PRESENTS at Christmas is significant, especially when you consider that the gift of Jesus to humanity is itself a gift of God’s PRESENCE (“God with us”).

This is not a heavy, scholarly book. It’s much more a book intended to shake you out of routines that you’ve hardly thought to question. It’s a book that could change your Christmas, and your life.
Rating: 4 / 5

I was immediately drawn to Advent Conspiracy. My church is involved with Advent Conspiracy and I think it is such an amazing idea and opportunity. The book is written in such a beautiful and inspiring way that encouraged and motivated me to stand up and help those around the world receive the basic needs for survival, such as water. What better ways to celebrate Christmas by giving our TIME as a gift to our friends and family (which really is the greatest gift we could ever give: relationships), and use our money to give to those around the world so desperately in need. So often we take the simple things for granted, and Advent Conspiracy is such a convicting reminder that Christ calls us to love and serve, and what better way to do that than by giving to those in need during the Christmas season? How much better will we feel for saving lives all around the world by providing them with the water they need, simply by deciding not to get another toy for your child to open. What a difference it will make to impact not only those across the country, but also our hearts and our love for God, for each other, and for serving. I highly recommend Advent Conspiracy. We need this book, and we need to take into action what this book is calling us to do!! Let’s make a difference and saves lives for Christ!
Rating: 5 / 5