Last week we took up the challenge of creating an alternative to Shane Claiborne’s holiday mischief. The goal was to develop an event that could bring genuine growth and the beginning of ongoing relationship to individuals from disparate groups (e.g., rich and poor, suburbanite and city dweller, homeless and homeful).

I offered a project idea I called Gifts of the Magi, about which you can read more here. (Make sure to check out the Comments section of the post, where Shane responds to my proposal.)

One of the aspects of my proposal involved engaging the two disparate groups in discussion questions. I offered a list of possible questions as part of that post.

Over the weekend, howevever, courtesy of Justin Taylor’s fine blog, I came across a vastly superior list of questions to my own. Not only do I think this new list of questions is the better list to use in conjunction with the Gifts of the Magi project, I believe you and I should use this list at our own Christmas gatherings this week.

The list–entitled Ten Questions to ask at a Christmas Gathering, comes from Donald S. Whitney. The list appears to have disappeared from his own site, so until it reappears, let me list the questions here (and do make sure to click through to Don’s site and check out the rest of the great content that’s still there):

• What’s the best thing that’s happened to you since last Christmas?
• What was your best Christmas ever? Why?
• What’s the most meaningful Christmas gift you’ve ever received?
• What was the most appreciated Christmas gift you’ve ever given?
• What was your favorite Christmas tradition as a child?
• What is your favorite Christmas tradition now?
• What do you do to try to keep Christ in Christmas?
• Why do you think people started celebrating the birth of Jesus?
• Do you think the birth of Jesus deserves such a nearly worldwide celebration?
• Why do you think Jesus came to earth?

Great discussion questions to ask two disparate groups of people your ministry will bring together.

Great discussion questions to ask the guests at your own personal Christmas parties.

Great questions to stop and ask yourself right now.

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And now, a Merry Christmas wish to the hopefully very nice attorneys in Donald Whitney’s ministry:

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