A Night to Remember

By CHRIS DRIVER
Baptist Progress Writer

​There was a night 2,000 years ago that was unlike any in human history. It was the night when shepherds quaked, angels proclaimed, Bethlehem slept and the Savior of the world was born. It was the night when God came near and clothed Himself in mortality, when God became one of us in order to save us. It was the night that would change the world, but along with Bethlehem the whole world missed it.
 
Thousands of years later and thousands of miles away from that manger on that first Christmas day, two churches in east Texas have been committed for decades to making sure the people of their communities don’t ever miss that night again. So, year after year, First, Livingston and Cornerstone, Jacksonville, pour their hearts and resources into putting on elaborate recreations of that first Christmas night. Their hope? To make sure Christ doesn’t get missed in all the “Christmas.”
 
“We are so proud to be a part of something that brings focus to Christ each Christmas” says Brett Lester, pastor of First, Livingston.
 
First, Livingston has been putting on A Walk Through Bethlehem for 24 years. During that time, the church has had a chance to share not only the Christmas story but the story of Christ with thousands of people. This year’s event saw more than 3,000 people over three nights walk through the streets of Bethlehem as part of their Christmas traditions.
 
Staged in open-air pavilions owned by the city of Livingston, First, Livingston’s Walk Through Bethlehem has become part of the Christmas schedule for the city itself. Lester describes how the city has adopted the weekend as part of the city’s culture and rhythm. They advertise Bethlehem to the city as Bethlehem Weekend. It’s so much a part of the city’s rhythm that no other plans are made during that weekend.
 
The impact? People come from as far as two hours away to stand in line for as long as 45 minutes. Why? Because it has become part of so many families’ Christmas traditions. Lester recalls stories from grandparents who bring their grandchildren as an opportunity to open the conversation about Jesus with them and stories of families who begin their Christmas traditions with Bethlehem each year. And this year, someone’s eternity was changed forever when someone gave their life to Christ during the gospel sharing time before people leave.
 
“We don’t want to just tell the story of Christmas. We want to tell the story of Christ,” says Lester, “Bethlehem is a unique opportunity to give the gift of Christ to our community.” 

Step into Bethlehem at Cornerstone, Jacksonville

Cornerstone, Jacksonville's Mary and Joseph

Over the course of several months, more than 150 people from First, Livingston including 45 year member Kevin Ward (who has been there for every Bethlehem), along with people from the city and several other churches, change pavilions into the streets of Bethlehem so that the people of Livingston don’t miss Jesus.
 
Similarly, Cornerstone, Jacksonville spends months preparing for their Step into Bethlehem Christmas experience for Jacksonville and its surrounding communities.
 
“Our hope is to take the gospel to the city by moving people from the manger to the cross,” emphasizes Danny Crawford, lead pastor of Cornerstone. “We want to help people love and follow Jesus and this event is a great opportunity for us to help people do that.”
 
This night in Bethlehem began as a dream of Grady Higgs and the people of First, Jacksonville and moved after Cornerstone was founded in 2013. Each year more than 150 people including critical leaders Luke McCown, Cindy Allen and Suzy Galvan, work together to bring a Bethlehem experience that draws more than 1,000 people.
 
This year, with the help of AI, Cornerstone was able to take participants on a powerful 58-second visual journey from the manger to the cross and share the gospel before people left. Throughout the years, no matter what the format, thousands of people have heard the gospel and many have given their lives to Christ as a result of their Bethlehem experience.
 
But Cornerstone’s night in Bethlehem offered a special treat for kids this year. “Step into Bethlehem” spilled over into Sunday morning for a “Breakfast at Bethlehem” adventure for kids. More than 50 kids showed up to have breakfast with Mary, Joseph and the shepherds and had a chance to hear a special presentation of the Christmas story and the gospel. Once again emphasizing Cornerstone’s deep desire to make sure that the story of Christ gets remembered each Christmas.
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Bethlehem and the world might have slept through the first Christmas and missed that night when God came as a baby in a manger. But thanks to churches like First, Livingston and Cornerstone, Jacksonville, God’s great love for us doesn’t get missed as they give people a chance to experience Jesus’ story and relive that amazing night to remember on the streets of Bethlehem.

Passionate performers at First, Livingston

First, Livingston Pastor Brett Lester emphasizes Christ at Christmas

Breakfast at Bethlehem event for kids at Cornerstone, Jacksonville

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