Not only is this week Thanksgiving in America, it’s also the beginning of the Advent season for most Christians in the United States. That means a variety of online devotional resources are popping up for the season ahead.
“Advent” is a word that means “to wait” and is a liturgical reference to the four weeks of anticipation of Christ’s birth in Bethlehem. Once observed primarily by “high-church” congregations, the emphasis now has found its way into many evangelical churches.
One way some Christian nonprofits mark the season is by offering free online daily devotionals that follow the progression through four Sundays of hope, peace, joy and love.
Here is a sample of some of the organizations offering free online resources:
The mission of Peace Catalyst is to “establish holistic, just peace that brings flourishing in all dimensions of life.” This is tied to the biblical concept of “shalom.”
Toward that end, Peace Catalyst this year offers devotional series on Advent themes of acts of courage and imagination. “Long before Advent became synonymous with quiet reflection, it created space for bold expectation — communities learning to imagine and work for God’s reign of justice and peace in the midst of an oppressive empire,” publicity says. “This Advent, we’re giving you reflections and simple family practices to help your household and/or congregation recover Advent’s original fire: the light that resists despair and joins God’s peacebuilding revolution in our own time.”
Created by Passport Inc., a youth camping organization, “Following the Star” is an annual feature of d365, an online daily devotional that runs year-round. This is the 25th year for “Following the Star.”
Each day’s devotion features Scripture, prayer, reflections and a question to discuss with others or ponder individually. Writers come from Presbyterian, Baptist, Episcopal and Lutheran traditions.
Each day’s devotional is accompanied by hymns and carols from nationally known church musicians.
Bible Project is a nonprofit crowdfunded organization that publishes free resources including videos, podcasts, articles and classes “to help people experience the Bible in a way that is approachable and transformative. We do this by showcasing the literary art of the Scriptures and tracing key biblical themes from Genesis to Revelation.”
This season’s special focus fits that multifaceted model, beginning with a resource to “Learn the Language of Advent” and a way to read Scripture along with others. There’s an Advent calendar, Advent reflections and an Advent Word Study.
While many individual churches create their own Advent devotionals written by members, The United Methodist Church offers an online resource of daily devotionals written by Tiffany McDonald, an ordained elder in the UMC serving in the Minnesota Annual Conference.
The UMC resource includes daily insights from Scripture, as well as poetry, music and prayer.
This group of peace-seeking Christians offers a series of articles online (some are free and some are paid) that bring current events into a seasonal focus.
“In Israel and Palestine, political hostages have been waiting for a release that finally has come for many,” the website states. “We rejoice when captives are freed. But the ‘pacification’ of Gaza is not the same as God’s shalom. Palestinian Christians John and Samuel Munayer, brothers and theologians, bring a Christmas message from the Holy Land. Liberation also comes in many forms. Rebecca Randall investigates how a ‘forgiveness therapy’ program at a Wisconsin prison has loosened the grip of past abuse for some people.
Cooperative Baptist Fellowship
In “Making Room,” CBF offers daily reflections online, each written by members of the CBF family nationwide. The devotionals may be used individually, in families or in congregations.
In addition to the adult devotion guide, CBF also offers a children’s version that can be used for families, children’s ministries or Sunday school classes.