During the Christmas season, churches within World Olivet Assembly gathered around the world for Christmas retreats, uniting believers in worship and the Word to celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ. Across diverse nations and cultures, congregations shared a common focus on the gospel revealed through Christ’s humble coming and the peace found in following His way.
Throughout the retreats, participants reflected on the angelic proclamation of Christ’s birth, meditating on the meaning of God’s glory revealed not through power or earthly authority, but through humility and self-giving love. The birth of Jesus in a manger testified that God Himself entered human history in a way that defied human expectation, revealing His glory through gentleness, sacrifice, and grace. Believers were reminded that this same glory continues to bring peace today to those who walk in the way of Christ.
A recurring theme across the retreats was obedience to God’s will. Through meditation on Scripture, congregations considered the faithful response of Mary and Joseph, who received God’s calling with trust and submission. Their confession, “Let it be done according to your word,” stood as a testimony that God’s redemptive work advances through obedient hearts. Participants were encouraged to recognize that believers today, like Mary and Joseph, are entrusted with life from God and are called to nurture it faithfully through evangelism, discipleship, shepherding, and the raising of the next generation.
The retreats also led believers to reflect deeply on the obedience of Jesus Christ Himself. From His humble birth to His prayer in Gethsemane, Christ’s life was marked by complete submission to the will of the Father. By denying His own will and choosing the path of the cross, He became the source of eternal salvation and opened a new history of life for all who follow Him. True peace, the message affirmed, is found not in asserting personal rights or seeking worldly security, but in sharing the mind of Christ and walking in humility and faith.
In many gatherings, Holy Communion was shared and testimonies were offered in gratitude for God’s saving grace. These moments reminded believers that the glory revealed in the manger is inseparable from the love revealed at the cross, and that Christ continues to bear the burdens of His people as the Prince of Peace.
As the Christmas retreats concluded, prayers of thanksgiving were lifted for the work of the Holy Spirit and for the unity experienced among believers worldwide. Entering the new year, participants were encouraged to live with hearts of gratitude, obedience, and faith, holding fast to the truth that the King has been born and that His kingdom continues to transform lives across the world.