A modern church nickname
“Chreaster” combines Christmas and Easter. Churches often use it for people who come to services on those two major celebrations but do not usually attend at other times. It is a modern nickname, not a biblical category.
Scripture does not divide people into regular attenders and occasional attenders as a way of measuring their worth before God. Jesus welcomed people who came with mixed motives, unanswered questions, and very little understanding. Nicodemus first came to Jesus at night, yet Jesus spoke to him about God’s love and new life (John 3:1-3; John 3:16).
For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
Why Christmas and Easter matter
Christmas gives Christians an opportunity to remember that Jesus was born as the promised Saviour. When the angel announced his birth to the shepherds near Bethlehem, the message was good news of great joy for all people (Luke 2:10-11).
Easter centres on the heart of the Christian message. Jesus died for sins, was buried, and rose again, as Paul reminded the Christians in Corinth (1 Corinthians 15:3-4). For someone who rarely comes to church, hearing that story afresh may be the beginning of a real search for God.
For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures:
Not a reason for judgement
It can be tempting for regular churchgoers to notice who only appears at special services. But Jesus warned against judging others while ignoring our own need for mercy (Matthew 7:1-5). A warm welcome is far more fitting than a joke or a suspicious glance.
After all, no one can see another person’s full story. Someone may be grieving, returning after years away, visiting family, carrying doubts, or taking a first small step towards faith. Jesus described heaven’s joy when one sinner turns back to God (Luke 15:7).
An invitation to keep going
Christmas and Easter are not meant to be the only times Christians remember Jesus. The first believers devoted themselves to learning from the apostles, sharing life together, breaking bread, and prayer (Acts 2:42). Gathering with other Christians can help faith take root through worship, friendship, questions, and care.
That does not mean attendance earns God’s love. It does mean believers are encouraged to spur one another on and not abandon meeting together (Hebrews 10:24-25). If Christmas or Easter has stirred something in you, consider reading one of the Gospels, praying honestly, and visiting a local church again. You do not need to have everything sorted first.
And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works: Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.