Advent Studies 

Make the holiday season meaningful with an Advent study. Whether a lectionary based, topical, or a faith in pop-culture study, Cokesbury can help you find the perfect Advent study for your church, small group, or family.

Use the Studies Comparison Chart from Cokesbury to make finding the perfect Advent study easy.

The season of Advent begins four Sundays before Christmas and ends on Christmas Eve. Advent is the beginning of the church year for Christians.

During Advent, we prepare for and anticipate the coming of Christ. Even as we look back and celebrate the birth of Jesus in a humble stable in Bethlehem, we also look forward, anticipating the second coming of Christ as the fulfillment of all that was promised by his first coming.

In Incarnation, best-selling author Adam Hamilton examines the names of Christ, giving historical and personal significance of his birth in this four-week study perfect for all age groups during the Advent and Christmas seasons.

One of the things we love most about Christmas is gathering with dear family members and close friends to celebrate Christ’s birth. That’s an important part of the season, but Dr. Ed Robb, author of Making Room, says if we look at the Advent story we’ll quickly learn that the focus of the coming of the newborn king is outward. This four-week study explores the warmth of welcome at Christmas following interactions with the Holy Family, the shepherds, and the magi.

In Light of the World, renowned scholar Amy-Jill Levine becomes your personal narrator and guide through the biblical texts that hold the story of the birth of Jesus.  Explore connections of the Gospel stories to the Old Testament, the role of women in the first-century, the revolutionary implications of Mary’s Magnificat, and much more. Perfect for small-group Advent study.

Almost Christmas discusses making a commitment to follow Christ wholeheartedly during Advent and connects the Wesleyan heritage with the traditional Advent themes of Love, Hope, Joy, and Peace. Additional components include a DVD, Leader Guide, as well as Nativity hymns by Charles Wesley, litanies for lighting the Advent wreath, and prayers.

Matt Rawle’s The Gift of the Nutcracker will help participants draw closer to Christ by exploring this holiday classic—now being adapted to a major motion picture by Disney this Christmas.

Thanks to Homeboy Industries, even during hard times, the light of Christmas shines brightly. Home for Christmas tells the stories of formerly incarcerated men and women, you will hear the Advent themes of hope, love, and peace in their lives. This four-session book is ideal for Sunday school, small groups, and home groups as well as for individual study.

In Faithful, best-selling author Adam Hamilton takes you on an Advent journey through the eyes of Joseph. Spend time in reflection and contemplation as the divine break in and changes a carpenter’s world forever. 

The Christmas season is always filled with wonder, but this year, rediscover the true wonder of Christmas by sharing the love of Christ with others. The Wonder of Christmas, a four-week, all-church study, centers on looking to the Christmas story and the stories of real people today to find inspiration and ideas for reflecting the light of Jesus at Christmas time and throughout the entire year. 

A virgin birth. God’s son…a helpless baby. Fleeing certain death. Nothing about the Christmas story is ordinary. Mike Slaughter says it’s enough to confound the mind and make the heart contrite. In his book, Down to Earth, Slaughter presents a four-week Advent study that opens up God’s Christmas surprise to us and examines how it changed everything. A DVD, Leader Guide, Youth Study, Children’s Leader Guide, and a seasonal devotional are available as part of the Down to Earth study.

Matt Rawle flips the script on the time-tested holiday tale and gleans timeless Advent truths. From the ghosts of Christmas past, to the Life of the present, and the resurrection of Christmas future, The Redemption of Scrooge finds the gospel story of redemption in Dickens’ Christmas classic. This four-week study is perfect for Advent.

A Different Kind of Christmas is a practical and inspirational study for the Advent season. Based on Mike Slaughter’s popular book Christmas Is Not Your Birthday, this five-week study will empower your family and your church to reclaim the broader missional meaning of Jesus’ birth and experience a Christmas season with more peace and joy than any toy or gadget could ever bring. 

All I Want for Christmas is a five-week Advent study that helps us think about what we really want for Christmas by reminding us of the amazing, life-changing gifts Christmas has in store for us. The all-church study includes a DVD, Leader Guide, Youth Study, and Children’s Leader Guide, in addition to the adult study text.

Discover with your small group the wonder and joy Christmas is meant to bring to our hearts with Because of Bethlehem, from Max Lucado.

In Christmas Gifts that Won’t Break, beloved teacher James W. Moore explores the spirit of Christmas with stories, Scriptures, and thoughts that warm our hearts throughout the season while challenging us to rethink the gifts we ask for and give at this time. Includes devotions by Jacob Armstrong as well as a fifth chapter for use on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. Also available are resources for a five-session study, including a Leader Guide, DVD, and resources for youth and children.

This year, experience Advent and Christmas with the one who knew Jesus more intimately than anyone else—his mother, Mary. In Not a Silent Night, Adam Hamilton helps you witness the life of Jesus from Mary’s unique perspective, starting at the very end and traveling back in time to the very beginning—the night of Christ’s birth.

Many other studies are also available. Consult the Studies Comparison Chart to find the perfect Advent study.

Cokesbury is your one stop destination for Advent supplies for your church. You can find seasonal bulletins and stationery, paraments, wreaths, candles, stands, and banners to help your decorations reflect the joy you’re celebrating.