Closer to the Real Christmas Story

Closer to The Real Christmas Story explores an alternate telling of the popular Christmas narrative. Much more than a children’s Christmas story book, readers of all ages will be challenged to take a closer look at what the biblical text does and does not say, what historically we do and do not know with relative certainty, and culturally what we should and should not expect logically. Read and studied individually, as a family or in a small group, this discipleship tool will promote healthy dialogue, sharpen critical thinking skills and develop principles of Bible interpretation.

About the Author
Jared Burkholder was a youth pastor for six years, missionary in the Dominican Republic for seven years, egg truck driver for two and a half years, lead pastor for nine years, and college professor and administrator for twenty years. Throughout his years of ministry, Burkholder earned three Master Degrees (Guidance and Counseling, Pastoral Ministry, and Theology) and recently completed a Doctor of Ministry. Jared and his wife, Charlene, have four children and nine grandchildren. Life experience inspires his writing.

Burkholder has long been a skeptic of many aspects of the traditional Christmas story. Amazed at how readily some ignore or abandon details that are explicitly reflected in the text and perplexed by parts of the traditional narrative that defy common sense, some thing or things seemed to be missing. A providential reading of an article by Kenneth Bailey inspired Burkholder to take a closer look.