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Avoid having another 'Easter service'

Photo: Unsplash/Akira Hojo
Photo: Unsplash/Akira Hojo | (Photo: Unsplash/Akira Hojo)

Consider this article a “pleading” to all those who are responsible in any way shape or form with preparing a fellowship service. This is not just for the elders, deacons, or pastors either. All authority belongs to Christ in the church, and we pastors (or other leaders of the church) are merely a conduit for that authority which is then validated and verified through its lining up with the word of God. I do not care what your role is in preparing for a church service, please read this article and pray about it (and go to the word of God as well for some validation).

So, we are coming up on maybe the most “popular” Sunday for many churches in the West. Easter Sunday (or “Resurrection Sunday” as we like to call it). Many people come to church who usually do not because, well, it is just what you should do on such a day, right? This is the day that our Lord Jesus Christ rose from the dead to show us that He is, well, God Himself incarnate. It is through Him being the perfect sacrifice and His beating death that we are saved of our deserving wrath (Romans 5:19).

His death on the cross was not a novelty, it was planned from before the beginning of time. God did not look at all of us and think, “They seem to just keep screwing up this law obeying stuff, I guess I have to send my only Son down to take the hit”. No, God knew how all of this was going to go, and He knew how we would even be today when it comes to how we see the death and resurrection of Jesus.

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We can so easily just think of Jesus in such a mellow-minded way and think by simply saying we believe in the Gospel that in some way shape or form we are good to go. What is on our hearts do not matter because if I profess with my mouth first, the faith comes second, right? This then makes me righteous, right?

I advise you all to carefully re-read Romans 10:9-10. Your mouth is a profession of a pre-existing condition – your sincere and authentic faith in the Gospel. To get to that point, you have to be aware of another pre-existing condition – that you are a sinner who needs Jesus Christ to be saved. 

This is where many people today have just seen Easter Service as a traditional thing to attend more so than a divine remembrance. The church can easily take advantage of this “tradition” by knowing that attendance will be up so making sure they are on their best (music, food, promotion of programs, gathering information from visitors, etc.) is important because everyone likes church more when there are a lot of people, right?

Let me share with you a story about our ministry’s first Easter Service. We wanted to make sure we “left a mark” of what WE WERE ABOUT. We usually didn’t plan out many things for regular services. We just go with what the Holy Spirit directs us to do. Even my preaching on Sundays lack power points (not saying they are bad) and abundant notes, so I just go and let God use me as a “boom box”. This Sunday we just wanted to “wow” folks.

It was a beautiful disaster.

The Holy Spirit had His way of letting us know that we were making service about us and not about Him. By making our physical establishment and what we felt we could offer folks to get them to come back a priority, we indirectly told the Holy Spirit that He was not needed, and even worse, wanted. We wanted to do the traditional service, reciting of the resurrection of Christ, a story that even the most devoted atheist or agnostic (or anyone from any other belief or religion) is familiar with. I dare not say these services are bad nor powerful, but I am asking you, the reader, to track with me on this.

With a room full of deceived, mellow-minded “Christians”, who have been convinced or maybe convinced themselves that they are “good enough” to be saved, while living double-minded lives and not following Christ in the way that you and I know that they should be, don’t you think Jesus is literally standing in the back of the building with His arms crossed waiting to hear what you are going to say about repentance and salvation? Think about it, in Jude 22 we are called to “save others by snatching them from the fire”.

Church leaders, the harvest in a huge way is being brought to you on April 21st.  Jesus is literally putting the fish in your boat. You want to leave a mark with people on Easter Sunday, bring them a message of repentance and salvation. Sure, they will be coming to hear the story of the resurrection, which is awesome, and give it to them, but do not leave a priceless opportunity to present the very message that many were killed to deliver because they believed in it. Do not make your focus one of an entertaining service, but of a revealing Truth. Sure, you will have people leave there feeling convicted, maybe disappointed, but you do not do this to please man (Galatians 1:10). Some people may never come back, but you are called to simply “plant or water” God will do the growing (1 Corinthians 3:6).

So, please, do not do just another traditional Easter Service. Show love to those who walk through your doors, regardless of where they are at in life. Feed them a good meal, and maybe do a little children’s church program. But make sure your service is based around leaving a mark that the Holy Spirit guides and inflicts on people those who need it. That to me is the best way to show love.

Make sure this gathering is led by Christ and that even though you are reminding them of the resurrection of our Lord and Savior, we are to join with Christ in death so we can truly live with Him forever (Romans 6:8).

Go wake up some sleeping bones.

That is how you love people, because that is how God loves us.

Joshua Englehart is pastor of Agape Center Ministries.

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