An Easter encouragement and challenge from Associational Missions Strategist Jamie Rogers:
This year Easter Sunday falls on April 5, so it is time to begin strategically preparing to invite lost friends and family to attend your church’s Easter gatherings with you this year.
Consider these powerful reasons why this is a great opportunity to extend Easter invitations:
People are more likely to attend church on major holidays like Christmas and Easter than at other times. Some statistics show that people are more apt to attend on these holidays because it reminds them of traditions from days gone by, while others say they feel more obligation to attend those days.
Easter messages include a gospel invitation. The Easter story lends itself to easily being a way for preachers to make a specific invitation for people to trust Jesus for salvation. (And pastors, if you’re not doing this on Easter you may need to reconsider your calling as a preacher of the gospel!) With so many extra people showing up on Easter Sunday, it is a good time to make these gospel calls. As your church does so it will give your friends a chance to consider Jesus again. Also, you can follow-up with them in a gospel conversation!
People are more likely to respond to an invitation to attend worship with you if you invite them personally. Over 60% of UNCHURCHED people say they would attend a worship gathering if someone gave them a personal invitation.
People are more open to hearing gospel presentations at major holiday church gatherings. People’s spiritual sensitivities are heightened around major holidays, especially at Easter. With their hearts already softened they are more apt to consider Jesus as your preacher shares Him AND as you also follow-up with a spiritual conversation.
Many internationals around us are eager to see what Easter is all about. In my experience holidays are easy gospel opportunities with the many international friends who have moved to our area. So, consider making a new friend and inviting them to church with you. (And don’t stop there, invite them to your family’s Easter meals and gatherings, too!)
The Resurrection is a message about hope, and people in today’s world are looking for real hope. We all know that Jesus brings hope. Let’s share that hope with others!
An Easter celebration creates a natural opportunity to invite someone to church. Here’s the invitation script: “Our church is celebrating Easter on April 5,and I’d love for you to attend with us. Maybe we could even get together afterwards.”
Easter is an easy first-step for unchurched people.
Inviting people to church at Easter models evangelism to others around you. Consider challenging your Sunday School class to see who can invite the most people to Easter Sunday services. Meet any guests who do show up outside in the parking lot to welcome them and help them navigate into the sanctuary to sit with you.
Because the tomb is EMPTY! If we can’t motivate ourselves to invite others by this message, then I’m not sure we will ever do so. Jesus’ resurrection breathes life, physically and spiritually, into all of our fears. We serve a risen Savior who died for us. He’s alive, so let’s serve Him by seeking to bring others to Him!