A Letter from Bishop Chris (March 2024A)
Easter is coming!
Yes I know, we’ve just begun the Season of Lent. But Easter is only a month away. Easter is the most important event of our church year. It’s the day we celebrate the best news in the world — that forgiveness is real, death is defeated, the restoration of all things has begun, and eternal life is available through faith in Jesus Christ!
Easter is also one of the best opportunities all year to reach new people with the Gospel.
Pew Research says that Americans google "Church" around Easter more than at any other time of the year. Many people are looking to go to church to celebrate Easter and they are likely to say “yes” if invited to go. A recent poll revealed that 67% of Americans said a personal invitation from a family member would be “very or somewhat effective” in getting them to visit a church. And 63% of Americans said a personal invitation from a friend or neighbor would be “very or somewhat effective” in getting them to visit a church. According to Dr. Thom Rainer, 8 out of 10 people will say "yes" to a personal invite to church.
So who will you invite to join you this Easter?
Here’s a few practical tips on how to do that more effectively:
Start praying for your friends, family and neighbors. Ask God to give them a desire in their hearts for Him and an openness to your invitation to Easter. Start praying now.
Don’t wait until the last minute to invite. Invite in the next few weeks so they can clear their schedule.
Share with them how much you love your church and encourage them by assuring them they will be welcomed. If they have kids tell them about your church’s children’s and youth programs.
Make it easy for them to attend by sending them a link to your church website so they can check everything out ahead of time. This will help reduce their anxieties.
Offer to pick them up or plan to meet them at the service. Sit together.
Go out for a meal afterward so that Easter is a relational event. People want to know you are interested in them — not just interested in getting them to join your “club.” Ask them, “What would you like to see happen in your life over the next 12 months in a spiritual way?” Everyone has an aspiration of some kind like that. Ask them how they plan to implement it. Let them know you and your church are interested in their personal spiritual growth.
After Easter, follow up with them in a non-pushy way and invite them to coffee, lunch, to your small group, or to join you again for a service. Keep praying.
If they say, “No,” this year, then keep praying and invite them to Christmas or next Easter. Find ways to build your friendship throughout the year and ask God to open their hearts to Him.
Remember, God is at work and seeks to draw people to himself. Our part is to join him in what he’s doing and help connect people to him through relationships. And Easter is a wide open opportunity for this to happen. Be assured - It’s going to be a great Easter!
Blessings,
+Chris