It's important to make it okay for visitors to reject Jesus at your Easter service. Many people who come to church on Easter might not even know that Easter is about Jesus. They might just be there for family time or fun activities and not looking for a spiritual experience. I want to talk about how we can create a welcoming space for those who are unfamiliar with the faith and how we can gently guide them toward understanding Jesus in the future. By acknowledging their questions and providing resources, we can help them explore their doubts and ultimately meet Jesus. Let's dive into how we can foster this kind of environment in our churches.
Takeaways:
Easter visitors might not know that Easter is about Jesus at all, so be prepared.
Many come to church for reasons unrelated to spiritual seeking, like family or music.
Rejection is a part of accepting new ideas, especially about faith and Jesus.
Provide resources after service for visitors to learn more about Jesus and faith.
Encourage open dialogue and exploration of questions surrounding the Easter message.
Affirm visitors' right to question and explore their faith journey with your church.
Welcome to the Ministry Miscellany Podcast A collection of tools, strategy and challenges for Bible teachers from me, Yvon Prehn, someone who's been teaching the Bible ever since As a third grader, I started to teach the kindergartners at my church about Jesus. I've never quit doing that, and along the way I've picked up some practices, strategies, and resources that might be useful to you.
Our topic for today is Make it okay for visitors to reject Jesus at Easter.
Now, what am I talking about? Now hang in there with me, because I don't mean for them to reject him entirely.
But I want us to look at this for a few minutes and consider what are your expectations for Easter at your church, especially for those who are visiting for the first time and who may be completely unfamiliar with the Christian faith? In answer to that question, I'd like to propose that you make it okay for visitors to reject Jesus at your Easter service.
In this podcast, I'll tell you why that's likely to happen and also how to start them on a path to accept Jesus in the future. Now, first of all, let's look at five realities for your visitors when they come to you on Easter Sunday.
Now remember, many Easter visitors don't know that Easter is about Jesus. Visit any store today that sells Easter goodies, and from what is on display, what does it tell you that Easter is about? Bunnies?
Baby chicks, baskets of goodies, Lots of chocolate would be the obvious conclusion. You won't find banners that proclaim that this is when Jesus paid for our sins.
It was the turning point of history, the most significant event that ever happened. You won't find any of that. It's hard to even find a chocolate cross in many stores today.
Several years ago, George Barna did a survey that showed that 46% of unchurched people do not know that Easter has anything to do with Jesus. I would imagine the percentage today is even higher.
We often talk about how people need to remember that Jesus is the reason for the season at Christmas. But most people still know that Christmas is about a baby Jesus in the manger, even if they don't understand the significance of that event.
But for Easter, many people truly have no idea of its spiritual origins, and in many cases that's because it's been almost erased from the secular culture.
Don't be shocked at what people don't know, and keep in mind that your Sunday service might be the very first time they hear that second Easter guests didn't come to your church to hear about Jesus. Sadly, most visitors come to your church at Easter for a variety of reasons that have absolutely nothing to do with spiritual seeking.
Maybe they want to spend time with their family or hear the music or take their kids to the special programs, the petting zoo, the free brunch, the Easter egg hunt for kids. That's what they came for. Listening to the sermon for many is the price of admission.
Most do not come to be challenged in life changing ways and probably aren't ready for what they might hear.
Number three, Keep in mind that multiple exposures are needed for every new idea.
For every new idea, whether it's a new way to use technology or a new product. Marketers tell us it often takes seven or more, think at least multiple exposures for people to go through the process of confronting any new idea.
And this process begins with rejection, then moves to toleration and finally acceptance.
Because people in our post Christian world know so little about Jesus and the Christian faith, it often takes the same process before someone can make an informed decision to follow Jesus. On Easter Sunday. People may hear for the very first time that Jesus rose from the dead.
And like any new message, they'll most likely initially reject it. Make that okay. Acknowledge that people visiting the church may have questions about the message. Ask questions with them.
Assure them of the importance of the Gospel and that it's okay to question, to challenge, but remind them of the eternal significance of continuing to look for answers. Number four. You have an opportunity to invite them to learn more about Jesus. Now, this is extraordinarily important.
This is going to require some work, but it's essential if you don't want to stop at being simply frustrated with the people that come to your Easter service. You can do this in several ways, and one of the simplest ways is just giving people out a bulletin insert or a handout.
Something like that part of your Easter program that invites them to things after the service. Perhaps it offers website links that answer their questions, or it has an email or text link for people who will dialogue with them.
Now, to begin with, it might have a message like this.
Still have questions? Many people do.
You've just heard the story of Jesus rising from the dead.
But after you leave the church, when brunch is over and you've had your fill of chocolate, you might wonder if is it just a story or did it really happen?
And if it did, what does it mean to me?
If you've got those questions, we've got options for you.
On the back of this sheet, we hope you'll check out the websites and events We've got to help you in your research. Take all the time you want. The issues are worth it.
Now, on the back of the handout you can list upcoming Seeker Bible Studies.Easter is a great way, a great time to kick off things like that. Discussions, a sermon or teaching series that answers questions about the Christian faith, websites to explore some books they might want to read.
Whatever it might be.
Be sure to include emails or the text phone numbers of people who are willing to interact with seekers who have questions about the faith, about the Christian faith. I've done up a handout for you. It is on the Bible805.com Ministry website and under the practical ministry label.
Just go to the title of this podcast on making it okay for visitors to reject Jesus at Easter. Last of all, personally affirm and invite them to dialogue.
It's one thing to have it in print, but it's even better to have a verbal assurance that though they might want to respond to Jesus today. And that's wonderful.
Even if they don't believe a word you said, you and the church are open to exploration, discussion and are able to dialogue and answer questions.
The part the hardest part of all this, of course, is to make sure you really want to do that and that you have the people and events that will interact with people. Easter week is exhausting and our natural tendency after it is to want to rest and not actively engage with questioning people.
But the most important part of the celebration can come after it if you allow visitors to doubt, question, dialogue, search and ultimately meet Jesus. The real reason we celebrate Easter and who can offer visitors eternal life.
Again, go to the Bible805 website under Ministry Miscellaneous and there under the title of this podcast that it's okay for visitors to reject Jesus at Easter. I have a number of links for you that will take you to templates and follow up materials that you can just print out and use.
I trust you found the content in this episode of Ministry Miscellaney useful.
For links to any resources mentioned and lots of free material to help you know, trust, apply and teach the Bible, go to www.bible805.com Let me close now with a reminder from the book of Daniel 12:3 where it says those who are wise will shine like the brightness of the heavens and those who lead many to righteousness like the stars, forever and ever.
That's you, someone who leads many to righteousness, and in doing that may you be ever growing in your reliance on the power of the Holy Spirit, in the deepening of your friendship with Jesus and in your trust, in the goodness of God the Father. Never forgetting in all the hard work you do that you have a glorious heritage where you will shine like the stars forever and ever. Amen.
