Easter

Yes, Our Church Still Calls It Easter – Here Are 5 Reasons Why

/ 1 minute of reading

Wouldn’t it be great if Easter wasn’t called Easter? If everyone knew it as Resurrection Sunday instead?

But they don’t.

Our church uses both terms. But Easter is our church’s go-to term, not Resurrection Sunday. Especially when we invite people to join us.

Some ministers believe it’s outright wrong, even unchristian, to use the word Easter at all. If your church doesn’t use the word Easter, I’m not arguing that you should.

But before you criticize us for it, I hope you’ll hear me out.

Here are five reasons we call it Easter:

Yes, Our Church Still Calls It Easter – Here Are 5 Reasons Why Read More »

4 Reasons Our Church Stopped Doing ‘Come and Watch’ Events (And 5 Alternatives)

/ 1 minute of reading

Many churches have experienced great success and growth doing big ‘come and watch’ events.

Even if choir cantatas on Christmas and Easter have been replaced by a special illustrated message with stage design, lighting and video, the idea is the same – to draw people in so we can present the gospel to them.

The big ‘come and watch’ event may still work in some places, but many church leaders (like Carey Nieuwhof, in a recent helpful post) have found that they work less well than they used to – or we thought they did.

Several years ago, our church stopped doing ‘come and watch’ events on special Sundays, like Christmas and Easter. Then we stopped doing them altogether.

Here’s why:

4 Reasons Our Church Stopped Doing ‘Come and Watch’ Events (And 5 Alternatives) Read More »

The Best Welcome for Easter Guests? Ask Them To Serve With You

/ 3 minutes of reading

(If you’re a NewSmallChurch.com subscriber and the title of this post feels like deja vu, here’s why. The original version of this post disappeared. Woosh, into the emptiness of the internet, never to be retrieved. Thankfully, I always save a copy, so here it is again.)

In a few weeks, my church is doing our twice-yearly Share Day. (Click here for a video of how we do that.)

On that Sunday, we will gather for church in the morning, then divide into groups to go throughout our community helping people. This Spring, the events include repairing & beautifying two rescue homes for abused women and children, and ministering to residents at a home for the mentally disabled.

This week, on Easter Sunday, we’ll encourage people to sign up for these events, and/or sponsor them financially.

Yes, that’s right. We’re going to spend several precious minutes of prime Easter service time asking everyone, including all the Easter-only people, to step up and serve with us.

The Best Welcome for Easter Guests? Ask Them To Serve With You Read More »