What do you imagine when you think of Easter?
I tend to think of pastel baskets, dyed eggs, chocolate bunnies, and sticky Peeps. For many people, Easter is yet another holiday where we feel pressure to spend money on things that won't last.
Plastic grass, cards, and candy aren't bad, but they aren't what Easter was meant to be.
For a Christian, Easter is about Jesus and His miraculous resurrection. For a non-Christian, it is about candy, yes, but it’s also about avoiding everyone who may ask you to attend church on one of the most popular days to attend church.
Asking someone to church is hard enough as it is, but asking someone who may already anticipate your request makes mustering up the courage that much more difficult.
In John 4, Jesus talks to a woman at a well. Immediately after their conversation, the woman ran back to the town and invited all of the people to come to see Jesus. “Many of the Samaritans from that town believed in Him because of the woman’s testimony” (John 4:39). We can help change someone’s Easter, and their life, by inviting them to church.
Four Helpful Steps For Inviting Someone To Church
1. Read your Bible.
The best way to prepare to have conversations about church and Jesus is by reading the Bible regularly. Reading your Bible will not only provide you with plenty of examples of people inviting others to meet Jesus, but it will give the Holy Spirit an opportunity to remind you of what you have read and learned when you’ll need that information the most later on in your day.
2. Pray.
Ask the Holy Spirit to give you the words to say. Ask Jesus to prepare the person’s heart and to keep you calm and loving. Romans 8:26 says, “In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness.”
3. Practice what you are going to say.
Non-believers can be skeptical of being preached at. It helps to stick to what Jesus has done for you because no one can argue with that. Share your story, but keep it short and sweet.
4. Just do it!
Satan will try to convince you not to invite them, telling you it's not your job and that they're going to reject you. But Ephesians 6:11 tells us how to defend ourselves against these lies: “Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes.” Get your helmet of salvation and fit your feet with readiness, and talk to that person you know could benefit from Jesus’ love.
We all have the opportunity and responsibility to change share Easter what is really about. Easter is the day death was defeated once and for all. From that day forward, nothing would be the same.
What if this Easter your invitation is exactly what someone needs to understand Easter for the very first time?