Countless Christians have been touched by various music and cultural festivals down through the years. Cornerstone Festival, organized by Jesus People USA, is one of the better known and longest lasting events of its kind. Started in 1984, C-stone as it is often called, has impacted the lives of people young and old alike. This year’s festival, however, will be the last one as its organizers have told followers that the festival will come to an end.

Facebook Announcement

Cornerstone organizers took to Facebook today to make its announcement. The festival attracted 5,000 people for its first year before reaching its peak attendance in the 1990s when tens of thousands of people attended. Held in the Illinois countryside 60 miles west of Peoria in Bushnell, Cornerstone goes beyond the musical to offer the arts, teaching, faith and to encourage fellowship with the body of Christ. Many people attend each year, a festival that is open to believers and non-believers alike.

Festival organizers cited two reasons for the end of Cornerstone — changes in the market and a difficult economy. The former may be due to people who prefer to connect online and are not interested in attending a multi-day event. The latter underscores a challenge facing many ministries today — funds are limited and Christians are carefully considering where to make their contributions. C-stone is supported by volunteers who do not get paid for their work.

Cornerstone Magazine

The festival emerged from JPUSA’s Cornerstone magazine, a publication that initially featured alternative music bands such as the ministry’s own Resurrection or “Rez” Band. The magazine also covered politics and culture from a faith perspective. It ceased publication in 2003, but its Wilson Station blog serves as an online version of the magazine.

Cornerstone 2012 is scheduled to be held from July 2 to 7 in Bushnell. Camping on the grounds is permitted and that cost is included with the $90 cost per family member for all six days of the event. Children 11 and under are admitted at no extra charge. This year, the organizers will modify the calendar a bit to acknowledge its final gathering, with updates to its Facebook page and to its website offering that information.

Bands, Arts and More

Bands on hand this year include Reaul, Julie Elias, Exegesis, The Lost Colors, My Epic, Lauren Mann and the Fairly Odd Folk, Ocean is Theory, Children 18:3 and many others. Seminar tents will feature speakers on Wed., Thurs. and Friday; with art shows and workshops held on those days as well. Sports, games and film screenings are also part of the C-Stone experience; food vendors will be on hand and a convenience store is also available. You can, of course, bring all of the food and non-alcoholic drinks that you want.

Photos courtesy of Cornerstone Festival.

On Tuesday, the voters of my state passed an amendment affirming that marriage is between one man and one woman. On Wednesday, the president of the United States, Barack Obama, announced his evolved position and gave his personal endorsement of gay marriage. Perhaps the president’s timing was simply coincidental, but it continued a conversation that is clearly not over.

Facebook Discourse

Earlier in the week I engaged in a spirited debate with several people on Facebook, answering a question from one woman who wanted to gauge people’s opinion about Amendment One, the North Carolina marriage initiative that helped drive people to the polls on Tuesday. I offered my opinion, explaining why I was voting for the amendment. My response, along with the input of some others, provoked a strong reaction from several people including some professing Christians.

Only the Holy Spirit can change hearts.

Thankfully, the woman who posed the question deleted the thread sometime after I left. I sensed tension from one new contributor as I finished up for the evening and figured that the conversation would soon spiral downward. Throughout my discourse I attempted to show respect to all and quickly apologized if something I said was taken wrong.

Was our conversation profitable? I cannot say that it was. Was it eye-opening? Absolutely, as it made me examine my own heart and confess that I, too, am a sinner.

As with any “issue” in society, we can easily and quickly lose focus on what really matters. Had the amendment failed, I would have been disappointed. It won, but I did not gloat. Mostly, I am saddened that so many people are lost, with hearts that are so hard.

Obama Interview

The president was interviewed by ABC News and excerpts of his comments released later in the day. Said Obama about his decision that same-sex couples should be able to get married, “In the end, the values that I care most deeply about, and she (Michelle Obama) cares most deeply about is how we treat other people. We’re both practicing Christians and obviously this position may be considered to put us at odds with the views of others but when we think about our faith the thing at root that we think about is not only Christ sacrificing himself on our behalf but it’s also the golden rule – treat others the way you’d want to be treated.

“I figure the more consistent I can be in being true to those precepts, the better I’ll be as a dad and as a husband and hopefully the better I’ll be as a president.”

Obama’s words may be hard to hear, but he does express the same viewpoint held by many others. The test for us as Christians is when we refuse to hold up the whole counsel of God (Acts 20:27) which we know is God-breathed and useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness…” so as to equip us for every good work. That good work, brothers and sisters, is to proclaim salvation through Jesus Christ as we trust the Holy Spirit to change hearts and minds as He sees fit. Our words matter, but the heart-changing belongs to God. Not us.

No Evolving Here

No, my position on marriage has not evolved. Actually, my position is irrelevant. God’s word will endure forever and man’s actions, though hard to fathom at times, will eventually fail. We must continue to pray for the redemption of the lost regardless of the sin or lifestyle they value, choices that can lead to lasting separation from God. To do otherwise is a distraction and a trap.

The Bible clearly reveals that God’s plan for marriage is a shadow of wonderful things to come. Those who put their trust in Jesus Christ are collectively the bride of Christ and Jesus is the groom. Marriage has always been a distinctive and clear picture of God’s desire to bond with mankind, dating back to the beginning of time with Adam and Eve.

Down through the years sinful men and women have gone against God’s perfect plan, with some choosing to take concubines or multiple wives, a practice God tolerated but never gave His stamp of approval. King David was certainly a “man after God’s own heart,” but he made choices that had lasting consequences. Nevertheless, David was accepted by God, an imperfect picture of what was to come.

The Perfect Has Come

Through Jesus the old ways passed away, but not God’s plan of redemption for His people. The shadowy and ambiguous disappeared as the death and resurrection of Christ revealed man’s redemption. That life-changing event also brought clarity to what God expected of His people, who were instructed to put away their sinful and childish ways, to avoid every “wind of teaching” and “the cunning and craftiness of people in their deceitful scheming.”

With such responsibility comes clarity as the apostle Paul instructed the church in Ephesians 4:15 to speak the truth in love and to “…no longer live as the Gentiles do, in the futility of their thinking” people who are ignorant to the truth because of their hardened hearts.

God’s Marriage Covenant

All across America, Christians and others who seek to affirm what is godly and right have been voting to uphold the marriage covenant as the issue comes up on a statewide basis. This Tuesday, North Carolina voters will go to the polls to vote on Amendment 1 to the state’s constitution, a constitutional amendment “…to provide that marriage between one man and one woman is the only domestic legal union that shall be valid or recognized in this State.”

Affirming that marriage is between one man and one woman only, the family of evangelist Billy Graham, long-time North Carolina residents, are urging people to cast a “yes” vote on May 8, 2012. By checking “yes” on their ballots, North Carolina voters are affirming what America’s founding fathers have long believed and that is the Bible is the foundation of American society.

Graham Family Support

Speaking out first was Anne Graham Lotz, daughter of Billy and the late Ruth Graham. Mrs. Lotz urged voters in April to vote for the marriage amendment and later issued a video where she reaffirmed her support. Days later her brother, Franklin Graham, issued his support for the amendment followed by their father.

“We are thankful for the support of Anne Graham Lotz, named by The New York Times as one of the five most influential evangelists of her generation, and the Graham family as we work to preserve marriage in North Carolina,” said Tami Fitzgerald, Chairwoman of Vote FOR Marriage NC. “Across our great State, faith leaders are standing up in support of protecting marriage as the union between one man and one woman. We as Christians must defend marriage before activists radically redefine God’s institution of marriage in North Carolina.”

References

AnGeL Ministries: Marriage Amendment — May 8; April 19

NewsMax: Franklin Graham Records Message Backing NC Marriage Amendment; April 28, 2012

The Christian Post: Billy Graham Endorses NC Marriage Amendment Before State Vote; Paul Stanley; May 3, 2012

• 47 percent of American adults believe the Bible has too little influence in society today; only 16 percent believe it has too much influence, with the remaining adults expressing neutral opinions.

• 55 percent read the Bible to be closer to God, down 9 percent (from 64 percent) in 2011.

• 79 percent believe they are knowledgeable about the Bible but 54 percent were unable to correctly identify the first five books of the Bible (Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers and Deuteronomy).

• 46 percent believe the Bible, the Koran and the Book of Mormon are different expressions of the same spiritual truths, 46 percent disagree. The Koran is the religious book for Muslims while the Book of Mormon is considered the “third testament” for the nonChristian Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints.

• On average, 85 percent of U.S. households own a Bible; the average number of Bibles per household is 4.3.

• 36 percent of Americans read the Bible less than once a year or never while 33 percent read the Bible once a week or more.

• Generational patterns emerged where younger adults are less likely to perceive the Bible as relevant and useful when compared with older adults.

• Sixty-two percent of adults age 66 and older believe the Bible contains everything a person needs to know about living a meaningful life, dropping to 54 percent among boomers (age 47 to 65), 44 percent among those age 28 to 46, and dropping even further to 34 percent for those age 18 to 27.

God’s Word

“Findings from The State of the Bible 2012 survey show Americans desire to read the Bible more and turn to it for the answers to life questions but have an increasingly less reverent view of its contents,” said David Kinnaman, president of Barna Group.

The survey’s findings have remained stable since last year with a slight shift towards less religiosity particularly among young adults.

“In order to further our efforts to make the Bible accessible to people in a way that best fits their lives, it is imperative that we have a firm grasp on the views and actions of Americans around the Bible,” said Lamar Vest, president of American Bible Society. “While the message of the Bible is unchanging, how we deliver it is ever changing. The State of the Bible 2012 helps us to better understand how Americans are interacting with God’s Word.”

Bible Reading

How about you? Do you read your Bible or is it a book you have to pull from the shelf and dust off when you’re doing your spring cleaning? For those of us who call ourselves “Christian” we know that the Bible is how God speaks to us. In prayer, we speak to him. Thus, Bible reading is essential for our growth — daily reading is the food we need for our souls.

“So then, we may no longer be children, tossed [like ships] to and fro between chance gusts of teaching and wavering with every changing wind of doctrine, [the prey of] the cunning and cleverness of unscrupulous men, [gamblers engaged] in every shifting form of trickery in inventing errors to mislead.” Ephesians 4:14

Reference — American Bible Society: The State of the Bible

Naked, and you clothed me: I was sick, and you visited me: I was in prison, and you came to me. (Matthew 25:36)

Chuck Colson pictured with some of the books he wrote.

Embroiled in the Watergate scandal, Chuck Colson found peace with God by surrendering his life to Jesus Christ. That was in 1973. In 1974 he was sentenced to prison, serving seven months behind bar and then released with a new mission in mind: to galvanize the church to reach inmates across America.

Prison Fellowship

Prison Fellowship was formed in 1976, raising prison ministry visibility to a level not seen before. A number of churches had long been involved in reaching out to the imprisoned, but Prison Fellowship helped to spread this outreach significantly across America, indeed the entire world.

On April 21, 2012, Colson went home to be with the Lord, following a brief illness. Yesterday, the staff of Prison Fellowship held a private memorial service in Washington, D.C. As of this writing, a public memorial service is in the works with the Washington National Cathedral the likely setting reports World Magazine. Colson will be buried at the Quantico National Cemetery, part of the Marine base located in Virginia.

Lasting Legacy

Colson has been credited with writing more than 30 books; for launching Breakpoint, a radio commentary program; and for starting the Chuck Colson Center for Christian Worldview an online research and training center. He also was a principal writer of the Manhattan Declaration, which calls on Christians to defend traditional marriage, human life and religious freedom.

Prison Fellowship looms large both for the size of the organization and its influence on the church and the prison population. Today, the organization counts 14,000 volunteers and 7,700 partner churches in the United States. Its programs can be found in 1,370 correction facilities, reaching approximately 220,000 U.S. prisoners.

Cedarville University student Trenton Simon shares a laugh with an inmate at London Correctional Institution in Ohio
during an Easter weekend 2006 prison event.

Prison Fellowship cooperates with governments, churches and communities to combat crime. Its programs have been credited with reducing crime, restoring lives and assisting families affected by crime, for making communities safer and for reducing the cost of crime and its impact on society.

Volunteers minister directly to prisoners, reach out to prisoner families, help former prisoners make the transition back to society and as an organization Prison Fellowship advocates for criminal justice reform.

Recidivism Rate

The key to any prison program’s success is how it affects the recidivism rate. Right now, there are more than 2 million people in America’s prisons. Approximately 700,000 are released back into society each year. Prison Fellowship says that 67 percent of those will be rearrested within three years of their release, with more than half sent back to prison.

Children of inmates rejoice as they open the Christmas gifts provided to them through Angel Tree.

Angel Tree

One of the most significant ways Prison Fellowship partners with the church is through its Angel Tree program. Angel Tree is designed to remember children of the imprisoned by providing gifts for them for Christmas. It is also a year-round program, one that encourages local churches to reach out to prisoner’s families regularly.

Colson’s influence on the church and on society will be missed, but the work God has allowed him to do will carry on. In 1973, the Boston Globe editorialized, “If Mr. Colson can repent of his sins, there just has to be hope for everybody.” That hope was found by Colson and turned into a glorious testament to the redemptive power of Jesus Christ.

References

Christianity Today: Rx for Recidivism; Rob Moll; Nov. 21, 2006

Leadership University: Religious Programs, Institutional Adjustment, and Recidivism among Former Inmates in Prison Fellowship Programs; Byron R. Johnson — Lamar University; David B. Larson — National Institute for Healthcare Research Duke University Medical Center; and Timothy C. Pitts –Morehead State University; March 1997.

The New York Times: Cons in Class; Abby Ellin; Aug. 3, 2003

Boston Globe: Watergate Figure Charles Colson Dies at 80; Jessica Gresko; April 22, 2012.

Photos courtesy of Prison Fellowship.

This Sunday, people who value freedom of religion will walk across the Brooklyn Bridge in a show of solidarity with affected religious groups.
(Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Churches and other religious groups routinely meet in public buildings across the United States. Such access is not unlimited, but if a group wants to meet off hours and has the resources to afford the rent, they can typically secure a permit and hold meetings.

NYC Churches

New York City, however, has been challenging the right of churches to meet in the city’s public schools. WordJourney has been following this battle since January 2012 when we learned that approximately 60 churches and other religious groups were being barred from meeting. Several follow up articles detailed the twists and turns of this battle, with our March 14 update noting the current impasse. That impasse allows churches to continue meeting in the city’s public schools, but the Bloomberg administration is still seeking their removal.

The Alliance Defense Fund has been actively working to pressure the city to reverse course, representing The Bronx Household of Faith directly and advocating for all affected parties ultimately. The ADF’s work has brought much attention to the plight of the city’s churches nationwide as religious freedom advocates wonder if a victory by the city would set precedent elsewhere, shutting down emerging churches across the land.

Brooklyn Bridge March

New York Mayor, Michael R. Bloomberg.
(Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Advocates are taking a multi-prong approach in their quest to maintain access to public school buildings. Christians are praying, asking for God’s favor and that mayor Michael R. Bloomberg’s heart be changed. They’re also working with the ADF to seek a permanent injunction and are praying that an appeals court will not rule against the churches. Finally, advocates are working with the New York Legislature to pass a bill for the governor’s signature, a move that would overturn the city’s policy. The state’s Senate has already passed its bill, but the New York Assembly has yet to bring the matter to the floor.

Prayers and Participation

If you are in the New York area this weekend, you are invited to march. Otherwise, please pray that God’s will be done. If you are interested in learning about the church’s responsibility in engaging government, you may want to check out the ADF’s Truth & Triumph website. There you can learn about William Wilberforce’s successful quest to bring an end to slavery, learn why Dietrich Bonhoeffer stood up to the Nazi regime and discover other efforts by Christians to be salt and light where they lived.

Related Articles

• Some Churches Hope Albany Will Act to Allow Renting School Space to Pray (nytimes.com)
• Locked Out: Court Narrows Restraining Order to One Church (wordjourney.com)
• Thousands March To Protest Ban On Using Public Schools For Religious Services (newyork.cbslocal.com)

Married military couples face enough challenges including receiving low-pay, living in substandard housing and assuming the risk of injury or death of the deployed husband or wife. Even those military members that return physically uninjured may come home to a marriage that is in tatters. Since the start of the Afghanistan and Iraq wars, the divorce rate among military couples has increased by 42 percent, largely due to couples that have endured multiple deployments resulting in years of separation. Indeed, the longer couples are separated, the more likely one or both is planning separation or a divorce according to the Department of Human Development and Family Science at Oklahoma State University.

The Art of Marriage Ops

This past January, WordJourney shared what some Christians are doing to make a difference in the lives of military families. In FamilyLife Seeks to Aid Military Marriages, we noted that the church has been responding by providing marriage enrichment opportunities, while also telling you about one couple — Todd and Valerie Gaff — whose own marriage has survived 13 tours of duty since Todd was first deployed to Afghanistan in 2001.

Since then the ministry partnership has expanded to include Military Ministry and the Christian music group, the Newsboys. Together with MercyMe, the four groups are advancing The Art of Marriage Ops campaign, designed to raise awareness about the challenges that military families face when returning home. The heart of the campaign is its The Art of Marriage DVD series, given to couples to help strengthen their marriages and to prevent divorce. This practical series provides “simple, effective insights for helping couples to cultivate a healthy and happy relationship.”

Equipping Military Couples

“Marriage is truly an art, one that takes hard work and sacrifice,” says Newsboys members Michael Tait, Duncan Phillips, Jeff Frankenstein and Jody Davis in a joint statement. “No one knows the definition of sacrifice more then the men and women of our Armed Forces and their spouses. Unfortunately, while these soldiers are more than willing to go overseas on our behalf, this is causing unprecedented strains on marriages, with never-before-seen divorce rates. What FamilyLife and The Art of Marriage are doing to provide support to these military families is needed more than ever today.”

The campaign also gives supporters the opportunity to donate funds to assist military families. Those funds pay for the DVD series and gives couples the opportunity to take in an Art of Marriage Event or Weekend to Remember Marriage Getaway presented by FamilyLife. To date, more than 100,000 couples have participated in an Art of Marriage Event, a one-and-a-half-day video event designed to help couples defend and enrich their marriages.

“We believe that marriage is the most important commitment a couple can make,” says FamilyLife President Dennis Rainey. “When this bond is threatened by divorce, we know it often takes outside forces to keep love alive.”

How to Help

There are two ways that you can help:

Host an Event: Help a military couple in your community or church by hosting The Art of Marriage Event. The six-session DVDs and promotional resources are provided free of charge. Text HOST to 85005 or visit TheArtofMarriageOps.org.

Make a Donation: Make a donation to The Art of Marriage Ops scholarship fund to allow military couples to attend these events for free. Donate by calling 1-800-358-6329 or visiting TheArtofMarriageOps.org.

Related Information

Military Ministry: Military and Society – Statistics

Family Life: Weekend to Remember Marriage Getaway

Photo via BigStock: Miroslav Ferkuniak

Our family doesn’t usually follow golf, but this past Sunday our eyes took in the final hour of this year’s Masters tournament in Augusta, Ga., which delayed the start of “60 Minutes,” the show we had tuned in to watch. That hour gave us a chance to be introduced to two players we hadn’t heard of before — South Africa’s Louis Oosthuizen and Bubba Watson of the United States.

Bubba Watson signing autographs on the putting green of the Congressional Country Club during the Earl Woods Memorial Pro-Am prior to the 2007 AT&T National tournament. (Photo: Carl Lindbergh via Wikipedia)

2012 Masters Winner

It is old news now that Watson went on to win the tournament, beating out Oosthuizen in a thrilling two-round playoff. Yes, even this dispassionate and casual observer was gripped as he watched Watson hit an improbable shot that set up his win, staying tuned to the set as he hugged his mother, shed many tears and thanked his “Lord and Savior Jesus Christ” for his monumental win.

I knew that there was something special about “Bubba” as the camera focused on him while he was playing. That special something went beyond his being a husband, a new father and a pro golfer, but it wasn’t something I heard him say. It was what I saw in his eyes.

Watson’s Story

It turns out that Bubba has quite a story to tell. Twin neighborhood girls invited him to church when he was a senior in high school, where he soon gave his life to Jesus Christ. In 2004, newly married, Watson and his future wife, Angie, became serious about their commitment to Christ.

In an April 8 interview with Trevor Freeze of the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association, Watson said that he and Angie were married in September 2004 and baptized that year, the day after Christmas. “We wanted to be Christ followers,” Watson said. “We wanted to do the right thing. We started turning to the Lord for our decisions.”

His Story

Watson says that it was in 2004 that he began to live for Christ, a decision that has made him “the man I am today.” Watson is part of the PGA Tour’s weekly Bible study that is held every Wednesday night during tournament season. About the study Watson stated, “For me it’s a way to get back connected with the Bible and with God and Jesus. Now you know other people you can talk to, ask questions to, tell them what you’re thinking, tell them what’s going on in your life.”

In 2010 Watson’s father died of throat cancer. Over the past few years, he and his wife have come to terms with infertility, and began the difficult adoption process. And just before the tournament, a one-month-old boy became their son, a child they named Caleb. Caleb means “faith” or “whole hearted” or “devotion,” a fitting name for a boy whose parents have put their lives in God’s hands.

If you are on Twitter, you can follow Bubba Watson and his tweets, a man who describes himself as “Christian” first in his profile.

Related Articles

• Bubba Watson – Christ Follower, Master’s Winner (in that order) (jasoncrandall.org)
• Bubba Watson wins Masters playoff over Oosthuizen (kansas.com)
• Bubba Watson Invites Michael Vick To Play Golf (tracking.si.com)

This morning I received an email message from a local Christian radio show, where the host urged Christians to vote for an upcoming marriage amendment in the state of North Carolina. Although I agree with this person’s position, I was saddened to find not one mention of God within his message nor did I find his “call to action” to include praying for the opposition. Instead, he shared a photo of two guys kissing and urged his readers to “do a Google search on the word “gay” then click on “images” for an example of shocking images.” Uh, no thanks.

God’s Viewpoint

Honestly, I was bothered enough by what he wrote to contact the show host, explaining my disappointment. I mentioned to him that God sees all sin the same, but he replied in our email exchange that there is “some pretty strong language in the Bible to the contrary.”

Not wanting to get in an argument with a Christian brother, especially one with a microphone and a radio audience, I knew that my WordJourney readers might be interested in my thoughts on sin in general and how best to respond to those who are caught up in it.

Born in Sin

Sin is found in every one of us. We’re born into sin and we will die in our sins unless we repent and put our lives in the hands of our Savior, Jesus Christ. That doesn’t mean we’re to continue in our sins, rather it means we are to “come out from them and be separate…” (2 Corinthians 6:17), allowing the Holy Spirit to renew our minds as we put off our old selves (Ephesians 4). And we still sin — not a day goes by that we shouldn’t be confessing our sins to God. We should sin less as we grow, but none of us will be perfectly sinless until we shed this mortal coil.

Just imagine if you were a sinner and received a message from Christians opposing the way that you lived. It is one thing to call people out for their sins, but it is an entirely different matter to do that in love. Love also puts out an invitation to the sinner that there is a way out of their sin. Regardless of whether that sin is murder, theft, idolatry, fornication, homosexuality, greediness, drunkenness and other sins as mentioned in 1 Corinthians 6, we need to demonstrate God’s love and offer a way out. That way out was made possible by Jesus’ death on the cross for our sins and his resurrection on the third day, events that the church recently celebrated.

Sinners Get It

Let me tell you something about people who are in sin: they already know the condition of their hearts. Sure, some people mask it, others seem to have their consciences seared, but at some point in their lives people know that they make choices that are wrong. Those wrong choices are sins and sin is what separates people from fellowship with God. God wants to restore people to Himself, everyone from the person who runs a traffic light to a mass murderer.

And He wants to save people who are legally married and not following Him. Certainly, the definition of marriage has changed or been expanded for some people and as Christians we most certainly do not have to embrace these changes. At the same time, we must take care not to call out sin without calling on sinners to leave their sin at Jesus’ feet. Most definitely, some people are in a tangled web when they come to salvation in Jesus Christ, but that web is for God to untangle.

Sin in the Camp

In the Old Testament, the children of Israel often went out to battle, but on occasion God allowed them to be defeated. Joshua 7 offers an account where the children were unfaithful regarding the “devoted things” and incurred the anger of the Lord against them. When the Israelites battled Ai, their forces were routed, with some three dozen men killed. The rest of the story is pretty grim with judgment poured out on Achan, his family and all of his goods because of covetousness. Such severe consequences for sin — and these people knew better!

Certainly, we’re under grace right now and how God responds to His people is in light of the cross of Jesus Christ. Jesus gave us two commandments to live by in Matthew 22 — “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’

Unintended Consequences

Somehow, we seem to understand the first one, but forget the second commandments. Both, however, are intertwined and should always be practiced by followers of Jesus Christ. Failure to follow these commands can lead to unintended consequences, with God perhaps allowing His church to suffer along with the world’s misguided choices.

Photo: Amy Burton

See Also — Finding Your Plot in a Plotless World: A Little Direction

The world does not know what to do with Easter. Unlike Christmas, which has a strong commercial appeal, Easter is often soft-pedaled or ignored by people who don’t understand the celebration or simply choose to turn it into another spring holiday or event.

Easter History

Granted, much of the misunderstanding about the holiday can be traced back centuries to when the early church attempted to christianize a clearly pagan holiday. Easter references a Babylonian queen, Semiramis, and her life was absolutely the antithesis of what is good and holy. I’m not here to pass judgment on people who use the term Easter, but saying “Resurrection Sunday” does a better job of accurately describing this holy day. I purposefully inserted the word Easter into the headline as it is the name that is still recognized by most people.

To that end, Easter or Resurrection Sunday can present several opportunities for us to share our faith. Yes, you can even use bunnies and eggs to get the message out, but of course we know that the day represents the cornerstone of our faith, the promise of eternal life in Jesus Christ for all who believe.

1. Invite someone to church — We’re in the midst of Holy Week with several important dates marked by various churches. Many churches hold midweek services on Wednesdays, with the Lord’s Supper or communion shared. On Thursday, some churches hold “Maundy Thursday” or “Holy Thursday” services, marking the last supper with Jesus and His disciples. Good Friday is, of course, a significant day on the calendar with mid-day and evening services held by most congregations. The most significant day and perhaps the easiest one to extend an invitation to church is Easter Sunday. Invite someone you know, offer to bring him or her to church.

2. Host a dinner — Following Resurrection Sunday service, host a dinner and invite your neighbors. Ask God to show you who to invite and depend on Him to help you explain the true meaning of the holiday. Candidly explain the origins of the original Easter celebration, its adoption by the church, while sharing what the day means to you.

Easter isn't about the candy, but you can use bunnies and eggs as a springboard to sharing the story of our risen Savior. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

3. Pray for your neighbors — Remember your neighbors in your prayers. But, you can also go a step further by asking your neighbors directly if they would like you to pray for them. Sometimes people are much more receptive to your personal intervention than your personal invitation to church. Demonstrate care and concern. Of course, never pass judgment. Let the Holy Spirit guide your lips. “O Lord, open my lips, And my mouth shall show forth Your praise.” (Psalm 51:15)

4. Host an Easter egg hunt — Yes, I said it. Here is why I don’t have a problem with egg coloring and chocolate bunnies even though the day is not about either of these. On the cross, Jesus died for our sins — past, present and future. He also defeated our enemies. Christians know the truth and the truth has set us free. Free from bondage. Free from misconceptions. Free from sin. And free from religion. Host an Easter egg hunt and use this opportunity to reach out to your neighbors. Allow God to guide you on when and how to share your faith. Demonstrate His unconditional love by loving the children who visit your home.

5. Update your social media — You’re active on Facebook, Twitter and elsewhere. Maybe you’re a blogger. Update your status to reflect the Easter season. Use your status as a springboard for further evangelism.

6. Visit the housebound — Not everyone will come to church on Easter Sunday. Quite frankly, some are not able to attend a church service even if they want to. Visit the housebound and offer to bring dinner to them. If you know someone who is in prison, go there. Any major holiday can be especially lonely for people who cannot get out. Be Christ’s hands and feet, and go forth. “I was naked and you clothed Me; I was sick and you visited Me; I was in prison and you came to Me.” (Matthew 25:35)

7. Servant evangelism — The expression “preach the gospel at all times and when necessary use words” has been attributed to Francis of Assisi, a 12th century monk. It is doubtful that he ever uttered such words, but he did say “It is no use walking anywhere to preach unless our walking is our preaching.” Both sayings indicate the same thing as in walking out your witness before verbally proclaming Christ and Him crucified. Here is one way to do that: your congregation can host a free car wash for the community on the day before Easter with no donation bucket to be found. Wash cars and use that opportunity to invite people to church for Easter service. The preaching will naturally follow at the service the next day. “So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.” (Romans 10:17)

Resurrection Sunday

There are many different ways to evangelize during the Easter season — we’ve looked at just seven. If you have an idea or a comment to share, then please hit the reply button and weigh in. Have a blessed Resurrection Sunday!

References

ChristianAnswers.net: Where did “Easter” get its name? Where did the concept of an Easter egg and bunny originate?

GotQuestions.org: What Is Maundy Thursday?

Campus Crusade for Christ International: 10 Easter Outreach Ideas

Doable Evangelism: When Necessary, Use Words