I’m all for new thoughts and ideas. They usually help to stimulate my slow-moving and limited brain cells. So I subscribe to various ministry newsletters.
Most of the articles come from men and women seasoned with plenty of ministry experience. And most usually have some nugget of wisdom or insight to offer.
But I’m sick and tired of the hype of new Easter ideas!
We are still weeks away from Easter but here is a list of the articles that have already come across my computer screen:
- 16 Tips for Better Easter Impact
- 6 Preaching and Teaching Tips for Easter
- 11 Keys to an Explosive Easter Service
- Easter Challenge to Pastors
- 40 Easter Outreach Ideas
- 4 Ways to Keep Easter Guests Coming Back
- 12 Ways to Make Sure Easter Guests Don’t Come Back (A creative way to express what we should avoid doing)
- 8 Vital Elements of an Easter Sermon
- Church Will Give Away $1000 on Easter
If you add all of these magical numbers together they equal: 1 nauseated pastor!
What do you suppose the disciples of Jesus were doing after His death but before that first Easter morning?
Mourning: They were grief-stricken over the death of Jesus. They felt lost.
Examining: How did this happen? Did we miss something? How did we get here?
Praying: “Dear God, do something!”
What if we approached Easter this same way? What if we used this season of Lent to really get ready for Easter?
Mourning: Are we grief-stricken that our sins and the sins of the world led Jesus to be crucified?
Examining: What am I doing with my life? What are my real priorities? Am I putting God first?
Praying: “Dear God, do something! And let it begin with me!”
The only way for the world to experience the effects of a risen Savior is for me to first experience the effects of a risen Savior!
“Lord, stir my heart and quicken my spirit. Draw me closer to You and awaken me to live in the reality of a risen Savior. Transform my head, my heart and my hands as I give myself to love broken people in a fallen world!”
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© Richard Alvey and iLife Journey, 2012. All rights reserved.
A ragamuffin in awe of God's grace and glory... pursuing real life in Jesus.
iLife Journey 
Amen!
preach it rick!
– grace and peace
Growing up in a liturgical church that observed Lent when we did examine our lives and the emphasis was on what Jesus did for us and how much He suffered for my sins, I find it strange that it is almost completely overlooked in so many churches, seldom even mentioned.
I agree Janice. Our church family in H’town obseves Lent and I’ve enjoyed rediscovering it. I was also surprised to learn recently that the Liturgical Church Calendar is made up of seasons/events that focus on the life and ministry of Jesus. What a great way to teach people and keep the church’s focus on Jesus! I think that in our rush to rid oursleves of traditions we’ve given up some great early-church practices and are still just as triditional but in different way.
i couldn’t agree more.
If churches would only preach more about Jesus every sunday.
If messages are just focused on Jesus and His finish work every sunday.
and not just lent, what an awesome time it must be then!
– grace and peace
Amen!
Good stuff Rick. I think we all can get too caught up in the “marketing” of churches & services that we miss out on the awesome power of just “being.”
Thanks! And thanks for stopping by!