This has been a great Holy Week for a lot of us. We’ve been journaling together, musing on some of the same scripture passage, praying some of the same prayers & reliving the Passion Week together.
AND NOW, EASTER! A lot of us are pretty geeked up, including me. Tomorrow is going to be a great experience for us, but it’s also going to be one of those weekends in which there will be tons of people that don’t normally go to church at churches all over the world, including Journey.
I know we are going to have a great Easter, but if we want to enter into the full meaning it’s got to be about more than just about our experience. It needs to be a “GIVE” – a chance for us to HOST what we often call “seekers” – people who haven’t really connected with God. Journey is all about this every week. We try to make things accessible to people who are new to God, new to church, new to the anything “Christian”. Two times a year there seems to be an increased openness (you already know what they are): CHRISTMAS & EASTER. This is a stewardship, a trust, an opportunity that God asks us to use well.
Here are some things we can all do to do this:
• Pray like a mad dog – We’ve had a day of prayer & fasting this week. Lots of people have gather to pray, prayed over every aspect of the services. But it’s not too late! Pray when you read this, pray as you drive over, pray for people who you see, pray for the musicians, for all those on stage – pray for ME!
• Park a long way from the doors – Let’s leave our spaces for those who are new & who have no idea how crowded it will be.
• Be Early, especially if you have kids – again new people don’t know that it might take some time to check their kids in.
• Last minute invites – I’m sending an email tonight trying to get another invite to a couple of friends from Starbucks & the gym. It’s not too late.
• 8 is GREAT – if it’s all the same to you, come at 8:00. This will probably be the least crowded service (I could be wrong) some come at 8:00.
• Be nice – You always are, but really go out of your way to be friendly & say “hello” to people.
Easter at Journey is going to be great! I’ll see you
