I love innovation. Finding the best way to share Christ with a hurting culture is a passion of mine. Because of this, change has become a way of life at Brookwood Baptist Church, where I pastor.
I love innovation. Finding the best way to share Christ with a hurting culture is a passion of mine. Because of this, change has become a way of life at Brookwood Baptist Church, where I pastor.
We will try new methods and jettison old, comfortable ones when they prove ineffective.
This has led us to multiple weekend services, including Saturday night, extremely contemporary services (as well as a blended service), and beginning many off-campus Bible study groups.
In other words, we will try new methods to get the good news of Jesus into all the world. Methods change; the message never will!
That’s why, when it comes to the resurrection of Jesus, I try to be very clear about what message we proclaim. At Brookwood, we’ve decided not to have Easter egg hunts before, during or after church.
Yes, we can draw a crowd with it. Yes, many respectable, godly churches have these every year. But we’ve decided that as our culture becomes more and more secular, as increasing numbers of people admit they’ve never been to a church, it is more important than ever that the message of Jesus be easily understood. We don’t want to mix in fertility figures and childhood tales with one of the key components of the gospel, thus confusing adults as well as children.
So, what do we do? Is there a way to enjoy the new clothes and the Easter baskets like other families?
As a boy growing up, I was very fortunate to have godly parents. Early on, I received the “goodies” most children receive at Easter. However, every year my dad and mom explained that I had received these because we were celebrating the joyous fact that Christ had risen from the grave! There were no stories about the Easter bunny.
I followed that example with my children. There were always chocolate eggs and rabbits to eat. But the gifts were a part of giving glory to Jesus and making Easter Sunday a festive, joyous time.
Our family would gather together, read the Easter story from the Bible, and thank God for His power and love in paving a way for us to heaven through the empty grave and the risen Savior.
We all know Easter Sunday can be one of the largest crowds we’ll have at church all year. At Brookwood, we know a number of these attenders will be seekers who have little knowledge of the gospel story. So on that Sunday, especially, there will be a careful explanation of who Jesus is, what He did for us, and why the resurrection is so important for all of us. Following the service, I will urge families to go home and celebrate Easter together in their homes, giving God glory for the wonderful day.
As Christian parents and leaders, let’s keep the message of Easter simple, undiluted . . . and powerful!
Mark Sutton