Your Comments About Easter Evangelism

I was so thrilled to get 21 comments about the Easter Evangelism Ideas post. Many of you wrote to say what events and activities your church has planned for this year.

Some of you are:

• having an evangelistic dinner and film.
• having an Easter Outreach on Saturday and then inviting people to church for Easter Sunday.
• hanging flyers on doors to invite neighbors to church for Easter.
• sharing Easter evangelism ideas with your evangelism class at church.
• inviting the whole community to a huge Easter egg hunt at your church.
• having your first annual Easter egg hunt.
• writing about the Resurrection and Salvation on your blog.
• inviting non-Christian families to your church and showing the Jesus film.
  

I'm committing myself to pray for each one of these outreaches - that God will draw people to your church events, that people will be open to the message of salvation, that they will want to know and receive Jesus.

I like Margaret's comment - "Those are some really good ideas. But they're useless if we don't put them to practice."

This Easter, please ask God what you can do for Him. Salvation is a very serious subject. It's a life or death decision.

(If anyone else would like to tell me what they are doing for Easter, please leave a comment and I will add your outreach idea to this post.)

Thursday Thirteen: 13 Easter Evangelism Ideas

Thursday Thirteen Meme

Easter is about Jesus’ resurrection and salvation. It’s a great time for Christians to participate in evangelism, witnessing, and community outreach.

Here are 13 Ideas for Evangelizing at Easter:

Easter Cards
Send out Easter Cards and Gospel Tracts to those on your Christmas card list.

Take Neighbor Kid to a Church Easter Event
Churches put on free Easter plays, Music Concerts, and Egg Hunts during this time of the year. It’s a good opportunity to invite a neighbor friend along.

Egg-vitations
The Sunday before Easter, give the children at church some plastic eggs filled with candy and an invitation to attend church on Easter. They can pass out the egg-vitations to their non-Christian friends and the neighbor kids.

Easter Conversations
Ask people what they will be doing for Easter. It’s a way to get a conversation going that may lead to talking about Christ. If they return the question, you will be able to explain what Easter means to you. You can even invite them to your Easter service.

Easter Bunny Dress Up
Dress up as the Easter Bunny. Go door-to-door passing out flyers that invite families to your Church Easter Egg hunt, concert, Easter service, or Spring Carnival.

Support Easter Outreaches with Your Money
There are a lot of Christian organizations trying to raise money for their outreach projects. Your financial contribution can help them reach more people this Easter or through out the whole year. Your church may be putting on a service or egg hunt that needs more funding. Here’s Life Inner City gives out Easter goodie bags filled Christian items. It is a ministry of Campus Crusade for Christ.

Promote Easter Evangelism
Make a flyer listing Easter Evangelism Ideas. Pass it out to your Christian friends and family. Try to get it included in the church bulletin.

Spring Flowers
Your church can deliver potted Spring flowers, Easter cards, and invitations to the neighbors that live near your church.

Ham Giveaway
Deliver frozen hams to families in lower income neighborhoods, compliments of your church.

Business Outreach
Visit the businesses around your church. Surprise the employees with a basket of cookies and Easter candy. You can say - “Happy Easter from your neighbors at ____ church. Include invitations in the basket.

Put up Posters
Campus Crusade for Christ has 2 Free Easter Posters. Print them and put them up in public places or on your bulletin board at work.

Pie Giveaway
Bake pies and give them away to your neighbors, along with an Easter Tract and an invitation to your church Easter service.

Link to the Big List
You can encourage other Christians to evangelize at Easter by linking to the post that has 61 ideas for Easter Evangelism.

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The Benefits of Giving Generously

Most of us are probably familiar with the Bible verse - It is more blessed to give than to receive. (Acts 20:35) But, how can that be? Many modern day Christians are displaying evidence that they enjoy getting and having. According to How to Manage Your Money there are 3 benefits for the giver:

• When we give to the Lord, our hearts will grow closer to Him. Mathew 6:21
• We are investing in our eternal account, treasures that we will enjoy later on. Matthew 6:20
• When we give to the Lord, He gives us more resources - for our own needs and for others. 2 Corinthians 9:6

And there are other benefits, too - not necessarily just for the giver:

It feels good when we obey and give Him our "first fruits".
It gives us an opportunity to help others and to feel blessed through giving.
It helps churches and Christian ministries grow and reach more people.
When we give we prove that we trust God.
We reflect God's generous love.
We are actively participating in God's will for a person or ministry.

Can you think of any other benefits of giving?
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Forgive - For Your Own Sake

Forgiveness seems to be a reoccurring topic in my life this year. I've heard radio show host and counselor June Hunt talk a lot about it. Other Christian counselors, on the radio, are always pushing forgiveness. I had my own moment with the Holy Spirit when He got through to me (finally) that I had some forgiving to do. Earlier this year, I heard forgiveness on Focus on the Family when they were telling about the YWAM missionary students who chose to forgive a deadly shooter. I just read a book in which the main character needed to forgive. And, Pastor Charles Stanley spoke on the subject during one of his radio shows. I'm beginning to think that forgiveness must be a topic that many of us need to learn about. Those Christian radio shows and books weren't made just for me. Were they?

One of the most important parts of Christianity is forgiveness. Jesus died on the cross for our sins. And He forgave us - before we even asked Him, too. He forgave us knowing that we would continue to sin and hurt Him.

We are commanded to forgive, but it is so hard for us to do. If someone has caused us great pain, in unrepentant, and continues to hurt us - why should we forgive? Well, I've heard that it is for our own good. When we forgive, we are giving up the "wrong doing" to God. It doesn't mean that we accept what the person has done or dismiss their bad behavior. It doesn't mean that we have to become buddies with a hurtful person. But, it does mean that we let the hurt go so that the unforgiveness doesn't make us angry and bitter and control our life.

I've been there. I had a "right" to be hurt and the bitterness gradually took over until it controlled me. It consumed my thoughts, my attitude and my mood. I had a really hard time growing closer to Jesus and serving at church with this attitude. During a worship service, at church, we were singing a song and I realized that I didn't agree with what I was singing. The Holy Spirit was convicting me, so I prayed and told Him that I needed to forgive. I meant it and the heavy, heavy bitterness was lifted. I can't remember the name of the song or even the day it happened. But, I remember the wonderful feeling as the unforgiveness left my heart.

Since then, I've been tempted to not forgive. But, I decide to "Nip it in the Bud" (as my Dad would say). After hearing Charles Stanley speak recently, I realized that I've been holding onto a few little hurts. After I prayed and forgave these people, I realized that the people probably don't even know that they have hurt me. It's just their personality that I let get to me. But Satan knows where to tempt us. And I think he is trying to devour many of us with unforgiveness.

Living In God's Love

Sunday Scripture Meme

Keep yourselves in God's love as you wait for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ to bring you to eternal life.
Jude 1:21

• God doesn't wait for us to love Him.
• He loved us first, even sent His Son for us before we were even born.
• He doesn't withhold His love from us.
• We can't make ourselves worthy of His love.
• He unconditionally loves us.

God wants us to live like we know that He loves us. He wants to see in us, a response to His love. Instead of portraying ourselves as good Christians, Jesus wants us to show His love to others.

(Notes from a sermon by Dr. Bob Jones lll)

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Sunday Seven: 7 Ways to Pray for Your Ministry

Sunday Seven Meme

I'm so thankful for all you women with Christian ministries - women serving the Lord through blogging, evangelizing, teaching, praying, encouraging, volunteering, counseling, writing, singing, using your talents and skills.

God desires to give us direction and vision for ministry.

Jeremiah 29:11 For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.

Pray for:

• People will come to know Jesus through your ministry
• Motivation to continue when you feel discouragement
• God’s leading in your ministry
• New ideas
  
• Growth in your ministry
• Humility, not becoming proud of yourself
• Funding and volunteers, if money is needed

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Worship While Blogging

I've had some really neat worship times while blogging. Some of my Christian blogging friends occasionally put YouTube worship videos on their blog. It provides an opportunity for me to listen to beautiful music that pleases The Lord. If I know the words, then I sing along. Sometimes the song inspires me to pray.

Would you like to worship God while you blog? Here are some blog post links where you can find Christian worship videos.

Sweetly Broken at Monkey Giggles

Who Am I at Seasons of My Heart

Wonderful, Merciful Savior at The Life of a Christian Housewife

My Savior, My God at Downstowngirl

To God Be the Glory at Yesu Garden

(Fish Image by ChristArt.com)

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My Bible Study Notes

When I study the Bible:

• I like using the New Living Translation

• I listen to Dr. J. Vernon McGee's Commentary on Thru the Bible

• Sometimes, I search for sermons about the book that I am reading at SermonAudio.com

My Notes on Books of the Bible

Joshua

(The book of Judges will be next.)

Wordless Wednesday: Seek His Face (Pictures Within the Picture)

Wordless Wednesday: Seek His Face

Compassion International Blogging Month

YouTube Video: Mercy Me Talking About the Children That They Sponsor through Compassion

It's Blogging Month at Compassion International. Many bloggers are writing about their sponsored children and their experiences with Compassion.

You can read about:

• Boo Mama and Her Sponsored Girl - Sharon
• Rocks in My Dryer and Her Sponsored Boy - Dissan
• Anne and Her Sponsored Girl

Congratulations to my bloggy friend Fran who signed up to sponsor Sophia in Uganda.

Sponsoring a Child costs only $32 a month. This is what will be provided to the child:

• a church based program that will teach about Jesus
• educational opportunities
• health care and supplemental nutrition
• opportunities to learn about life skills
• safe recreation

You will be able to share letters, photos, and prayer request with the child.
You will be making an eternal difference in the life of your sponsored child.

Do you have an experience with child sponsorship that you'd like to share? Are you thinking about sponsoring a child? Please feel free to share your story by leaving a comment.

God Wants Our Whole Heart

Sunday Scripture Meme

Proverbs 23:26 O my son, give me your heart. May your eyes take delight in following my ways.

God doesn't want the outward show, or our charming personality. He wants our whole heart. And when He has it, then God will open up the doors of service for us.The results of God getting the whole, surrendered heart of every Christian could be just awesome.

As the old hymn says:

Take my will, and make it Thine,

It shall be no longer mine;

Take my heart, it is Thine own,

It shall be Thy royal throne.

Jesus, I need to include You in all the parts of my life. I need to surrender my heart, my will, and my fears - especially my fears. I want to enjoy following Your ways. I want to do Your Will, because I know that it is the best thing for me. Thank you for your patience with me. Every day I want to ask You - What do You want me to do today? Please show me, Lord.

Is anyone else wanting to trust God, but struggling with fear? We can support each other through prayer. Feel free to share by leaving a comment.

Sunday Seven: 7 Ways to Pray for Missions

Sunday Seven Meme

You may not be able to Go, but you can pray.

Here are 7 Ways to Pray for Missions:

• for churches and individuals to give generously to missions
• for the Christian agencies that provide disaster relief to those in need
• for the equipping of ministries that provide food and shelter to people
• for missionaries to serve in places where Jesus is not known
• for mission personnel that plan outreach programs
• for more prayer warriors to faithfully pray for mission programs
• for the needs of missionaries

Are there missionaries that you would like to request prayer for? Please feel free to tell us about them by leaving a comment.

(Image by ChristArt.com)

I've Got it Good

God Stop Friday Meme

About 5 minutes ago, I was sitting in front of the monitor with my head propped in my hands. My 12-year-old daughter came by and said, "What's wrong Mom? Can't you figure out what to write about?" I explained to her that I needed to write about how God had been showing Himself to me lately. I told her that I knew He had been working in my life, but I just couldn't see it. Lately, I've been concentrating on my discomforts - sick with colds and missing my husband who is still away at work.

She said to me:

• Well, it's a good thing Dad is just working in a nearby town for a few weeks. Some wives have husbands who are off serving in Iraq and are gone for a long time.

• And it's a good thing you just had 2 colds. You could have had pneumonia.

As soon as she said those words, I knew that God was showing Himself to me through that 12- year-old girl. I stood up - hugged her, my eyes teared, and I started laughing. I decided to think of some other things in my life that I should be more grateful for:

• I get to eat protein foods and meat every day. Many people eat only grains and vegetables.
• I have clean running water - in the house. I don't have to walk miles to get dirty water.
• I was raised in a Christian family. My parents taught me about the salvation of Jesus.
• I have heaters, blankets, and winter clothing if I need to warm up more. I won't freeze.
  
• I have an endless supply of free Christian teachings, encouragement, music, and Bibles through the - Internet, radio, churches, and even the library. I don't live in a place where these items are scarce, limited, or non-existent.
• If I come into really tough times financially, there are programs and resources available to help us out. We won't die of starvation like some families do.
• I have complete freedom to live publicly as a Christian. I will not be persecuted for my Christian faith.

Thank you, Jesus, for all these blessings. And thank you for reminding me - through my daughter.

Know and Tell Friday

Know and Tell Friday Meme

Did you eat candy this Valentine's Day?
Yes I did and it tasted wonderful. Thank you Mom and Dad for sending me a little chocolate, but not too much. I made the choice to eat a little today and tomorrow I will make an even better choice to not eat any (because it is all gone.)

What is something you do to relax?
I used to watch TV. But, now I blog. It is so much more enjoyable to communicate with other women.

What is the best approach for resolving conflict?
I haven't been really good at doing the best approach. I used to just try to keep the peace and then let the bitterness build up. However, I think the best approach would be - to pray first, talk calmly with the person (and stay calm), and for each of us to state how we feel.

How would you define "freedom"?
Freedom is the ability to be a Christian, to receive God's love, and to serve and worship Him - no matter what my physical circumstances and limitations are.

On a scale of 1-10, how happy do you usually feel? Explain.
5, but that is because my husband has been away working for a lot of the winter and it is winter. I'll feel much happier when we are all back together and the snow melts.

If you could choose one "SIN" that you would never have to struggle with for the rest of your life what would it be?
Doubting God. I'm ashamed, but it's just too easy for me to do.

What is one thing that breaks your heart?
The 143 million orphans that need mommies and daddies and help from Christians. I have another site called HowtoHelpOrphans.com

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