A Time To Invite
In a U.S.A. Today study, it was found that 48% of church-goers attend an average of once a month. That is a sad statistic for sure, but what is the pattern for people who do not go to church regularly or say less than once a month? On one end of the spectrum there is the non-church goer, and there are a few times a year such people will be more open to attending church: Christmas and Easter. When we consider this, it makes sense for these are two of the most significant days in Christianity.
At Christmas time we celebrate the birth of God’s Son, Jesus Christ. Though Jesus was most likely born in the fall or spring, we take the time to rejoice and commemorate His birth. We praise God that He loved us so much, that He sent His only Son to die on a cross and take our place (John 3:16). We had broken God’s laws, we had fallen short of His righteous standard, and we stood guilty before Him (Rom. 3:23). But Jesus came and took the penalty of our sin upon Himself so that we could be forgiven and have right standing with God. Jesus was born to die in our place as part of God’s grand plan (1 John 4:10). And so there is something in the conscience of man that softens his heart toward coming to church during the Christmas season. And so he does, when he is invited.
Easter is a time during which we commemorate the death and resurrection of Jesus. He did take our place and died upon that cross, but something happened three days later. He rose again! Therefore He is the God of the living and ever lives to make intercession for us (Rom. 8:34). He even stated numerous times prior to the Cross that this would be the case. On the third day, the stone was rolled away, the grave clothes were folded and the tomb was empty. Jesus had conquered death and is the only religious leader in the history of man to do so. All other leaders have graves and headstones, but not our Lord Jesus. He is alive! That being said, there is something in the conscience of man that softens his heart toward coming to church during the Easter season. And so he does, when he is invited.
So what is the point? Right now is a GREAT time to invite someone to church. They are not only open, but they are willing to come and may be just waiting to be invited. Perhaps this invitation will be the one where they accept Jesus as their Lord and Savior! How will we know? Invite them and see. I encourage you to pray that God would open doors of conversation with others and give you divine appointments to invite them to church. They need to hear the Good News that death has lost its sting, we have been forgiven, and Jesus is alive.
PD