Dear First Pres,
When did you first come to realize God's incredible grace for you? Where were you? Who were you with? I had come to confess belief in Jesus when I was very young, but when I think about these questions I remember my week at summer camp in Junior High. I realized that week that I knew about God and I believed in Him, but I didn't really know God. I realized that week in a new way that God wanted me to be in personal relationship with Him. I realized that week that surrendering my life to God through faith in Jesus was the way to true and lasting life. And I have been forever changed.
This Easter, God could use you to help someone else experience what you did when you came to realize God's incredible grace for you. This Easter could be the day that God finally breaks through to bring true and lasting life in the person that comes with you to worship. But it all starts with a prayerful invitation. Have you begun asking God who it is that He would have you invite to Easter Sunday worship? If not, now is the time. If God has put someone on your heart to invite, are you ready to make the invitation? Do you have an invitation card? (They're available this Sunday in the Sanctuary Entry.) Do you know your schedule? Have you been praying about their willingness to come? Do you know when and how you're going to ask them?
Christ is not done building His Church. If He were, He would have already returned. This Easter could be the day that He uses you to help welcome someone into the family of God. But it starts with one, simple thing: a prayerful invitation.
Beloved, don't be afraid to invite your friends and family members to church. If they say, "No, thank you," or even something less kind, it's okay. God is the One who is in charge of opening their hearts to Jesus. But He calls us to continue to faithfully and courageously and prayerfully invite others into relationship with Him. May that be true of us this season, all of it for His glory.
Blessings,
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