“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you,” – 1 Peter 1:3-4.
Spring is a time of rebirth, when everything outside comes alive in vibrant colors. There is no greater picture of this new life than the Resurrection of Jesus Christ. At Northstar, we can’t think of a better time to visit for a first visit, or perhaps to return after a season away. Easter Sunday gives us a unique opportunity to bring the Gospel to our families, neighborhoods and cities. I ask you to join with us in praying for churches across the country and the world that God will do some incredible work within the hearts of people in the areas we serve, as well as all over the world.
Our Easter services are for everyone, no matter where you are on your journey with God. At each service, you can expect a thought-provoking and engaging message based on the Bible, high-energy music, and more. A lot of planning and praying goes into our Easter services. We try to pull out all the stops and for good reason. Easter is one of the few times of the year when many semi-churched and unchurched people come to church. These services are going to be joyful celebrations of our resurrected Savior, Jesus Christ. We really want to encourage everyone to be inviting friends and neighbors to come to one of our services.
The Easter story has real meaning and continues to capture people’s imagination. It is an opportunity to reach people who are far from the heart of God, to hear the gospel preached and let God work in their lives. Our goal is to have every parking space filled, every chair occupied. We want people in every crevice of every campus we have. Many will have their perceptions about church changed. Many will have a completely different church experience then they imagined or experienced before. Many will find Jesus. Many will become regular church attenders. You might be inviting them to the place they truly belong. You inviting them to Easter could be the most important invitation they ever receive.
The six-day challenge is to pray for our Easter services. Pray that the people we invite will hear and respond to the gospel on Easter. But remember it is not about numbers. Metrics are valuable and big attendance days can help us envision what our church will look like in the years ahead. But don’t forget that every person is loved by God. And that every person needs the new life that God offers each of us.
Pray for:
- A spirit of joy and celebration in our services.
- Boldness in inviting neighbors and friends.
- Strong turnout for Easter services on all campuses.
- Clarity in presenting the gospel.
- Pray in faith that the Holy Spirit will work in people’s hearts.
- Hearts to be transformed and for people to accept Jesus as their Lord and Savior.