So we have reached the first climax in our 2011 season of church services; EASTER. Did I really just type that out?
One of my fears as a worship leader is being able to continually create moments that allow people to really experience the emotion of their relationship with Jesus through songs, creative movement, video, styles of songs, etc. Seasons like Easter and Christmas make it much more likely that people will allow themselves to meet with Him during a service simply because of the nature of the story being told at that time. At Easter, we talk about the death and resurrection of Christ and his marvelous sacrifice made for us. At Christmas, we talk about the anticipation and excitement of the story of the birth of the Saviour. During these seasons, it is not as difficult (if I can say that) to create opportunities for those moments to happen.
But what about all the rest of the "regular Sundays"?
I tend to think that these are truly the times that can be more crucial in our ministries to really minister to people where they are. It's the "ordinary days" in people's lives where we are maybe a little less "in the mode" of Jesus that we can slowly start to slip away. "Well Easter just passed so now we have a long series of Sundays where there aren't any good stories to talk about, therefore, I am going to probably be less engaged in what's going on at church." Does anybody even really think that way? I don't know. My gut reaction would be that maybe we really do FEEL that way, but we would never SAY it.
So how do we address this? How do you make all the other Sundays as interesting/powerful/purposeful as those at Easter and Christmas? Or a more dangerous question...How can we help those who only come to church at Easter and Christmas WANT to come other times of the year?
Why can't Easter and Christmas last all year?
It does.
The message through the rest of the year is still the same! God came in the form of baby Jesus.....33 years later He paid the ultimate sacrifice for us by dying on the cross.
So why is that story not as effective unless it's told on it's anniversary (or the day we select to act as such)? What is the real reason a lot of people only attend these two days out of the year?
I don't know....and I am a little worried/interested in finding that out.
My first thought about "the regular Sundays" is that (to me) it's similar to my marriage. There are many more "regular" days. We make big deals out of the holidays, anniversaries, and birthdays. But it's the regular days that we find out of what our marriage is really made. It's the same in my faith. The emotion of the holiday wears off, sometimes quicker than I'd like, but I do get back to my daily inner-struggle with this walk of following Christ.
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