I wanted to share what our church is doing this month in preparation for an upcoming outreach event on March 28th in our community. We have sort of adopted a local park for the sole purpose of encouraging and loving people. The first few events we did we simply gave stuff away. Hundreds of coats & shoes, diapers & wipes. You didn’t have do anything to receive the stuff – just get in line and we gave it to you.
Slowly we are learning that many people are receptive and eager to be prayed for. And so now we ask how we can pray for our new friends we meet and we take time right then to pray with them. Not everyone is comfortable with this and we’re cool with that. We give space when space is needed but we spend weeks praying for God to give us wisdom to know when to lean in and pray over people, share the Gospel and invite them to church.
So on March 28th we will be putting on an Easter Egg hunt at this same park. We’ve reserved the shelters and signed a contract. For the last few weeks our church has been collecting plastic eggs, candy and we have been training on how to use the resurrection eggs as a tool to share the Gospel. Because after we have an awesome cool egg hunt we will sit in small groups of 12 all around the park and share the Gospel through resurrection eggs. We have built in some low pressure options to keep people from fleeing immediately after the egg hunt but at the same time we don’t want people to feel like they got trapped into hearing the Gospel either.
We have no idea what to expect because we’ve never done this before. We might be crazy insane but at least we know we’re Spirit-led crazy insane because we really do know God has put this thing in our hearts and He is providing in awesome ways for this day.
Tonight we watched this most adorable video of a small child telling the resurrection eggs. Our point was this – if a five year old girl can do this so can you! The Gospel story is not intimidating to share but sometimes as adults we complicate things.
Don’t have a set of resurrection eggs? Go get you some here or drop in Lifeway and grab some. They really are a powerful tool. You may find this hard to believe but there are kids in your community that have not heard the story of Jesus loving them so much that He died for them and rose again. This is HUGE never heard news for someone out there this Easter.
Who will you tell the Good News to this month?
Oh WOW!! Just came here today from Sunday Women and first off I LOVE your sassy site 😉 its very cute and bright! And second whohooooooo for an AMAZING outreach idea … I can’t wait to hear how it goes. I’m the PW of a small church just planted in recent years we are always looking for ways to reach our down town community … I think next year we may have t try this … Its been lovely to visit here.
Awww thanks Shelley…..so glad you came by! We planted a small church (13 years) before coming to NC and girl it’s not for sissies! It’s incredibly awesome and incredibly terrifying all at the same time. I look forward to reading your story at your blog.
I love the Resurrection Eggs! I have used them with elementary age children in Sunday School and you’re right, once they have heard what the symbols in each egg stand for, children of any age can share with others. Many blessings to you!
yeah and I think it really helps kids learn to share the Gospel at an early age.
This is such a great idea!! You will have to let us know how it goes – I wonder if my church would be interested in doing this one year. I love the resurection eggs!
yes, Jen I’ll share a follow up post and share what worked and didn’t work. What we’d do differently but most importantly what GOD did through it all.