Easter Sunday 2013

I have spent the last two Easter Sundays pouring into children in ministry, teaching them about the underserving death of Jesus on the cross and his foretold resurrection that occurred three days later. I love that story. In fact, I am convinced that it is the greatest story ever told.

Last year, I was just getting involved in children's ministry and I had no idea what to expect. I had always known that Easter was a big day for churches especially for kid’s church, next to Christmas, of course. But, what does a nineteen-year-old girl do with thirty-something kids? I was a little scared, but it was more the excited kind of scared. Sure enough, God gave me the grace... and the patience to do it and it was great! Yes, there were plenty of things that I learned in the process, but overall, my first Easter as a "kid’s pastor" was totally awesome.

This year, I was expecting Easter to be utterly amazing. I had planned for it, hoped for it, RECRUITED for it (gah, it was difficult), prayed for it, and even campaigned for it! As a church, we challenged each individual to bring three people who are unbelievers. I figured our numbers would double from last year. We're talking ninety kids! We even rented a tent to comply. I was so pumped about this lesson... I pictured children running to the alter giving their hearts to Jesus. Well, it didn't quite go as planned... actually, it didn't go as planned at all. First of all, it raiiiiiiiiined. And mind you, we were outside and in a tent, the temperature is dropping, kids are complaining, and I am freezing and giving all of my layers of clothing to the kids! Not to mention, we only had sixteen kids and three of them were helpers. Things went very differently than expected, but I was determined to keep my excitement, my energy, and my zeal for salvation. Well, nobody came to the altar after the teaching and invitation to become a Christian. Not even one. Nobody even wanted prayer at the end. This Easter really didn't go as planned.

At first, I was really discouraged. Did I do a poor job presenting the Gospel? Was I not convincing enough? I felt inadequate, like I should have just played a movie. But then there was the voice speaking to my spirit, it's not for the count, it's for the cause. Regardless of what did or didn't happen in that two hour period on Sunday, Jesus is still alive and on His throne and those sixteen children needed to know it. They needed to feel the excitement, hear the story, and see the truth depicted in modern videos and images. When Jesus walked, it was twelve that walked with him. Jesus could have been stumped by the few numbers, but instead he was driven by His cause and those twelve changed the world.

So folks, Easter service was far from what I expected, but I sure did learn a lot. And, I am already excited to give my all next year, no matter what results come forth.