Don’t Call Me Anti-Easter, But…

Probably every pastor would agree that it’s a problem that we have a country full of people who have the bizarre idea that it’s okay to go to church just once or twice a year. “If I make it on Easter, and maybe Christmas, I’m fine.” We want people to understand that every Sunday is resurrection Sunday, and that we need Jesus 52 of the Sundays of the year, and all the days in between as well.

So I’m wondering: Does the huge deal we make about Easter contribute to the problem? I’m not saying that “internally” (in our hearts, in our families, in our small groups) we shouldn’t make a big deal of Easter. (Though we’re never told to observe Easter Sunday in the Bible. In fact it’s never even mentioned in the Bible. In fact, I’m pretty sure it was never celebrated until the middle or late second century).

What I’m saying is maybe when we beg everyone to invite friends, pump up our service with extras, blog like crazy about how we should and shouldn’t preach on Easter, send out postcards inviting people to come — maybe we’re betraying ourselves? Maybe we’re reinforcing some people’s belief that Easter is the Super Bowl, and just like a person who doesn’t really like football but will go to a Super Bowl party, we’re unintentionally telling people it’s okay to just show up for the one big one.

What do you think? Am I right? Wrong? A heretic?