Why we had an Easter egg hunt in our front yard

"A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another" (John 13:34-35 ESV).

We have well-meaning Christians question our Easter EGGstravaganza event nearly every year. This year was no exception.

"Why are you encouraging the culture's wrong view of Easter by having an egg hunt?" They ask, troubled that our doctrine may be askew.

"Where is the money coming from to do an event like this?" They question, perhaps implying it should have been spent on something more spiritual.

"Why are we working so hard to get a crowd on our campus and then not even preaching the gospel from the stage to them?" They wonder, perhaps thinking we're wasting our effort.

All these are valid questions. But they reveal a misunderstanding of the purpose of a "front yard" event. When you do something inside the house or in the back yard, the neighbors aren't usually invited. But when you play or cookout in the front yard, all those passing by have access to your activity. It's like putting out the welcome mat to your neighbors.

This past Easter weekend we invited our community to WCC's front yard. We put out 2000 door hanger invites. We put ads in the newspaper. We put up signs on every intersection. And nearly 1800 of our neighbors came! They filled our church parking lot and we had to start parking their cars in two satellite lots off campus.

We put out 10,000 plastic filled-eggs for them to find. We offered everything free. Free hotdogs, drinks, cotton candy, and for our ever-growing Hispanic crowd, we had chicharrones with hot sauce. We invited dozens of local vendors to setup and offer free samples. We had the Wilson Police and Fire departments present with their Child ID program and the fire engines. We had games and inflated jumpers. Our English and Hispanic worship bands both played.

We did all this at great expense and effort on our parts, but for free to our neighbors. Why?

Simple. We did it to make friends. We want our community to know that they are welcome on our campus and that we love them and want to be their friend. We want them to know that we are giving of ourselves to them freely without expectation. We did it to plant seeds of friendship, seeds that might grow into an opportunity to share the gospel when they are ready to hear it.

We know that plastic eggs have nothing to do with the gospel, but we also know that loving one another often means reaching out and freely giving to our neighbors in order to gain their hearing. 

I don't know how many people from the nearly 1800 who attended our event will ever end up at our church. But I'm praying that our inviting them over to play and eat in our front yard will make them more likely to attend a church somewhere. And to perhaps finally open their ears to hear the gospel.

Comments

[Debra Elramey]

Gary, making friends is good enough reason to invite ALL to WCC front yard. Hats off!

[Gary Combs]

Thanks for the support Debi!

[Mike Massey]

Sharing the gospel is better done once a credible relationship has been established. Build the relationship first and let God handle the rest.

[Gary Combs]

Well said Mike. We have a similar saying at WCC: "Build a bridge of trust that will bear the weight of Truth."

[Rosalinda Hone]

The event that your church organized is inspiring. It's definitely a good start to build friendship and trust within your community. Hopefully, your church would have another Easter egg hunt next year. This could encourage the youth to attend and be a part of your growing church. I suggest that you separate the activities of the teens and the kids when you plan to have this event again next year. :)

[Gary Combs]

Thanks for your encouragement and suggestion, Rosalinda!