10 of those

Easter can often feel like a wasted opportunity for evangelism. After all, the message of Easter is clear – Christ died for your sins and mine, then rose again so that we can have a new life in Him. But amid the Easter–egg hunts, the chocolate, and the bunny costumes, that message can feel lost in the noise.

When would you even have the chance to speak of the message of the cross? Your friends may have happily come along to your church’s nativity celebration, but attending an Easter service feels like a bigger ask. In your conversations in the weeks leading up to Easter, you listen, waiting for the question: ‘So what is Easter about, really?’ But Easter Sunday comes and goes with the question never arriving.

What can be done about this?

Books can help us to start grabbing those evangelistic opportunities before they slip away. The book opens the conversation for you; you’re not waiting for the questions to be asked, you’re letting the book ask those questions for you. It’s a meaningful way of blessing your friends and family members, as this gift that will last them long after the chocolates have been eaten. A book can also meet them where they’re at – for a child, a brightly illustrated story of Jesus’ death and resurrection may engage their heart; for a skeptic, an in–depth look at the evidence for the empty tomb may be deeply compelling; for a seeker, an introductory gospel could open their eyes to the truth of the claims of Jesus. 

How do I give an Easter book?

When you’re looking for them, there are more opportunities to give away books than you might think. Why not pop a book in an Easter basket of goodies for your neighbor? Or give out Easter story books to children as prizes in a treasure hunt instead of (or in addition to) chocolate eggs? You could even involve your whole church – put a book in every seat at your Easter service, or, if your services are online this year, have some members of the congregation canvass their neighborhoods and hand out books with an invite to your virtual service. Imagine the evangelistic reach you could have, if every member of your congregation gave away just one book this Easter. 

Sharing a book is not the end of the story! Before you pass out books, you can pray, ‘Lord, please show me who to give these to this Easter. Help me to be bold in giving this away.’ Afterward, you can pray, ‘Lord, open their hearts to the message of your Cross. Give me opportunities to speak about this book with them.’ And then, be willing to open the conversation. Ask open questions and be prepared for them to return with questions of their own. Maybe start with, ‘Have you had a chance to read that book? What did you think?’ It’s helpful to have read (or at least skim–read) the book beforehand so you can engage in meaningful discussion. Then be prepared for God to work. Our books, conversations, and answers do not bring people to faith – only God alone can do that.

Resources:

For Children:

Are We Nearly There Yet?

https://www.10ofthose.com/us/products/3014/are-we-nearly-there-yet 

The Garden, the Curtain, and the Cross

https://www.10ofthose.com/us/products/2704/garden-the-curtain-and-the

Easter Activities Book

https://www.10ofthose.com/us/products/1187/easter-activities-book-1

For Adults:

Love Story https://www.10ofthose.com/us/products/1105/love-story 

Easter: The Greatest News https://www.10ofthose.com/us/products/9203/easter-the-greatest-news 

Your Verdict on the Empty Tomb https://www.10ofthose.com/us/products/2125/your-verdict-on-the-empty 

Heaven, How I Got Here https://www.10ofthose.com/us/products/1490/heaven-how-i-got-here 

Glen Scrivener Easter Pack

https://www.10ofthose.com/us/products/7177/glen-scrivener-easter-pack

The Case for Christ

https://www.10ofthose.com/us/products/2164/the-case-for-christ

Gospels and Tracts:

ESV John

https://www.10ofthose.com/us/products/1685/esv-gospel-of-john-readers

The Gospel According to Mark

https://www.10ofthose.com/us/products/1272/the-gospel-according-to-mark

Christ Died for Our Sins (Tract)

https://www.10ofthose.com/us/products/1231/christ-died-for-our-sins