What to Say Before you Take up the Easter Offering
If you haven’t thought about what to say before you take up the Easter offering here is a sample offering talk for you! Don’t fail to plan out the offering this Easter. After all the offering is worship. The key is setting up the offering as a time of worship. Create a moment that everyone, member and guest, WANT to participate in.
You have spent a lot of time planning out the best Easter service possible why not take some time to plan out the offering? In as little as sixty seconds you can set a positive stage for what many view as a negative moment. Use this Easter offering as a teachable moment to positively share why the offering is important and why EVERYONE should give.
If you are slammed for time here is this week’s offering talk for Easter…
For God So Loved the World That He Gave
John 3:16 is probably the most recognized verse in all of the Bible. More people have that verse memorized than any other. In fact let’s say that verse out loud. “For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son. That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” KJV
This weekend of Easter we are celebrating the death, burial and resurrection of God’s Son, Jesus. His death on the cross and his resurrection assure for us forgiveness of sin and thus peace with God. Those accepting Jesus receive eternal life forever. That is the promise of John 3:16 and it is what our celebration of Easter is all about.
Did you notice how John 3:16 begins? “For God so loved that he gave…” God gave us the most valuable thing, his own son. Why did he do that? Because he loves us. When you love someone you give them your best. We have gathered here to celebrate the love God showed and continues to show to us.
Every week we take up an offering to help support all the work in missions and ministry we do here. We are able to do what we do, sharing the Good News of Jesus, as a direct result of your generosity. Our offering is a time of worship where we can express gratitude to God for all that he has done for us. For us it is a thankful and joyful time.
The hymn writer Isaac Watts summed it up well when he penned the verses of the hymn, “When I Survey the Wondrous Cross.” He wrote…
- When I survey the wondrous cross
On which the Prince of glory died,
My richest gain I count but loss,
And pour contempt on all my pride. - Forbid it, Lord, that I should boast,
Save in the death of Christ my God!
All the vain things that charm me most,
I sacrifice them to His blood. - See from His head, His hands, His feet,
Sorrow and love flow mingled down!
Did e’er such love and sorrow meet,
Or thorns compose so rich a crown? - Were the whole realm of nature mine,
That were a present far too small;
Love so amazing, so divine,
Demands my soul, my life, my all.
Doesn’t that sum it up well? This morning as we celebrate Easter let’s give in the spirit of that hymn. For God so loved that he gave, let’s show our love to God by giving faithfully today!
That is it! Use my offering talk OR develop one of your own using this as an idea starter. The point is, make the Easter offering as meaningful and worshipful as possible and you will see positive results!
Happy Easter!
Mark Brooks – The Stewardship Coach