When Easter Falls Flat: A Message for the Burnt-Out Ministry Worker.

I know, it's impossible for the day Jesus rose from the dead to actually "fall flat." But sometimes, I venture to say it might feel like it, just a bit. You see, there’s not a more exciting day in church life than Easter Sunday. Even though every week is a celebration of the resurrection, there is still something so special about Resurrection Sunday, the day we set aside to celebrate the resurrection of Jesus on the Biblical timeline.

So you and your team have put extra time in. You planned for weeks. You spent hours in brainstorming sessions, working out every detail. You prayed for guidance, for the Lord to show you the right service plan, the right songs, the right Scripture passages. You prayed for the hearts of the congregation. For those who have never before stepped foot in the church. You spent the whole week ahead reaching out to unsaved neighbors and encouraging your congregation to do the same. You spent time with the Lord examining your heart leading up to service. You started getting excited about the service plan, the message, the details and transitions, worshipping with your congregation. You couldn’t wait to see how God will move in this service, on this special day. Because if any day should cause a Christian to be excited and participate in worship, it’s Easter Sunday. And then, the big day arrives. 

And service really does seem to fall flat. Blank faces stare back at you. Not one visitor. People yawn and scroll their phones during the message and you know they aren’t on the Bible app. After you welcome them and try to infuse some life with your proclamation of “Good morning church, He is Risen!” they clap and sing the first verse of the song you introduced weeks ago, but by the first interlude it has all died out. Before service has even ended, you see people slipping out and headed for the door to make sure they “avoid the traffic” on their way out to Easter lunch. 

And you sit there just like every Sunday, reminding yourself that you aren’t responsible for peoples’ reaction. All you can do is set an example through your teaching, through your worship. That their apathy, if that is what it is, is between their heart and the Lord. You remind yourself that you don’t know what they are going through, and although rarely seen in Scripture, perhaps they really did worship stoically. But yet, deep inside, you are disappointed. Because it could have been so much more. You wish you could worship with a congregation that was excited to participate in worship. You wonder just what you have to do to get some participation, some joy, some unified worship. You wonder what you’re doing wrong. 

If this description wasn’t your church this past Sunday, if it was the opposite for you, take a moment right now to genuinely thank the Lord. Because sadly, this is the norm for the majority of American churches. Not just Easter, but every single Sunday. This may sound a little harsh, but it truly is reality.  

What are we doing wrong? What is going on? Why is it like this? Those are questions for another blog…blogs. But right now, I just want to provide some encouragement for the pastor who came in holding their head high this past Monday morning, but really was withering inside. The pastor who is trying as hard as he can to lead the best way he can. The pastor who is begging God to move in his congregation, who longs to see the lost saved and the saved revived, and is disappointed Sunday after Sunday, week after week, year after year. So here is the best encouragement I could come up with:

1. The Lord sees you.

He really does. He sees the work you put in, your desire to honor Him, your desire to lead your congregation to the throne room. And if that is truly your hearts’ desire, if you sought Him every step of the way, then He is pleased with you. He. is. pleased. Just sit for a moment and let that sink in. Your Lord is pleased with you. He judges you by your heart. Not the apparent (or unapparent) results. 

“He has told you, mortal one, what is good;

And what does the Lord require of you

But to do justice, to love kindness,

And to walk humbly with your God?” Micah 6:8 

Whatever you do, do your work heartily, as for the Lord and not for people, knowing that it is from the Lord that you will receive the reward of the inheritance. It is the Lord Christ whom you serve.’ Colossians 3:23-24

Notice, there’s absolutely nothing in these verses about controlling the response of another person. There’s nothing in these verses saying His favor will be granted based on results. It’s all about your personal heart and your personal work for Him. :)

2. If the Word of God was read, then He is working.

Plain and simple. There is a beautiful promise for us in Isaiah 55 and Hebrews 4. Things are bigger than you. He is greater than you. You can’t make things happen, but He can. You can’t see all the ways He is working. But what you can know is that if you have read His Word, you HAVE done something for His kingdom. 

“For the word of God is living and active, and sharper than any two-edged sword, even penetrating as far as the division of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart.” Hebrews 4:12

“So will My word be which goes out of My mouth;

It will not return to Me empty,

Without accomplishing what I desire,

And without succeeding in the purpose for which I sent it.” Isaiah 55:11

3. It’s ok to hope for something better.

It doesn’t mean that you don’t love your congregation, and it doesn’t necessarily mean you are judgmental. It doesn’t mean your standards are too high. To desire a healthy, vibrant worship culture in your church SHOULD be your desire as a leader. Don’t feel guilty for continuing to hope and pray and lead toward that. 

“Therefore, if you have been raised with Christ, keep seeking the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on the things that are above, not on the things that are on earth.” Colossians 3:1-2

“But a time is coming, and even now has arrived, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for such people the Father seeks to be His worshipers. God is spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.’” John 4:12

4. One day, you will be at the worship gathering you dream of. Eternally.

Even if your services never reach the point you hope they will. Even if apathy and sin in the church continues to grow. When we reach eternity, every single one of us will be made perfect, and our worship will be holy and perfect as well. 

“After these things I looked, and behold, a great multitude which no one could count, from every nation and all the tribes, peoples, and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes, and palm branches were in their hands; and they cried out with a loud voice, saying,

‘Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb.’

And all the angels were standing around the throne and around the elders and the four living creatures; and they fell on their faces before the throne and worshiped God, saying,

‘Amen, blessing, glory, wisdom, thanksgiving, honor, power, and might belong to our God forever and ever. Amen.’”

Revelation 7:9-12

What a glorious day that will be!

5. Don’t give up.

Don’t lower your standards. Don’t adjust and give in to the apathy. Don’t throw your hands up and create more worldly, superficial services in order to try to “connect.” Don’t detour from what the Lord has called you to do in your church, and instead dumb things down simply to try and invoke a response. 

"But as for you, brothers and sisters, do not grow weary of doing good." 1 Thessalonians 3:13 

“Come to Me, all who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is comfortable, and My burden is light.” Matthew 11:28-30

So if this week was slightly more difficult for you than last week, take some time to remind yourself of these truths. Sit with the Lord and tell Him your disappointment. He understands, and He can help you work through it more than anyone else can. He truly sees you, and He sees your heart for Him and for His church. If you desire a healthy worship culture in your church and are grieved by apathy and sin, there is no one else who understands that more than Him. Because healthy worship in the church is His desire too.