Ready for Easter yet? How will you help the people in your church prepare their hearts to celebrate the greatest news ever—Jesus’ death and resurrection?

It’s a truism in marketing. Customers must see an ad 5–7 times before it has any potential for changing their behavior. That’s why Nike puts its “swoosh” everywhere, positioning it prominently in televised sports and other athletic venues.

It’s also why more and more churches have begun to look for ways to “theme” major celebrations—like the weeks leading up to Easter. And it’s why CTA wants to work with you as you think about doing it, too.

Whether yours is a house-church, a mega-church, or something in-between, this year’s theme, The Power of the Cross, will resonate with worshipers. The theme and the materials connected with it bring Christ’s love and peace home to wounded, weak, and wandering hearts. And it will encourage deeper faith and worship among your more stalwart members, too.

Highlighting the Power of the Cross

What if you could . . .

• Distribute thought-provoking devotional materials to your members, materials your people would actually use each day during the six weeks leading up to Easter Sunday, materials that will rivet their attention on the power of the cross and on the sacrifice Jesus made there for us?
• Tie each sermon leading up to Easter to the life-changing Scriptures worshipers will have pondered during the week, thus deepening the connections between their own life’s journey and their Savior’s commitment to them?
• Access sermons that are free and downloadable, sermons you can customize, adding notes and prayer reminders, sermons you can then print out?  And what if each of those sermons came with a free PowerPoint you could use in each week’s midweek or Sunday service?
• Pose a handful of questions designed to get worshipers talking about the sermon of the day or about their devotional readings for the week or both? What if those questions (two sets—one set based on the sermon and the other on the weekly devotions) could be used in a variety of settings, like Sunday school classes, home Bible study groups, or even within individual families? And what if those questions were also free and downloadable?!

CTA, your partner in ministry, has created a unique product line and many free resources designed around The Power of the Cross theme for use during the Easter preparation and Easter celebration season 2010. We’ve done this because we want to help you communicate The Power of the Cross in ways you may not even have thought possible!

Here’s the line-up in brief:

• The new Power of the Cross devotion booklet, designed for daily use by families and individual members of your congregation. Each of the devotions and prayer starters will help members and visitors think more deeply about what Jesus did for them on the cross as they prepare their hearts to celebrate his resurrection victory.
• The new Power of the Cross corded bracelet will serve as a great reminder to teens and young adults that the power of the cross is Christ at work for their salvation.
• The new Power of the Cross activity book and free pencil  provide kids ages 7–12 with an engaging format for discovering what Christ’s work on the cross means in their lives today and forever.
• Younger children can learn both the Easter story and the meaning behind several of Jesus’ names as they engage with the six free devotions that accompany the new Power of the Cross activity magnet. Assembled, the six pieces form a cross.
• Visitors will be delighted with the Power of the Cross jumbo bookmark and pen or laminated magnet. Either gift will put into their hands a reminder of the real meaning of Jesus’ Easter victory over sin and death.

Here are the six weekly themes and Scripture texts on which the free sermons are based:

Week 1: The Power of The Cross
2 Corinthians 5:14–17

Week 2: God’s Answer to Our Whys
John 11:1–44

Week 3: The Woe and Wow of Worship
Luke 5:1–11

Week 4: No Strings Attached
Mark 10:17–22

Week 5: A Stone’s Throw
John 8:1–11

Week 6 (Holy Week): The View from the Donkey
Luke 19:28–44

Week 7 (Bonus Sermon for Easter Sunday): What Are You Looking For?
John 20:1–8

Many blessings as you and those you serve grow in understanding and treasuring Christ’s powerful cross and the victory he won there—for you!

You are welcome to copy this article for one-time use in your organization as long as you will receive no monetary benefit from it. Please include this copyright line and submit an actual copy of use to CTA, attention Editorial Manager.

Used with permission grant #121609. © 2010 CTA, Inc. No duplication of this article is allowed without the express written consent of CTA, PO Box 1205, Fenton, MO 63026-1205. www.CTAinc.com.

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