The Monday After Easter: When Christianity Becomes Visible

I stood up from my chair as the worship band hit the first note of the invitation song. It was Easter Sunday morning. The gospel message was delivered beautifully, and I felt the move of the Holy Spirit all around me in the room. I watched as people were prompted on the inside to come forward and pray with someone about giving their lives to the Lord and following in the public profession of their faith through baptism. Each one walked up and grabbed a towel and headed toward the baptistry.I was overwhelmed and moved to tears. 

The worship leader sang–from Chandler Moore & Elevation Worship’s “God I’m Just Grateful”

There was no way until You made one

Grace upon grace, hallelujah

Even though I don't deserve it, You did it

Even though I couldn't earn it, You give it

I watched as entire families came forward: 

A dad, crying, holding the hand of his wife, their young daughter leading the way. 

A friend from high school, tears in his eyes and a resolute look on his face. 

A former student’s mother, baptized, as tears streamed down her cheeks. 

This is the kind of holy work that only God can do. 

Then, the next thing I knew, the egg hunt and Easter dinner had come and gone. 

My parents took home some leftovers, and we waved goodbye, as I walked them to their car in the cool night air. 

Now, it was Monday morning. 

I was in the car driving to drop off my kids to school, and I could not shake this overwhelming thought–yesterday was so incredible, but what’s next for all of them? 

As a Christian who has been raised in church, I never had to think about “what now” because I was surrounded with people who already knew what to do, and they presented me with those opportunities and that guidance. 

But what about the person on Sunday who came to church alone or with a friend, felt the move of God, was miraculously transformed after baptism, but woke up on Monday morning to the same alarm clock and the same cup of coffee. 

Here, my friend, is where true Christianity becomes visible.

I can post a cute scripture on Instagram. 

I can hashtag all of the Easter photos of my beautiful, matching family and say how much I love my church. 

I can take aesthetic photos of the Easter ham and desserts, and then make some cute quips about how I’m going back to the gym tomorrow. 

But, who is checking on those people come Monday? 

I’ll be vulnerable and say that I went straight from a feeling of awe and holy inspiration on the car ride home from church to walking into the house in mom-mode, cleaning and preparing for company. The holy moment faded in me faster than I wanted it to, and when that car ride on Monday morning brought remembrance of my friends who had just made the most important decision they would ever make the day before, I was convicted. 

Christianity becomes visible through the church. 

Not just the pastor. 

Not just the Sunday school teachers. 

Not just the youth pastor and children’s church volunteers. 

The whole church. 

Who is “the whole church”? 

That’s me and you, friend. 

The church is made up of the believers that are all walking this faith journey together. 

I want to encourage you to find the people you saw walk up during that invitation on Sunday at your church. 

Text them.

Call them. 

Ask them to come over and sit at your table for dinner. 

But most importantly, keep checking in and pointing them toward Jesus. 

Here is what discipleship actually looks like in real life: it is one person deciding that another person's faith journey matters enough to show up for it. Consistently. Intentionally. Not just on Sunday. It is the quiet, holy work of walking alongside someone while they figure out who they are in Christ.

What are the next steps? 

You don’t have to have all of the answers. 

You don’t have to be a perfect Christian. 

You just have to show up. 

Here’s what showing up looks like: 

Find these people. 

Call, text, meet for coffee, make them a meal. 

Encourage them to spend time with the Lord through prayer and reading God’s word. 

Teach them to pray intentionally for God to reveal things in their lives that are keeping them from progressing spiritually. 

Ask how you can pray for them specifically. 

Help them find a new, Godly community as this is a key element in helping them stay on the path of faith. 

Invite them to church on a consistent, regular basis. Pick them up, save them a seat, look for them in the crowd. Feeling like they belong and someone is expecting them is what keeps them coming back. 

Talk to them about Life Groups, DGroups, and instructional classes at church that can help them understand more of what they are reading in God’s word and provide a strong faith-based community of believers. 

The transformation began on Easter Sunday, but the heart work starts on Monday morning. 

This is your sign: Be the church that God called us to be.