{"id":5800,"date":"2017-03-31T13:40:57","date_gmt":"2017-03-31T17:40:57","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.garycombs.org\/blog\/?p=5800"},"modified":"2017-03-31T13:50:17","modified_gmt":"2017-03-31T17:50:17","slug":"two-ways-you-can-help-us-prepare-for-a-full-house-this-easter","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.garycombs.org\/blog\/2017\/03\/two-ways-you-can-help-us-prepare-for-a-full-house-this-easter.html","title":{"rendered":"Two ways you can help us prepare for a full house this Easter"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"“And the master said to the servant, \u2018Go out to the highways and hedges and compel people to come in, that my house may be filled” (Luke 14:23 ESV).<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cWhen you are invited by someone to a wedding feast, do not sit down in a place of honor, lest someone more distinguished than you be invited by him,<\/span><\/span> and he who invited you both will come and say to you, \u2018Give your place to this person,\u2019 and then you will begin with shame to take the lowest place.<\/span><\/span> But when you are invited, go and sit in the lowest place, so that when your host comes he may say to you, \u2018Friend, move up higher.\u2019 Then you will be honored in the presence of all who sit at table with you” (Luke 14:8-10 ESV).<\/span><\/span><\/em><\/p>\n

We’re praying and preparing for a full house on Easter weekend.<\/p>\n

We’re preparing great music and a gospel-centered message. We’ve designed and printed\u00a0invite cards, door hangars, and signs to help promote our services. We’re planning to utilize social media and Facebook ads to send out invites. We’re offering\u00a0four services instead of our usual two to make room for everyone.<\/p>\n

Yet, there are key two areas where\u00a0our church members are best suited to\u00a0help us prepare for a full house this Easter<\/strong> (Hint: It’s about who you invite and where you sit):<\/strong><\/p>\n

1. Invite people to attend our services.<\/strong><\/p>\n

In Luke 14, Jesus told two banquet parables. One was about a wedding banquet and the other was about a “great banquet.”\u00a0The great banquet parable illustrates our call as servants of God to be busy inviting people that the Master’s “house might be filled.”<\/p>\n

In this parable, Jesus described a master who sent his servant out to invite people to his banquet. But everyone the servant invited gave an excuse for not being able to attend. So, the master told the servant to go out and “bring in the poor and crippled and blind and lame,” that his house might be filled. The servant reported that he had done as commanded, yet there was still room at the table. So, the master sent the servant back out to “compel” people to come.<\/p>\n

The truth is, most people who visit our church\u00a0have come because of a personal invitation from a family member or friend. Look at these statistics explaining what prompted someone to visit and attend church (From evangelismcoach.org<\/a>)<\/p>\n