It only takes a spark, remember, to set of a forest fire.
BUT FIRST, WE PRAY
As a church we are believing to reach our cities with the †=♥ message this Easter.This practical action plan is designed to unite our church as we practically apply the message of God's love.
Got your invite cards? Then let’s begin our Easter Action Plan in the best way possible... with prayer! Let’s believe together that God would reveal Himself to us in a fresh way as we lead into Easter and that He would allow us moments with others that would be like the spark that begins a fire of Salvation. May this Easter be a time when many people’s eyes would be opened to the true message of Easter... that of Jesus and ††††=♥.
DAY 01 Sunday 6th April
Today’s Action Step: SHARE YOUR TESTIMONY WITH ONE PERSON
Today is the day to share your Salvation story with someone! Take a deep breath, ask God to help you and simply tell someone how God has changed your life. Your efforts may not be perfect but it will be a ‘spark’ that you can trust God to breathe on. Go for it!
DAY 02 Monday 7th April
Today’s Action Step: SAY SOMETHING ENCOURAGING TO THREE PEOPLE
There is great power in our words. Today, let’s harness that power to SPEAK LOVE to those in our world. Choose three people - whether they are someone you see often, only occasionally or even someone you don’t know, and make a deliberate effort to let LOVE - encouragement, kindness, generosity - be on your lips when you speak to them today.
DAY 03 Tuesday 8th April
Today’s Action Step: ENCOURAGE SOMEONE IN WRITING
Sometimes we are good at thinking nice things about others and even saying kind things to them, but how often do we take the time to write it down? An encouraging card, email or SMS can be read over and over, so it’s a gift that keeps giving. Pray and ask God to bring someone to your mind who He would love you to encourage in written words, and then make some time in your day to write down specific words that will build them up.
DAY 04 Wednesday 9th April
Today’s Action Step: GIVE GIFTS WITH A †=♥ CARD ATTACHED
Today is the day that, as a whole church, we are going to ‘gift’ our city. In whatever way you are able, as many times as you are able, give GIFTS today with a †=♥ card attached. It could be as simple as a gift of words in a handwritten note, a box of chocolates, flowers, or maybe something more specific to the individual. Together, let’s pray that across our city, gifts will open hearts to the message of Jesus today.
DAY 05 Thursday 10th April
Today’s Action Step: LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOUR WITH ACTS OF KINDNESS
Today is the day to ‘love on’ (or maybe just get to know!) your neighbours (your actual next door neighbours). Take over a batch of cookies, take in their newspaper, have a chat about their garden over the fence, offer to wash their car when you do yours, put out their bin (only if it’s ‘bin night’!)... Whatever it takes to make a point of connection! Follow up by praying for them as your day draws to a close, asking God to strengthen your relationship so you can literally ‘love thy neighbour’.
DAY 06 Friday 11th April
Today’s Action Step: PRAY
As many of our studying or working weeks draw to a close, let’s make a deliberate effort to lift our focus away from our own concerns and to allow the Holy Spirit to show us what moves the heart of God. What’s a current world issue that moves you? Talk to God about it! Is God stirring your heart about the people in your city? Let’s believe for their Salvation and for our CityCare Street Teams to make 'God-connections' as they share the †=♥ message this weekend.
DAY 07 Saturday 12th April
Today’s Action Step: BE KIND TO YOUR FAMILY
For many of us, Saturday is ‘Family Day,’ although ‘family’ can look different for each of us! Today, let’s love on our families - be they our housemates, close friends, workmates, or the more traditional kinds of families - focussing on the good. Let’s serve one another with random acts of kindness and choose to be the greatest ‘cheerleaders’ of those we are most familiar with!
DAY 08 Sunday 13th April
Today’s Action Step: 'BUILD A BRIDGE' IN A RELATIONSHIP
Warning: this is a big one. Today’s the day for each of us to build bridges with anyone we are in conflict with. Whether it is a big falling out or simply a relationship that has been a tad ‘rocky’, let’s go out of our way today to allow the †=♥ message to truly work within us, as we pursue reconciliation and peace. May those of us who have been forgiven so much, extend forgiveness to others.
DAY 09 Monday 14th April
Today’s Action Step: CALL TWO PEOPLE
It’s Monday... we know! But even on a Monday we can make time to call 2 people for just 2 minutes each, right? If you are brave, scroll to the bottom of your SMS list or your email inbox, see who the bottom two people listed are and give those two people a call. Whoever you decide to contact, let them know that you love and appreciate them. Now... get to it!
DAY 10 Tuesday 15th April
Today’s Action Step: WALK AND PRAY FOR THE STREETS
If your Connect Group or RDG meets today, we would love you to walk and pray around your area together, believing that people will discover Jesus’ love this Easter. If your CG/RDG is not on this week, grab a family member or friend and do the same. Make sure you have your †=♥ invite cards in your pocket in case a great opportunity arises to invite someone as you walk and, if it’s appropriate, pop a card in the letterboxes of those houses you pray for. Let’s believe for conversations to ‘spark’ all over our local communities this evening!
DAY 11 Wednesday 16th April
Today’s Action Step: BUY A COFFEE (OR TEA)
Most of us love a good espresso and there's no better way to show love than to shout the person behind you in the line at your local cafe! Maybe you can leave a $5 note at the counter with a †=♥ card attached, or perhaps you will need to get the barista involved in your plan - whatever it takes to show the love and share the caffeine, hey?
DAY 12 Thursday 17th April
Today’s Action Step: BUY YOUR KILO OF KINDNESS
Today is the day to be generous in a practical way. Head to your local grocery store and purchase non-perishable food and hygiene items for our ‘Kilo of Kindness’. Bring your items to the Citycare stand at any Easter service. On the eve of celebrating Good Friday and God's goodness, let us be an individual's or family's answer to prayer.
DAY 13 Friday 18th April
Today’s Action Step: GOOD FRIDAY
It’s Friday... and Sunday is coming! Today, use whatever platform you have (SMS, email, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, whatever!) to share the †=♥ Easter message. Be prayerful, creative and deliberate as you craft your words and images, but most importantly, be YOU! Let those who see or read your thoughts see that the †=♥ message is personal and life - changing for you. Make sure you hashtag #crossequalslove!
DAY 14 Saturday 19th April
Today’s Action Step: FOLLOW UP THOSE YOU'VE INVITED TO EASTER
Today is the day to follow up on anyone that you’ve invited to come to our EasterSunday services. Give them a call and make a plan to travel together. Get out in the garden if you are hoping for a follow-up chat with the neighbour. Pray with us for nice weather, and keep your eyes looking upwards for the best conversation starter ever, as †=♥ is painted across the skies.
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