This Easter, share the hope of Jesus with ‘the cross’

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my-hopeFOR those who follow Jesus, Easter is about as good as it gets.

It’s a time to be joyful, a time to be thankful, a time to be-above all else-full of hope.

But what about those who haven’t encountered God’s radical love? For them, this Easter may be just another Sunday. Or, it could be life-changing.

This year, the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association (BGEA) is encouraging believers to celebrate the true meaning of Easter by sharing the hope of Christ with friends, family and neighbors.

To help, BGEA is providing free copies of the My Hope video “The Cross” to anyone who plans to share it.

“We want to provide a resource to the Church and encourage the church to pray, to look for the lost and to ask God to open a wide door of opportunity to share the Gospel,” said Steve Rhoads, BGEA’s vice president of My Hope. It’s a time when Christians around the world celebrate the most important moment in history-the moment when Jesus Christ rose from the grave, defeating death once and for all.

As the Easter outreach commences, BGEA is still hearing stories of how God moved during last November’s My Hope America with Billy Graham.

Centered around Mr. Graham’s 95th birthday on Nov. 7, My Hope gave believers a chance to share the Gospel by using one of three 30-minute videos. The flagship video, “The Cross,” featured a new message of hope from Billy Graham, along with the powerful stories of singer Lacey Sturm and rapper Lecrae.

Millions watched “The Cross” on Fox News and multiple network channels. Thousands shared the message through the internet or on DVD.

“One of the main lessons that we learned in November is that Christians are resourceful and creative,” Rhoads said. “We had people that were emailing links to their friends. They were sharing it on an iPad one-on-one. We had pastors who were opening up their churches to do an evangelistic outreach. We had individuals who hung a sheet in a public park and projected “The Cross” for people who walked by.”

Rhoads is excited to see believers come up with new ideas for the Easter season.

“We want to put the resource in their hands and say, ‘We have all kinds of creative ways to do this, but you don’t have to do it our way,'” Rhoads said. “Just do something. Share it at church or at home over coffee, but find a way to share the Gospel at Easter.”

For those who find themselves on the shy side, Rhoads points out that Billy Graham, Lacey Sturm and Lecrae can do most of the talking.

“Mr. Graham is loving and articulate,” Rhoads said. “And in combination with Lacey and Lecrae’s testimony, it brings a person to a point where they have to make a decision.” BGEA

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