A good Baptist pastor friend shared with me a terrible omission made by the Southern Baptist Convention’s 1996-1997 calendar of activities. It failed to designate March 30, 1997, as Easter Sunday!

The calendar is actually a 16-month September-December long-range planning calendar used by church leaders and produced by the Southern Baptist Convention’s Executive Committee. It was simply an omission.

Ernest Mosely, the Convention Executive Vice President, said, “The omission does not represent official action of the Southern Baptist Convention.” I jokingly told my friend that I knew the Baptists were powerful, but I’m glad they did not take official action to cancel Easter!

Putting Easter on the calendar doesn’t cause it to happen. Easter happens in hearts of believers. Be sure you don’t inadvertently omit or miss the celebration of Easter – the heart of our Christian faith.

[The above is an excerpt found on page 94 from the book Extra Effort by John Ed Mathison. Extra Effort is available through the John Ed Mathison Leadership Ministries.]