15 and Counting

They found the stone rolled away from the tomb, but when they went in, they did not find the body. The women were terrified and bowed their faces to the ground, but the [two men in dazzling clothes] said to them, “Why do you look for the living among the dead?” – Luke 24:2-3, 5a (NRSV) 

Just after Easter 2017, The Washington Post ran a piece entitled, “If It Doesn’t Stem Its Decline, Mainline Protestantism Has Just 23 Easters Left.” If you do the math, that means, after today, we’re down to 14. In 2040 we’ll celebrate our final Easter. Last one out, take a lily and hit the lights. 

My co-pastor and I do the math every year. We tell everyone who will listen about the article. It cracks us up in its absurdity. 

Not about the mainline church. It’s right. We’re probably toast. 

But so was Jesus. 

The headline of The Jerusalem Post reads, “If He Doesn’t Stem His Decline, Jesus Has Just One Week Remaining.” The countdown begins. The clock is ticking. Yet, he never seems to notice. Never strategizes with his disciples about how to turn things around. Neglects to take advantage of this inflection point. Fails to buck the downward trend. 

Instead, he follows it—into the earth. Instead, he follows it—to the gates of Hell. And he busts up the place. And rises to new life. 

Everywhere, all the time, the world is shouting: “Stem decline! Your days are numbered! Do something, or you’ll die!” 

But Easter never seems to notice. It doesn’t cling to life. It doesn’t fret over endings. As the countdown rolls, it shouts along like a crowd on New Year’s Eve. “10…9…8…” 

Because it knows: Resurrection only happens when you get to 0. 

Prayer
3…2…1…