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Leading up to Easter, I noticed some people in my community were in upbeat moods. During a recent grocery store run, I wore my baby blue sweatshirt with "Jesus" on the back. While waiting for a store clerk to assist me with my purchases -- I had overlooked that I was due two free bags of Lay's potato chips -- an older woman was greeting shoppers, saying, "Happy Easter to everyone!" She walked by me and smiled, tapping me on the shoulder. Her enthusiasm reflected how many Americans feel about celebrating Resurrection Sunday, as Easter is also commonly called. Lifeway Research shared recent online survey data from YouGov this month on how Easter is revered. YouGov aims for sample sizes between 1,000 and 2,000 participants, although a specific number of respondents was not listed in Lifeway Research's report. Overall, 66% of those polled stated that they "like Easter," and YouGov has found that its "popularity scores" have been consistent since fall 2020. Lifeway Research also shared consumer statistics for Easter from the National Retail Federation, which estimates that Americans will spend approximately $189.26 per person preparing for this religious holiday, coming to a projected total of $23.6 billion. Most of this money will probably be spent on dinners, new church outfits and candy.

So, while Easter continues to be very festive, Lifeway Research senior writer Aaron Earls points out that "many still don't recognize the day's theological significance." I agree with his assessment, as I have seen that Easter is very similar to Christmas, with church attendance significantly increasing during these special observances. Citing 2024 research from pastors, Earls explains that Easter, Christmas and Mother's Day are the "three highest-attendance Sundays for churches." This has remained consistent since 2011. Those who are not frequent churchgoers are most likely motivated to attend these services with family members. These gatherings also serve as small reunions for people returning home to fellowship with relatives and friends.

I also think the lack of comprehending "theological significance" Earls mentions is heavily related to folks who have been in church for a while but have been stagnant in applying biblical precepts. It's easy to slip into a routine of Sunday church attendance, especially for those raised in a religious family. However, if they do not develop spiritual maturity, they become complacent in their faith or leave the church altogether, in the most unfortunate cases. I believe this is why research continues to show that church attendance is decreasing in the U.S. Many people are hungry for in-depth teaching of Scripture and have grown tired of traditional church customs that do not emphasize having an intimate relationship with God.

While many Easter Sunday sermons will focus on Jesus' resurrection and victory over "death, hell, and the grave," it would be enlightening if more pastors included teaching about the true meaning of repentance. The resurrection is an essential Easter theme, but believing that Christ rose from the grave is not enough to remain grounded in spiritual conviction. In one of my church's March Bible study sessions, my pastor, Overseer S.D. Carter, pointed out that repentance is a "transformative" act and a "divine reset" in the renewing of the mind. In other words, one has to change the way they have been conditioned to think, basically disengaging from immoral cultural and societal influences. Notice that Jesus did not begin His earthly ministry talking about His resurrection that was to come; rather, His first command was to "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand" (Matthew 4:17). He urged His followers to change their thought process so that they would be able to operate in dominion and authority through yielding to God's sovereign reign. In doing so, the outward results would be triumphant living in the face of every challenging circumstance.

Imagine if all those polled in the YouGov survey who said they "liked" Easter had a deeper understanding of repentance. Easter and other church services would have more meaning because they would have a daily touch of the outpouring of God's love, grace and power. They would have a divinely active lifestyle reflecting what they profess to believe.

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Dr. Jessica A. Johnson is a lecturer in the English department at Ohio State University's Lima campus. Email her at smojc.jj@gmail.com. Follow her on X: @JjSmojc. To find out more about Jessica Johnson and read features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate website at www.creators.com.

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