Ventura, Calif.—According to a new poll out for Holy Week, a minority of Americans knows what’s actually being celebrated on Easter. Although 67 percent of respondents link the holiday to a religious occasion, only 42 percent say it commemorates Jesus’ resurrection from the dead. And only two percent of people say Easter is their most important faith holiday.

People who identify Easter as having religious connotations are often wildly off the mark. Two percent of respondents say it’s about the birth of Christ, and one percent say it’s a celebration of Jesus’ second coming. Young adults ages 18 to 25 are least likely to say Easter is a religious holiday.

Those who view Easter from a secular standpoint connect it to spring, gathering with loved ones, a symbol of new beginnings, a time to dye and hide eggs, and a fun event for children.

The Barna Group survey also asked how likely people are to invite unchurched friends to Easter worship. Most active churchgoers say they’d consider that, but only 31 percent say they’d definitely invite someone to church on Easter. People who believe Easter is about Jesus’ resurrection aren’t more likely to issue invitations than are people with other beliefs about the holiday.

Barna president David Kinnaman said this research suggests that people’s “personal beliefs about Jesus have not yet translated into a sense of urgency for having spiritual conversations with their acquaintances.”

Kinnaman added, “If all of the people who said they would bring unchurched people with them on Easter were to follow through, America’s churches couldn’t handle the overflow.” The challenge, he said, is to discover what’s keeping people from acting on their intentions to invite others.

Source: barna.org

Discussion Questions:

• What’s your reaction to this survey? Are you surprised there’s so much confusion about Easter and its meaning? Explain. How would you describe Easter to an unchurched friend?

• What does Easter mean to you, personally? How do you celebrate it? Is it okay to incorporate some secular aspects of Easter in your celebration, or does that send mixed signals? Explain. What would you say to skeptics who insist that Christian holidays have pagan origins?

• What “faith holiday” is most important to you, and why? What impact do religious celebrations have on your beliefs? on your daily walk with God? What are some ways to make the festivities last beyond that one special day?

• What misperceptions about religion and religious holidays have you encountered? If visitors attend worship only on special holidays, what impressions—right or wrong—are they likely to get about Christianity and the church?

• Are you willing to invite unchurched friends to worship or youth group? If so, are you more likely to do this for special occasions such as Easter? Have you ever followed through and actually invited a friend? If so, what approach did you use, and how was it received? What would you do differently next time?

• Do you feel a sense of urgency for talking to other people about God? Does doing so come naturally to you, or does it feel forced and awkward? Explain.

• What are some ways you can make your church or youth group more welcoming and comfortable for visitors? What are some ways you can help turn visitors into faithful, faith-filled regulars?

Scripture links: Matthew 28:1-10; Acts 2:29-36; Romans 6:4-10; 1 Corinthians 15:20-22; Philippians 3:10-11; and Colossians 2:12.

Stephanie Martin is a freelance writer and editor in Colorado.