Faithful Freedom: How Your Congregation Can Celebrate National and Spiritual Freedom in Christ this Summer

Juneteenth and the 4th of July can be wonderful opportunities for congregations to celebrate both national and spiritual freedom in Christ. This summer, consider these four ways to help your community honor the past as we worship God for what He has done.

EDUCATE

“For he has rescued us from the kingdom of darkness and transferred us into the Kingdom of his dear Son, who purchased our freedom and forgave our sins.” (Colossians 1:13-14, NLT)

These holidays can advance learning for families as we reflect on history and honor the sacrifices that made our freedom possible. We can recognize June 19, 1865 (aka Juneteenth) as the date that freedom was proclaimed to slaves in the most remote areas in Texas. We can honor July 4, 1776, as the date when Americans declared freedom from British rule. In both cases, we can educate our congregations on God’s hand throughout history to make freedom available for all. While history is never uncomplicated, the proclamation of freedom is always a treasure for which we can all be proud. 

ACTIVATE

“For you have been called to live in freedom, my brothers and sisters. But don’t use your freedom to satisfy your sinful nature. Instead, use your freedom to serve one another in love.” (Galatians 5:13, NLT)

We can activiate our faith by engaging in activities that help us remember the historic significance of American freedom. Here are just a few ideas to activate learning around freedom holidays:

• Host: Churches can host local historians to share about the significance of Juneteenth and/or July 4th as part of a series. You can also partner with other congregations to share history and engage in transformational conversations about freedom together.
• Visit: You can coordinate visits to historic sites, museums, or societies for families to experience the journey of freedom together. 
• Reenact: Unleash your drama ministry to reenact scenes of freedom that help us to reflect on history and be drawn closer to God.
• Eat: You can share recipes or even make foods in honor of these freedom holidays. Food is an easy and fun way to engage in cultural exploration with others. You can find a recipe idea for

  Juneteenth here 

  and

  4th of July here.

INSPIRE

“He is so rich in kindness and grace that he purchased our freedom with the blood of his Son and forgave our sins.” (Ephesians 1:7, NLT)

Our freedom in Christ supercedes any freedom we may experience in our country. You can use these holidays as launching points into deeper understanding of the sacrifice of Christ. In addition to sermon series and group studies, your congregation can start scripture journeys through YouVersion and other apps to engage in God’s Word together. Themes of freedom, liberty, sacrifice, justice, and service can help to guide your search for a plan that fits your community.

PRAY

“For the Lord is the Spirit, and wherever the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.” (2 Corinthians 3:17, NLT)

While we celebrate our freedom in America, we recognize that millions of people around the world today are still in bondage. We can use these holidays as opportunities to pray for those in slavery, those being trafficked, those who are in political bondage, and those who are still actively fighting for freedom. We can pray specifically for people who are unable to profess their faith in Christ, to have Scripture in their heart languages, or to worship freely in their countries. By praying together for those in need, we unite our hearts in solidarity with others and remember not to take our freedom for granted.

Looking to expand the prayer culture at your church? Get started with Gloo, today.