Refocusing Easter: Why the Lamb?

Lynchburg couple use their business as a ministry opportunity

Seventeen-month-old Makayla Moylan focuses her hazel eyes on her mother from the entrance to their small kitchen. Her mother, patiently filling plastic lamb molds with melted white chocolate, watches the little girl from the corner of her eye.

“I stay at home and watch Makayla and do this in the morning,” Sally Moylan said, sporting an apron adorned with the Australian flag. “We’ve had some long days, but we occasionally take breaks.”

In 2009, Sally completed a chocolatiers course and is now a fully qualified chocolatier.

“I took a class that was offered online for three months, and you had to take pictures of the stuff that you made,” Sally said. “At first, I didn’t know how legit it would be, but it was really good.”

The chocolate lambs are the main ingredient to Joel and Sally Moylan’s business, “Why the Lamb”. The couple began operating in their home last year.

The business originally began in Australia when Joel’s dad, Paul Moylan, decided he wanted to refocus attention to the true meaning of Easter and to provide an alternative to bunnies and eggs, which have nothing to do with Christ’s death and resurrection.

“The lamb is represented in the Bible in the Old Testament when God chose a lamb as the Passover meal, and when Jesus came in the New Testament, John the Baptist said, ‘Behold the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world,’” Joel said. “Jesus came and died on the cross for us and rose again in three days, and that is why we celebrate Easter.”

Since 2004, Lamb sales in Australia have reached as high as 22,000. Joel and Sally began in 2010 selling 140 units and have already reached approximately 2,400 units this year.

“It’s not a moneymaker by any means, but if one person comes to know God through this or even if it just plants a seed, then it’s all worthwhile,” Joel said. “We would call it more of a ministry than a business.”

After six years of production, “Why the Lamb” Australia broke even this year.

“Sometimes I don’t even know how that’s happening, but we have God to thank,” Joel said. “There is a pretty good chance that we might sell out. We are prepared for at least 3,500.”

In one year, “Why the Lamb” America has already grown by more than 1,500 percent with orders still being processed.

“If we grow by that much again, I think 15,000-20,000 wouldn’t be unrealistic next year,” Joel said.

The lambs come in three flavors — dark, white and milk chocolate — and sell for $4.99. The lambs are being sold locally at the Liberty University Bookstore, Main Street at Thomas Road Baptist Church, New Life Christian Bookstore and Anderson’s Country Market.

The Moylan’s are also shipping their lambs as far as Alaska.

“When you give someone a chocolate you rarely get turned down.” Joel said. “They look at the box and say, ‘Huh this is a chocolate lamb,’ then turn the box over and that’s when they get the Gospel. It’s a non-threatening way, but it’s not watered down. The message is still there, and it’s very clear for people to know why it’s a lamb but not only that, why Jesus came and that we can have eternal life through him.”