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10 Steps to Effective Easter Preparation

By New Churches Team

Easter is one of the most important times of the year in the life of the church. Biblically speaking it is when Christ arose. But also, in terms of reaching visitors and unchurched people, there is not a better time of year. It’s important to be prepared for that. Here are ten steps to help you as you prepare for Easter.

1. Decide on the times of your services.

Are you going to add any additional services or are you sticking with your regular schedule? Decide as early as possible to help your church prepare.

2. Decide on the specials that will occur.

Are you going to use special curriculum in Sunday School? Are you going to offer any special programs for first-time guests? Are you going to do anything special in your kids ministry?

3. Get the website ready.

This is very important. Most newcomers check out your website before they ever come to your church. Think through the website. Do you need to do a countdown, evites, a button, or a banner? Highlight Easter as early as possible so people can start talking about it.

4. Create a promo package.

Your promo package could be branding the Easter service or Easter week or the weeks leading up to Easter. Put that branding on postcards, emails, invite cards, social media, and on your website.

5. Train your people.

Train ushers, Sunday School teachers, small group leaders, and anyone who might encounter guests. It’s important that they know what to expect and how to help when newcomers attend Easter Sunday.

6. Plan a service that is comfortable.

Hold as normal as a service as possible. Easter Sunday needs to look pretty close to a normal Sunday so that guests know what to expect and feel comfortable coming back.

7. Give familiar service elements.

Singing “Old Rugged Cross” and “Amazing Grace” works well on Easter Sunday. Don’t be afraid of being traditional. It’s important that guests are able to connect with something that is familiar to them. If service elements are unique and harder to understand, take the time to explain them. Let them know why you are doing what you are doing.

8. Give information about the church.

Put in guests’ hands a bulletin or brochure that points them to the website or social media where they can get more information after they leave. Newcomers want to know who you are and what you stand for.

9. Tell guests what’s next.

If you have a series, special event, or vibrant ministry that they shouldn’t miss, highlight it. Let them know what’s coming up and important in your church.

10. Follow up with visitors.

This may require a special team of volunteers, but it is critically important that you follow up with Easter visitors. Make a bigger deal out of it than you do regularly.

This article is adapted from a Ministry Grid training video by Ron Edmondson. Check out a free Easter planning guide here. 

By Daniel Im: We all tend to spend our holidays in different ways. Some of us spend it with our families, others alone. Some with big Turkey feasts and others with mac and cheese or bbq chicken from the grocery store. However, the one thing that stays constant throughout the holiday season is our need for community.

Although this may be a pretty funny picture of me sitting all alone, and not being a part of the party, this is how a lot of people feel throughout the Christmas holidays. In fact, for some of your small group members, your group may really be the only family they have in town.

So here is a brief list of suggestions for your group to continue to grow through community over the holidays. Feel free to consider one, two, none, or all of them.

1. Have a big holiday/Christmas potluck. (I’ve already heard of two of our groups doing this – one having a potluck, and the other having a turkey)
2. Visit a nearby coffee shop after one of the weekend services and just catch up with each other.
3. Continue to share prayer requests via email, phone, or any other possible means on a regular basis.
4. Identify those in your group who don’t have family in town and invite them to your home for a meal on Christmas.
5. Go shopping together on Boxing Day.
6. Have a New Years Party together.

I pray that over this Christmas holiday, God would grant you such a time of rest, rejuvenation, and strength. I pray that God would shower his abundant blessings upon you and that you would once again be captivated by the beauty of our Lord Jesus Christ.