Well, it is hard to imagine but we are already 5 weeks until Easter. It will be our most 'normal' Easter over the last 24+ months. Whatever 'normal' means any more. Here's what I believe: People are looking for hope now more than ever! It's true.
According to the World Health Organization there is a 25% increase in depression and anxiety worldwide. So, treatment and medication has increased. What does that mean for the church? The world is looking for HOPE and HELP. This is where your church comes in!
The church is still the hope of the world!
We need to be the greatest source of hope this Easter. But we also must make sure that our hope does not become the billboard in a forest - it's there, but nobody sees it. We want this hope to be visible! So, pastor - church leader, we have to make this the BEST EASTER EVER!
By the way, did we tell you that Easter is 5 weeks away?
GET AHEAD
We have been working on our Easter services for a few weeks already. Maybe even longer. But if you have not began thinking through your services - ie music, message, content, communication, marketing, etc - you really need to get on that ASAP - like yesterday!
Most churches plan week to week, but you really can't do that for Easter. As someone once said, "A failure to plan is a plan to fail." Start planning today!
BE CREATIVE
Add some creative elements to your services. Whether that is something creative in your message or a giveaway or something different in worship. Be creative. Do something that will make that service memorable.
⛔️ WARNING ⛔️ But do not choose to be creative over clear! Make sure that the message of the Gospel is not lost in your creativity!
ADD SERVICES
Don't just do what you normally do. Add services because it gives people options. We are doing 5 services on Easter weekend. We normally do 3. This just creates room for people to make a service that best fits their schedule. "Well, it's Easter, they should just come to church." Ha, that may sound good for the already convinced but for the nominal or the seeker you have to make it easy to attend.
GET THE WORD OUT
You cannot over communicate. Spread the word. Use social media. Do a mass mailing. Run a TV commercial. Place a full page ad in the local paper. Give your people invite cards. Create some yard signs.
It does not have to cost a lot of money, but you have to spread the word about your services!
GIVE OPPORTUNITY
Make sure that you give people an opportunity to make a decision to follow Jesus. Don't just put on a good service. Take time to craft your invitation moment. Spend time there. Don't rush it. Let people process God's sacrifice of His Son for their lives!
Here's my advice: Make it simple. Don't complicate the invite to accept Jesus as Lord and Savior.
INVITE BACK
We say this all the time at our church - We love repeat attenders! And it is true. We should not just celebrate someone when they come the first time - we have to celebrate them every time! Kick off a news series the following Sunday! Start a series on Easter and ask them to come back next week for Part 2. Just do something to draw them back into the building.
Make sure you are clear over clever!
What about discipleship? The first act of discipleship is a decision, but the next step is relationship. Don't complicate the process. If you can't get someone to come back to church it is going to be hard for them to commit to a 52-Week discipleship strategy. We have their whole lives to watch them grow - don't rush the process!
We believe and declare this will be your BEST EASTER EVER. Now, get it done, because it is only 5 weeks away!!!
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