In addition to making certain your Easter celebrations themselves are joyful and honoring to the Lord, take some time to make certain that the guests that come for Easter Sunday return next week. Following is a checklist and some links to help make that happen.
__Involve every member in your Easter outreach
In social media reminders, individually, and every opportunity you have, remind your current church members that the Easter celebration isn't just for them and their families. Remind them everyone is responsible to:
- Invite their friends,offer a ride, be sure they come
- Be a greeter and welcome guests as representatives of Jesus
- Invite friends new or people you meet to brunch afterwards to talk about the service
- Invite friends and guests back to church
- PRAY without ceasing that God would touch hearts and people not only enjoy the service, but that they meet Jesus
__Be sure you have good signage planned both inside and outside your church.
The church layout that is obvious to you may be completely confusing to a visitor. Without good signage people may walk away or stay with a bad attitude.
A great example of good signage you may want to copy, both inside and out the building is your local hospital. As you get close, you know immediately where the emergency room is. Inside at every fork in a hallway they tell you what is to the right and to the left.
Lots of signage isn't overkill—it's what helps people get to their destination. You don't want a visitor upset because it took them 10 minutes to find out where the children's program is or the location of the bathrooms.
__Use a connection card during the service
Make it simple and non-threatening, but be sure to get the names and contact information of people who attend. This isn't being pushy or inappropriate. Easter is about salvation and if a visitor comes who knows little about Jesus, it takes a number of interactions with the gospel message for it to make sense. If you have their contact information you can invite them to return for a seeker study, sermon series, personal meeting with someone they can ask questions about the faith. For more information on connection cards, CLICK HERE.
__Take advantage of materials already done for you
Both of the links below have helpful resources:
No time? Little money? Essential Easter Communications Panic Pack to the Rescue!
Easter Resources where all the work is done for you!
__Pray without ceasing
As you finish your preparations, invite your friends, and do the many tasks big and small to get ready for Easter, always maintain a dialog of prayer to the Lord:
- to touch the hearts of those He wants to come to the service
- to remove any fears or obstacles to them coming to the church or coming to know Jesus,
- to help your people be good ambassadors for Jesus
- to help your church do all you can to celebrate the Lord's resurrection and to connect with the people He died to save.
Please share your thoughts, comments, questions!