My Top 7 Goals to Accomplish on Easter Sunday/Weekend

Easter.

It’s a time of year when churches have an opportunity shared only with Christmas in attracting visitors. Hopefully all of God’s churches will be packed Easter Sunday. That’s my prayer.

We’ve had months of praying, planning and preparing. We’ve done all we can do, but God is ultimately in charge of all that happens in our church – and yours.

I’m often asked, however, what I hope to accomplish on Easter Sunday – such an important day in the life of any church. It could seem overwhelming if we try to accomplish too much in one day, so what do I, as a pastor, have at the top of my list of goals for Easter Sunday. This year we’ve even added a Saturday night service, so it will be a weekend experience.

In this post, I want to share what I actually hope we accomplish on Easter weekend. Only 7 things. If we accomplish nothing else, and there are probably many other things we will accomplish Easter weekend, I hope Immanuel Baptist does these 7 well.

Gospel is shared

After we’ve made all the preparations, it would be like inviting people to a turkey dinner with no turkey if we don’t share the Gospel. Once we’ve worked hard to gather people into a room, we must not neglect to share the simple truth that Jesus lived, died, and rose again and by Him and through Him alone we can be saved. We must give people an opportunity to hear the Gospel – if for the first time or one of many other times. The Gospel is Good News for all people. All times. After all, that’s what we are celebrating Easter.

People feel welcome

I hope everyone who enters the doors of our church feels welcome. Regardless of what they are wearing, what side of town they came from, what they do for a living, their education status, whichever “side of the tracks” from which they arrived – let them feel the genuine love and kindness of God’s people. There will be those who don’t feel “worthy” to be in a church Easter (because they don’t yet understand than none of us are apart from grace). What better day to “love one another” than Easter Sunday!

Next is highlighted

I want people to leave knowing where the church is going next. For example, we will continue our series on an overview of the Bible after Easter. Then we will be in a relationship series next. People need to know that – in hopes they’ll want to return.

The church is presented well

This is the weekend, even more than others perhaps, where I hope our people are willing to sacrifice for visitors. I hope our leaders are the ones willing to move to the center of an aisle first, to make room on the ends of a row for visitors. I hope Immanuel people help visitors in the parking lot, even if they’ve never before worked in the parking lot. I hope people who seem to be looking for the bathrooms don’t have to look long before someone helps them. I hope the building is cleaner than ever. (That’s why we have had cleanup days scheduled several Saturdays.)

Just as when visitors come to your home for the first time, this is the time to be ready to receive guests warmly. I also want to answer as many questions as people may have about the church, so we are printing a special bulletin designed to give insight to visitors about who we are, what programs we offer, and easy places where they could quickly become a part of Immanuel.

Our people are encouraged

I hope people who call Immanuel their home church – even if they’ve been there over 70 years (and some have been) or just arrived in the last few weeks (and there are lots of those), will leave encouraged by what they experience Easter Sunday. I hope there will be a God-honoring pride that we did all God would expect us to do to present an atmosphere conducive for people to ultimately hear the Gospel. I hope they’ll be challenged for the days ahead and willing to sacrifice and serve even more, directly as a result of what God allows to happen Easter.

Children are safe and have fun

If parents entrust their children to our care they should be assured their children are safe and well-protected. In addition, I hope children leave telling their parents how much they enjoyed being at Immanuel this weekend. Children have a raw honesty about them. They don’t always know the words to say, but parents know whether or not this is a place their kids will be welcomed. Children are often a huge door to the families eventual active involvement in a church. And, this shouldn’t mean children don’t learn. Obviously, they need the Gospel as much as adults, but I believe truth can be shared in an inviting setting.

People leave with hope

Second only from hearing the Gospel, I hope people leave our Easter services with a sense of hope. Actually, that’s my goal every Sunday. The world can be a scary place. There will be lots of brokenness among us at Easter. As followers of Christ, we believe we hold the answer to hope for the world. It’s in the Resurrected Savior – whom we are celebrating – the King of kings and Lord of lords. I hope people don’t leave more confused or feeling guilty about their life, but rather they live knowing their is A Way, there is an answer – there is HOPE – in Jesus Christ!

Easter is coming. I’m praying for my pastor friends, for the church of Christ, and for those who will enter our gathering places this weekend, joining the Church in Easter worship.