Although it may be easier to continue an existing sermon series on Easter Sunday, choosing that option will cause you to miss out on the benefits that come with a one-off Easter sermon or a new sermon series.
If you continue your existing series, guests may feel like they were dropped in the middle of something that was already happening, much like turning on a new TV show only to realize you’re halfway through series three. Choosing a one-off or new series helps create team excitement, gives you a chance to try new service ideas, and gives guests a reason to come back the next week. On an important visitor Sunday like Easter, choose a one-off topic or new series to maximize your Easter impact.
New Visitors Won’t Feel Like They’re Missing Something
One of the main reasons to preach a one-off Easter sermon or start a new sermon series on Easter is so that new visitors don’t feel like they missed something. If you continue an existing sermon series, new visitors to your church may feel like they’re not supposed to be there since they haven’t heard the other sermons. Starting a sermon with “for the last four weeks, we’ve been looking at the book of John. Let’s pick up where we left off” will immediately communicate that people who are regular attenders are a higher priority than new visitors – which is not a good message to communicate on one of the highest visitor Sundays of the year.
If you do need to continue an existing sermon series, consider preaching a one-off sermon on Easter Sunday that’s outside of the series. Or, if you want to get creative, keep preaching on the same subject or book but change the name of the series on Easter and following Sundays, rebranding it as a new series. Think from a new visitor’s perspective and consider how it would feel to attend if it feels like you’re walking into something in the middle of a series that’s already been happening. Even if your previous messages are online, chances are visitors will not have listened before they attend. Preaching a one-off sermon or starting a new series makes your church more welcoming to Easter visitors.
Choose a Subject that’s Very Relevant to Easter
If you preach a one-off Easter sermon or start a new sermon series on Easter, you’ll have extra flexibility to choose a subject that’s very relevant to Easter. You can design your sermon or new series around an Easter concept, such as the resurrection, grace, or salvation. This is harder to do if you choose to continue an existing series that was not designed to relate to Easter Sunday.
Keep in mind that Easter is one of the highest-attended visitor Sundays of the year. As you’re choosing your sermon topic, choose something that will share the gospel clearly with unbelievers. This is one of your biggest opportunities to reach a group of unchurched people who chose to enter your church building – so steward that opportunity well and choose a sermon subject that’s highly relevant to Easter.
Create Team Excitement Over Something New
Kicking off a new sermon series or preaching a one-off Easter message can also help create team excitement over something new. If you continue or repeat something you’ve already been doing, there’s an element of repetition or routine that can be hard to overcome. By choosing something new and exciting, it’s easier to rally your team around the idea and stir up new excitement and energy.
Don’t just preach a new sermon topic – view Easter Sunday as a series kick-off or a one-time event. Take everything to the next level, incorporating a new stage set or high-energy worship songs. Lean into this special Sunday as a way to motivate and encourage your team, especially if you often have the same volunteers serving every week. It’s important for your Easter service to be presented with excellence, and preaching a one-off message or starting a new series can be a great way to create team excitement over something new.
Incorporate Unique or Interactive Service Elements
Another benefit of a one-off sermon or new series kick-off is the opportunity to incorporate new, unique, and interactive elements into your service. If your team has ideas that aren’t feasible to do on a weekly basis, use a one-off sermon as an opportunity to try them without setting long-term expectations. For example, you could try having an interactive object lesson or illustration that would be too hard to plan every single week. Easter could be a time to try an interactive app or new tool that you haven’t had a chance to try before or haven’t wanted to commit to using every single week. Making Easter a standalone service or kick-off of something new gives you an opportunity to try other new service elements as well.
If you’re not sure where to start, look up creative church service ideas or connect with other pastors to hear their ideas. Think outside the box and use your Easter service as a chance to try something you haven’t done before. Just be careful to test your ideas beforehand so you don’t try something and have it fail – consider testing it with a small focus group weeks before the big day.
Provide a Reason to Come Back Next Week
One of the most important benefits of a one-off Easter sermon or starting a new sermon series on Easter is the fact that you’ll provide people with a reason to come back next week. As church leaders, our goal isn’t just a big Easter Sunday – it’s repeated attendance and engagement so we have a chance to disciple people and help them grow. Discipleship doesn’t happen overnight or in one Easter service, so you need to structure your ministry plan in a way that will encourage people to keep attending again and again.
A one-off sermon can be a launching point into a new topic or season at your church, creating excitement and a reason to return. A new sermon series works even better for this strategy, giving people a real and tangible reason they’d want to return the following Sunday. Don’t just use this idea in your main service – do the same in your kids’ ministry as well so kids want to come back next week (asking their parents to bring them to church again, and giving guests another reason to return the following Sunday).
Even though it might feel easier to just continue an existing series on Easter, preaching a one-off sermon or starting a new series on Easter has a lot of benefits. This ministry strategy ensures that new visitors don’t feel like they’re missing something or walked in on something that has already been happening for weeks, preventing that uncomfortable feeling. You can also choose a subject that’s very relevant for Easter and incorporate unique ideas you might not have tried otherwise. A one-off sermon or new series will give you a chance to create team excitement and will provide guests with a reason to come back next week. Consider preaching a one-off Easter sermon or starting a new sermon series on Easter this year and see how God works through your Easter Sunday service.