If you had to identify your #1 goal as a pastor, what would it be?
Chances are pretty high that you would say it’s leading people to faith in Jesus. After all, isn’t that why almost every pastor enters ministry?
You committed to serving the Church because you wanted to share the Gospel with others. You also want to make an impact in your community.
What better time of year to do this than Easter? It is the second-most popular time of year for the unchurched to consider coming to church. The most popular, of course, is Christmas.
Easter is also a prime opportunity to share the central element of our faith: the resurrection of Jesus.
It’s a great time for you to reach some key goals as a pastor: reaching the lost and talking about Jesus. Yet this year, it’s different.
Although Easter is a time of hope, this year it’s also a time of stress and anxiety. We are still feeling the effects of a global pandemic that isn’t going away anytime soon.
And not only that. Many pastors are facing burnout from having to re-invent ministry systems or losing staff in the last year. On top of this, we have mass unemployment and political turmoil like none of us have ever seen.
So what’s the solution? Should we give up on trying to plan something special for Easter? Of course not.
In this article, we will cover everything you need to plan an amazing Easter sermon series. We are here to help and show you some tips, resources, and ideas that will get you excited about Easter once again.
This is a great opportunity to not only create a fresh sermon series for an old tradition. It’s also a chance to reach your community and excite your church with the greatest story ever told.
If you’re ready to dig in, you’ll learn why you should preach an Easter series, the history of Easter, sermon ideas from Ministry Pass and other churches, tips on preparing and promoting your Easter series, and much more.
You’ve got enough on your plate to be worrying about where to find inspiration for Easter this year. Well, look no further. Download our list of 50 Sermon Series Ideas for Easter today!
Easter has a way of sneaking up on pastors. After the rush of Christmas and the beginning of a new year, nobody can blame you for wanting to take a little break.
But just as soon as you recover from Christmas, Easter comes rolling in. For this reason, it’s easy to give Easter short shrift in your planning. That’s why it doesn’t seem to generate the same amount of excitement as other times of the year.
Despite all this, there are many reasons why you should consider an Easter sermon series. Here are a few.
1. The Resurrection is the major event of the Bible.
The most obvious reason to preach an Easter series—or even one sermon for that matter—is because it points to the main event of the Bible: the Resurrection.
Every part of the Bible story, from Genesis and the Israelites to the Old Testament kings and prophets, all the way to the end of time with the book of Revelation, is focused on Jesus.
As the Apostle Paul wrote in 1 Corinthians chapter 15: “For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures, and that he appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve” (ESV).
The resurrection of Jesus was the main thing Paul wanted to communicate. It is the heartbeat of the Bible and the central truth of our faith. Easter is the perfect time to help people refocus on this important truth.
2. Easter is an opportunity to re-engage families who have drifted away.
Every church has families who only attend on Christmas and Easter. That is perfectly normal (although not necessarily good or healthy).
However, what is not normal is the past year. 2020 was a difficult year of ministry for most churches because of COVID. Although many churches are not offering in-person services, it’s still not the same as it was before.
According to Barna research, one in three practicing Christians has stopped attending church during COVID-19. Easter is a great time to call them back and help them re-engage their faith.
And with the vaccine becoming available, people will feel more comfortable coming back to church. Regardless of whether they attend online or in person, this is your next chance to re-engage their faith.
3. Easter is focused on hope and renewal.
This past year has been a rough one for almost everyone. In addition to the pandemic, we had a tumultuous election, historic violence in the nation’s capital, and lots of unemployment.
People are searching for joy and hope right now. Easter is a great opportunity to help them experience hope they may not have felt in a while. Better yet, it’s hope based on Christ, not fleeting things like politics or the economy.
4. You can re-focus on the core elements of our faith.
There is something to be said for getting back to the basis. In the evangelical church world, we tend to focus on creativity and originality with our preaching. We like to communicate in fresh ways that people haven’t quite heard before.
But Easter is not the time to focus on a trendy topic or a niche sermon series. It is a great opportunity to re-focus on the core element of our faith.
5. It is a great opportunity to reach your community.
Even people who rarely go to church will consider coming to church on Christmas and Easter. If people are going to consider attending church anyway, why not make the most of this great opportunity?
This comes down to the whole purpose of the church. We don’t exist just for the insiders … we exist for the outsiders. Our message is for those who are lost. Jesus put a huge focus on evangelism when he said, “For the Son of Man came to seek and save the lost” (Luke 19:10, ESV).
Just a few chapters earlier, he told stories about a lost sheep, a lost coin, and a lost son (Luke 15). This showed how much Jesus cared about people far away from him.
When we do our best to reach out to the unchurched in our communities, we are modeling the heart of Jesus.
6. You can improve your ministry technology and systems.
As a pastor, you are always looking for a way to improve what you are doing and be more effective. Easter gives you the perfect opportunity to do this.
Why? Because people’s expectations are higher around when you have more guests in your services. Why not use this chance to re-think your systems and strategies for production, sermon prep, or streaming?
It’s time we all embrace the fact that things are never going back to “normal.” Life and church are going to be different from here on out.
We should embrace this opportunity and run headfirst into it, rather than sticking our heads in the sand and waiting for life to get back to the way it was in 2019.
In short, Easter 2021 is the perfect time to preach a sermon series that can have a positive impact on your staff, church, and community.
Before we get to some “objections,” let’s take a quick look at the history of Easter.
In the midst of busy ministry life, it is easy to feel like our special events exist in a vacuum. But a lot of history came before us. The traditions we celebrate had to come from somewhere.
Even if we don’t celebrate Easter exactly like our ancestors, it’s helpful to have a sense of why we do what we do.
Easter is the historical day when Christians celebrate the Resurrection of Jesus. In 2021, Easter falls on Sunday, April 4.
Easter is a moveable holiday since it falls on a different date each year. The date is always the first Sunday after the full moon following the spring equinox.
We can already hear you asking, “What is the spring equinox?” This is the date the sun moves across the celestial equator, the imaginary line in the sky above the earth’s equator. This means there are equal periods of light and dark.
It’s an appropriate symbol for Easter since this is when trees and plants come back to life. It’s also when our days begin to fill up with more and more light.
The name Easter comes from the name of a goddess named Eostre, who was associated with the beginning of Spring.
We only have one historical reference, which comes from the British monk the Venerable Bede, who lived in the seventh and eighth centuries. He noticed that Christians had been celebrating the resurrection in the month named after Eostre. The name stuck.
Passover is the most important Jewish festival. It signifies the Israelites being freed from slavery in Egypt. The book of Exodus goes into great detail about this amazing story.
During one Passover, Jesus came into Jerusalem with his disciples to celebrate the feast. He called them together at the Last Supper.
At this final gathering with his disciples, Jesus shared a cup of wine and bread with them. Christians now commemorate this as the Eucharist, Lord’s Supper, or Communion.
Soon after the Last Supper, Jesus was arrested, crucified, and rose again. Since these cornerstone events of the Christian faith happened during Passover, and because Jesus was Jewish, it is natural for there to be a close connection between Easter and Passover.
Both of these events can be tied together thematically. Easter and Passover call to mind God’s grace, liberation from sin, faith, and other key elements of both the Jewish and Christian faith.
A few hundred years after the Resurrection, the Christian emperor Constantine called a meeting of church leaders. At this gathering, called the council of Nicea, they established that the date of Easter should always be on a Sunday.
Easter Sunday is the culmination of a group of events surrounding Jesus’ death and resurrection. However, there are other special days and periods surrounding Easter Sunday itself.
Lent is the 40 days (not counting Sundays) preceding Easter. It is usually accompanied by fasting and repentance.
The week directly before Easter is called Holy Week, which includes Maundy Thursday (a commemoration of the Last Supper), Good Friday (a remembrance of the crucifixion), Holy Saturday (a transition day), and then Easter Sunday.
As with Christmas, Easter has been associated with historically pagan or non-Christian traditions for a long time.
Historians debate the exact origins of the Easter Bunny. It’s generally accepted that German immigrants to the United States brought this tradition with them. Rabbits are known for their fertility, and they eventually became associated with the birth and renewal of Spring.
Egg decorating has long been a tradition around the world. As with bunnies, eggs represent fertility and birth. It is no surprise that the themes of birth, renewal, and Spring eventually came together in traditions such as children hunting Easter eggs.
The Easter bunny and Easter eggs don’t have a direct tie-in with the faith-based elements of Easter. However, they can serve as great reminders that we celebrate an event with a lot of history behind it. These traditions can also be a gateway to reach your community for Christ.
We have looked at the value of an Easter sermon series as well as some history behind Easter. Now let’s address some objections you may have to preaching a sermon series during Easter.
Many pastors love preaching in a series. But if that doesn’t describe you, we’d like to answer some common objections to this popular form of preaching.
1. I don’t have anything new to say about Easter.
We get it. You’ve been preaching for a while, or maybe for decades. You’ve written and delivered every Easter sermon imaginable. What more is there left to say?
There are two important things to remember when you feel this way.
First, people are always changing. So is the culture. Even though Easter has been around for a long time, there are fresh ways to apply the truth of Scripture.
Don’t look at it as “I don’t have anything new to say.” Instead, look at it as “GOD has something new to say.” There are hope and peace within that old, old story.
You don’t need to be original. In fact, Easter is a great time to focus on the basics and make them relevant to people. This is why we love to serve pastors here at Ministry Pass. We find a lot of joy in giving you fresh ways to communicate God’s word.
2. I don’t want to change what I already have planned.
You may have already planned out your sermon series for the year and didn’t include an Easter series. We get this, especially if you’re the analytical type who loves the planning process.
However, Easter presents a unique opportunity to bring hope to people who have been through a lot. If there is any year in recent history that calls for being flexible, 2021 is it.
Plus, sometimes it’s good to give people a break. If your planned sermon series is more than six weeks long, your church will probably enjoy a break anyway.
The upside is that if you do an Easter sermon series, you can continue your planned series afterward. You’ll be a few weeks ahead on your planning!
3. I’m too tired to plan another special sermon series.
We know you’re tired. We all thought the pandemic recovery would be much further along by now. Plus, you’ve just finished Christmas and you’d like nothing more than a break.
This is where our resources come in. Ministry Pass is not designed to make your life more complicated. We’re here to make it easier and more effective.
We will dig into specific series ideas below. But for now, realize that we get it. We understand. And we are here to help.
4. I don’t have time to prepare a special sermon series.
Maybe your issue is not being tired. Maybe you’re just too busy to plan what feels like yet another special event (or series of events).
If you have never planned a sermon series before, it may seem like it takes extra time. But the reality is that it saves you time in the long run.
Yes, it takes some extra time on the front end. But with our sermon resources, you will save loads of time. Plus, the planning will give you back a lot of time when all is said and done.
5. I don’t enjoy preaching topical sermons.
Many pastors like to preach expository or exegetical sermons. They feel these are more in-depth and are better for making disciples.
If you fall into this category, keep a couple of things in mind.
First, it’s good to give people some variety. You may personally enjoy in-depth study, but during Easter, you will have more guests who don’t know the Bible as well (or maybe not at all). It’s good to get back to the basics once in a while.
Second, keep in mind that Jesus kept things simple when he preached. He told lots of stories and often had one simple point to make.
The power of your sermons is not in making them complicated. It’s in making simple truths relatable to everyday people. Plus, we have lots of great sermon series ideas we know you’ll enjoy.
6. I have a smaller staff or volunteer base this year.
When you hear the term “sermon series,” it may feel like you’re committing to a big production. If you have lost some families due to the pandemic or even had some staff leave, the last thing you want to hear is that you’re in for a boat-load of work.
But it’s 2021. People are tired. They want authenticity and simplicity. So use this as an opportunity to focus on the basics of the faith. You might even consider doing some stripped-down production elements for Easter if it suits your church’s style.
You don’t need to be big to be effective.
7. I’m a one-man (or one-woman) show.
What about solo pastors? What if you do not have a staff and are leading a church alone or even part-time?
If you fall into this category, here’s what to do. You can plan a series by yourself, but it’s not necessary. You can involve a couple of other church members or ask key volunteers to help with this special project.
These good souls can help give you feedback on your message or brainstorm topics and creative elements.
At the very least, you probably have a worship leader who can help plan a series. Try to involve them and get their creative input. It is much better to share the load with others and try to do everything yourself.
So far in this article, we have talked about the benefits of preaching an Easter sermon series, the history of Easter, and answered some common objections.
Now let’s dive into some specific sermon series ideas available here on Ministry Pass. We’ll share ideas for sermons in a series, standalone sermons, and post-Easter sermon series.
We also encourage you to check out our Easter Sermon and Service Planning Guide – The Easter Mega Sermon. It’s a fantastic guide to mapping out your Easter sermons and will save hours of planning time.
This sermon series on Holy Week is designed to be used over the course of five weeks or may be used individually through the last week of Lent. This sermon series provides five message outlines, teaching on the final week of Jesus’ life that ultimately led to his empty tomb.
In addition to the series guide, the bundle includes themed graphics for:
Jesus redefined Israel’s expectations of what the Messiah would look like. Rather than being a military hero, he died on a cross.
This world and our own hearts are filled with darkness and death, but we can have hope if we place our faith in the Light of the World, Jesus, who defeated death by entering into it. The resurrection of Jesus Christ enhances our faith and helps us to trust in Jesus more deeply.
This sermon series on Holy Week includes five specific messages on Palm Sunday, Maundy Thursday, Good Friday, Holy Saturday, and Easter Sunday, reminding us that Jesus is who he claimed to be and giving us hope that is essential to living the Christian life.
This seven-week series explores the historic Christian season of Lent—from Ash Wednesday through Palm Sunday. This rich Christian tradition points us back to the reality of our sin and our desperate need for a Savior. During this season, we focus on the multifaceted aspects of repentance: recognition of our sin, hope in a Savior, and obedience as a response to his grace.
Rather than engaging in empty ceremony or purely internal spiritual growth, we learn that observance of this season produces in us a richer faith for the sake of the world.
This seven-week Lent sermon series exposes the rebellious nature of sin and helps you teach your people about the beautiful resolution offered in the hope of the gospel through a researched series guide.
In our world, it is common to minimize our actions and, thus, minimize our responsibility in the problem. But the season of Lent reminds us that confession is liberating for the soul and that true, Godly sorrow leads to salvation.
Too often sin is seen as an external problem “out there” that needs to be dealt with, not as an internal problem within us; and while it is important not to indulge in self-pity, it is important to engage in true confession.
This sermon series on Lent includes seven specific messages on the weight of sin, death, and darkness in the world, and that ultimately through faith in Jesus Christ, we too can be given victory over death, and our hearts can be transformed by the beauty of the cross.
This four-week series deals with those who betrayed, denied, and abandoned Jesus leading up to his crucifixion. Through examining Peter, Judas, and the other disciples’ unfaithfulness, we can ultimately see the faithfulness of Christ and his love and redemption in our brokenness.
Standalone Good Friday & Easter Sermons
This bundle is designed to be used during your Good Friday service and related promotions. Each set comes with three stand-alone sermon options.
This guide is intended for use as a stand-alone, one-week sermon for Easter. Instead of using the traditional Easter texts about Jesus’s death and resurrection, this sermon looks at the resurrection of Lazarus. Jesus’s defeat of sin and death becomes a guarantee of new life for all who believe, ensuring our victory over sin and its effects on us here and now. Compare to Easter Sunday – Resurrection (adult) and Easter Sunday (children).
The variety of people gathered around the cross, subsequent to that initial Resurrection Day, is a picture of those gathered in the church today. How many will move from death at Golgotha to life at the empty tomb?
This one-week sermon focuses on the Easter message- He Has Risen! It is a celebration of Jesus conquering death.
Sunday: He Has Risen delivers a researched sermon guide that explores the resurrection of our Lord under two different lights:
First, the resurrection of Jesus accomplished our salvation and fulfilled God’s promise to us.
Second, His defeat over death also made the immediate promise and presence of God known to his people; it was a signal to the future reign of God to which we now have access.
He Has Risen is a specific stand-alone message that celebrates that in all situations, there is hope because Jesus reconciles us to God and promises a glorious inheritance that will surpass all current troubles.
This one-week message for Easter Sunday is designed to challenge the skeptic and encourage the believer. It delivers a researched message guide that uses historical evidence & reliability to share the good news of our risen Savior.
For some, the idea of the resurrection is easy to accept. Others, however, may find it more difficult to believe that Jesus did truly conquer the grave and come back to life. Is it historically accurate to believe in the resurrection of Jesus? How do we know this whole thing wasn’t made up?
This stand-alone sermon will answer these questions and more, helping you deliver a powerful and enlightened Easter message that gives hope to the hopeless and light to those living in darkness.
This Easter Sunday sermon celebrates that Jesus is alive and that all of humanity can personally experience life through our resurrected Savior!
As Jesus hung on the cross, he did not need to pray for atonement for he was blameless and free of sin. But rather he confessed the sins of those who had falsely convicted him, “Father forgive them, for they know not what they do.” Our sins are forgiven because of Jesus’ death on Calvary.
This sermon series on Easter includes a specific stand-alone message that celebrates the hope that regardless of the situation, sentiment, or sinful practice everyone has access to life in Jesus Christ—who was alive, and was dead, and is now alive forevermore!
This stand-alone message for Easter Sunday unpacks and drives home Jesus’s claim (and the evidence for it): “I am the resurrection and the life.”
This bundle is designed to be used during your Easter Sunday service and related promotions. Each set comes with three stand-alone sermon options.
Most pastors spend a large chunk of their time, energy, and budget on Easter Sunday, to the point where they forget about what comes next the following week. What’s just as important as having a great Easter Sunday, though, is having a great week after Easter Sunday.
If you can get visitors back for the next service, there’s a better chance they’ll get involved in the life-changing community of your local church.
One way to do this is by planning and promoting an intentional, captivating sermon series to start the week after Easter. What will grab the attention of guests, compelling them to return? What subject naturally flows from the story of Jesus’ death and resurrection?
We’ve put together a list of five series you should consider starting right after Easter. They each have a particular purpose, and, if used correctly, can help your church see numerical and spiritual growth. You can download all of these if you’re a member of Ministry Pass. Two of them (Vivid and God on Film) are completely free!
When we receive new life in Christ, we should view the world differently. This 5-week sermon series explores what it looks like to see others through the spiritual lens of Christ.
This 10-week series over the book of 1 Corinthians teaches that true unity in the body of Christ only comes when believers commit their lives wholeheartedly to Jesus.
Movies capture our imagination. They make us laugh and cry. They make us happy and sad. This 4-week series uses four 2016 summer films to illustrate important truths from the Bible.
This 4-week series looks at three prominent heroes in the Bible—examining their strengths, weaknesses, and how Christ succeeded where they failed.
This 5-week series through the book of Esther emphasizes God’s sovereignty, love, and protection—even though we don’t always see it.
We have given you plenty of Easter sermon ideas above. However, we don’t want to stop there. We have also included messages from a diverse array of speakers below to give you even more inspiration.
Mark Batterson, “The Waymaker”
Charles Stanley, “The Impact of the Resurrection”
Andy Stanley, “Easter Matters”
Tim Keller, “Encountering the Risen King”
Rick Warren, “The Answer is Easter”
Ravi Zacharias, “Four Gardens”
Francis Chan, Easter Message
Michael Todd, “In the Middle”
Steven Furtick, “The Rattle of Resurrection!”
John Stange, “You Don’t Need to Be Troubled, It’s All Going to Work Out”
Craig Groeschel, “When Life Feels Out of Control”
The Journey Church, Easter Message
John Piper’s Easter Sermons
By now, you’re probably convinced that an Easter sermon series is a great idea. You may have even checked out some of the resources we have listed so far.
Now what? Before we dive into your planning, check out these helpful tips on preparing your Easter sermon series.
1. Don’t overthink things.
If you look at the greatest communicators in history, they kept things short and simple.
For example, Abraham Lincoln’s Gettysburg address was only 272 words. He delivered it in under three minutes.
On the very same day, the former Secretary of State Edward Everett gave a two-hour speech, but Lincoln’s brief speech is far more famous. There’s something to be said for keeping things simple.
Don’t place your focus on your own creativity. Focus on Jesus and the hope we have in him.
2. Give yourself enough time to plan.
In the midst of ministry life, sometimes sermon planning takes a backseat. Between meetings, funerals, weddings, worship services, and countless interruptions … some weeks you’re lucky to get any sermon prep time.
But if you can schedule some time now, it will pay off handsomely in just a few months. The more you plan, the more you’ll be thankful later.
3. Get creative input from staff or key volunteers.
John Maxwell wrote an excellent book titled Teamwork Makes the Dream Work. Teamwork is key, especially when it comes to preparing an Easter sermon series.
Your planning team is your best ally whether you use staff or volunteers. Schedule a meeting as soon as possible to gather ideas and determine some of the creative elements you might use.
Remember: you don’t have all the great ideas. There are fantastic ideas inside the minds of other people. Those ideas are just waiting to be mined. Take a little time now to get their input.
In addition, we have loads of sermon and graphic resources, which we’ve linked to in this post. There’s no need to reinvent the wheel.
4. Don’t let your ego get in the way.
We all like to get credit for good ideas. However, our ego can sometimes be our greatest enemy. (Or as Ryan Holiday so eloquently wrote, Ego is the Enemy.)
One of the biggest struggles many pastors have is the need to be original in everything they say. But nothing could be further from the truth. The best communicators take simple ideas and present them clearly and compellingly.
5. Don’t compare yourself to other pastors.
Today, anyone from your church can access another pastor’s sermons via podcasts, websites, videos, and more. It is easy to compare yourself to them, especially if they are from the world’s most successful churches.
But remember, you are not called to serve everyone on Youtube. You are called to serve the people in your community. Don’t bow to the pressure to try and be like another pastor. Be the best version of yourself, and God will use you powerfully.
6. Don’t try to be completely original.
We have already hinted at this in this article, but it’s worth repeating. You don’t have to be completely original. In fact, people find comfort in hearing the old, old story of Jesus and his resurrection.
This is why we provide so many amazing sermon resources here at Ministry Pass. However, we want you to put your personality into it, which is why we don’t provide a transcript.
Use our resources, but also use what God has given uniquely to you: your personality, your story, and your perspective.
Promoting a sermon series is much like promoting a book. Once the author has written and published the book, they are ready to move on to the next thing.
We don’t want your hard work and planning to go to waste by short-changing the impact you can have. With a little bit of promotion, you can impact far more lives.
There is already high awareness of Easter. Many families who have been gone from church will consider attending that weekend. You will also have some first-time guests.
An additional factor is that Spring is just around the corner when Easter hits. People are ready for warmer weather and the feeling of renewal that naturally comes.
As more people receive a vaccine, there will be a growing sense of hope. You have a lot of factors to help give Easter services some momentum. Here are some promotional ideas to take it even further.
1. Regular emails before and during the series.
Email is a cheap and powerful tool for communication. Even though at this point it is several decades old, it is the best way to ensure you reach people directly.
A weekly email to church members is a great way to remind them of upcoming events. You can also include invitation info they can share with friends and potential guests.
2. Announcements from the stage.
It seems obvious, but many churches don’t take advantage of the captive audience they already have. Whoever is giving announcements should mention the Easter sermon series as well as any special instructions or details.
3. Bumper videos.
These are a fantastic way to engage people before the service starts or during transition times (such as right before the sermon or during offering).
Remember: it doesn’t have to be you in the video. It just needs to be someone energetic and friendly. Make sure they speak clearly and don’t ramble.
3. Social Media.
Social media is a giant topic in itself, but the main idea is to use what you have. If you are only going to choose one platform, we recommend your church’s Facebook page.
That is the place people are most likely to visit (aside from your website). Make sure you share sermon videos, announcements, and sermon series graphics.
Another great way to engage people on your Facebook page is to ask questions and prompt discussion about the upcoming series.
4. Your church’s website.
You will have some guests on Easter weekend, and the first place they will for information is your website. Make sure it is attractive and has up-to-date information about service times for Easter.
It is also a great idea to include information for parents about any programs for children or teens. Since it’s 2021, many churches have scaled back this programming, so be sure to communicate any relevant info on your site.
It goes without saying, but make sure to include your church’s physical address prominently on your website as well.
5. Your church’s podcast.
If you have a church podcast, you can include short announcements about your Easter sermon series and other special events. It is also a great opportunity to include interviews with you, staff members, or others who can help promote Easter.
If you don’t yet have a church podcast, this is a great time to start one. You are probably already recording your sermon audio or video, which can be repurposed into a podcast.
6. Invitation cards for distribution.
One of the most effective ways to promote your Easter service is decidedly old-school: printed invitation cards for your members to hand out to their friends and family.
This form of media is truly “social.” Guests will be more likely to attend if they are invited by someone they know. Make sure your invitation cards list all the relevant info about your Easter series or services.
It is also vital that these invitations are visually attractive. This is not the time to go cheap on card stock or a second-rate graphic designer. Make sure to create something your members are proud to distribute to people they know.
7. Consistent branding across all platforms.
This tip is related to almost everything we have said so far about promotion. If you want to take things up a notch, ensure that the colors, images, fonts, and overall branding of your Easter promo materials look consistent.
Are people coming to church for the graphics? Of course not. However, poorly designed graphics will be a turnoff to visitors.
Easter is a great time to put your best marketing foot forward. It communicates that you care about your community and want to honor Christ.
For a couple of fantastic resources on graphics, check out our article Sermon Series Graphics: The Ultimate Guide for Churches as well as our post on 30 Inspirational Easter Quotes.
1. Launch a renewal challenge.
The overall theme of Easter is hope, renewal, and rebirth. What better way to flesh out these themes than by offering a challenge designed to help your church experience it on a personal level?
Options for themes might include renewal in your finances, discipleship, marriage, family, health, or another key area of growth. The possibilities are almost endless.
There are many ways to deliver this type of challenge. It could be done via email, small groups, sermon series, or even social media.
One word of caution: don’t create a challenge just for the sake of doing it. Think about what your church needs and craft something that addresses that need.
It’s 2021, which means a shorter, slimmer program will be more effective than a longer, more detailed one.
2. Promote or begin a recovery program.
Churches all over the country have embraced Celebrate Recovery. According to their website, it is a “biblical and balanced program that helps us overcome our hurts, hang-ups, and habits.”
You don’t have to use their program, but the value of a recovery program is worth considering. Many people are already hurting. Easter is a natural time to promote a fresh start for those struggling with addictions or similar issues.
3. Encourage your church to use these books and resources.
Begin Again: Your Hope and Renewal Starts Today. Max Lucado celebrates God’s promise to restore and renew.
So, You Want to Be Like Christ? Eight Essentials to Get Your There. Charles Swindoll guides readers toward a greater understanding of eight spiritual disciplines of the Christian faith-prayer, humility, self-control, sacrifice, submission, solitude, silence, and hope.
The Case for Christ: A Journalist’s Personal Investigation of the Evidence for Jesus. Former atheist and Chicago Tribune journalist Lee Strobel takes an investigative look at the evidence from the fields of science, philosophy, and history.
Forward: Discovering Presence and Purpose in Your Tomorrow. Dr. David Jeremiah reveals his approach to life and how to find the presence and purpose of God in your future!
Enemies of the Heart: Breaking Free from the Four Emotions That Control You.
Andy Stanley explores four destructive forces—guilt, anger, greed, and jealousy—and how they infiltrate your life and damage your relationships.
Hope in the Dark: Believing God is Good When Life is Not. Craig Groeschel explores the story of the father who brought his demon-possessed son to Jesus, saying, “I believe! Help my unbelief!” In the man’s sincere plea, Jesus heard the tension in the man’s battle-scarred heart. He healed not only the boy but the father too, driving out the hopelessness that had overtaken him. He can do the same for us today.
Dwell on These Things: A Thirty-One-Day Challenge to Talk to Yourself Like God Talks to You. John Stange helps you learn to see yourself through God’s eyes by spending thirty-one days feeding your heart a new, biblical message of encouragement.
Spotify playlist: Easter. This playlist celebrates the life and resurrection of Jesus.
Spotify playlist: Easter Worship. This playlist includes popular worship songs that will help you focus your mind and heart on Christ.
4. Take up a special Easter offering.
Easter offerings come in many shapes and sizes. You can take up a collection for a special church project, community outreach, a food bank, a missionary, or some other worthy cause.
Whatever approach you take, keep in mind that you will have guests in your service. They will be more likely to give to a cause that benefits the whole community, not just your church.
Easter is a wonderful time to take up this type of offering. Not only will you have a bigger crowd, but you can also make a larger impact with your giving.
We hope this article has inspired you to consider preaching an Easter sermon series. We have given you resources, addressed potential objections, and shared some thoughts on promoting the series.
But at the end of the day, it all comes down to your mission as a pastor.
You want to build your church. You want to seek out the lost and share the Gospel. You want to be a light within your community. You want to grow your ministry team and prepare for the future.
Here is the awesome thing: an Easter series can accomplish all these goals, and much more. A well-planned and well-executed series will enhance all the good things you are already doing.
Don’t let Easter sneak up on you in 2021. Take a little time now to review this guide and begin planning your Easter sermon series.
Although 2020 will go down in the history books as one of the worst years ever, 2021 could go down as a year of growth and renewal for your church … all because of a great Easter sermon series.
You’ve got enough on your plate to be worrying about where to find inspiration for Easter this year. Well, look no further. Download our list of 50 Sermon Series Ideas for Easter today!
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Powerful and Relevant Illustrations Connect Christmas with Life
Inspiration to Breathe New Life to the Traditions of Christmas
