5 Ways to Prepare for Easter

Prepare for Easter

With Easter just a few weeks away, every children’s ministry leader is planning and preparing for this special weekend. Every Sunday should be a celebration of Christ’s work, but this weekend provides so many added opportunities to reach children and families. Therefore, it’s worth taking some time to consider how we’re preparing for Easter in our children’s ministries.

Here are five ways you can prepare for Easter:

1. Plan for Guests’ Experience

Easter likely means an increase in guests who worship with you. To be best prepared, we need to plan for a guest experience that—from the moment they arrive at church—helps to engage them in worship, instead of distracting them from worship.

Consider these questions:

  • Where should we place greeters?
  • Who is the most trained volunteer to lead the child check-in procedures?
  • How can we provide enough ushers to help families find classrooms or seats in worship?
  • Is the signage around our church clear and up to date?
  • Is there anything additional we can do to make guests feel welcomed and wanted?

Once the guest child is in your children’s ministry, think about how to provide the best experience for them as well. Don’t plan a review game that immediately alienates them because they haven’t attended the previous four weeks. Take extra time to explain transitions and parts of the service so guest children know what to expect and stay engaged in the lesson.

I challenge you to carry a notebook this Sunday and take notes on how your guest experience might be improved in preparation for Easter Sunday.

2. Prepare for Follow-Up

The guest experience doesn’t stop after the closing prayer. It continues in the days and weeks that follow Easter. Prepare a follow-up that helps guests learn. Start by asking guests how they prefer to be contacted. Within the week, contact them using this method and give them more information about your church. Focus on helping them find the best way to take a next step that leads to deeper connection.

3. Pray (in and for) the Church

Take some time over the next two weeks to intentionally pray for the people who will attend services at your church. If you have rosters for children’s ministry, pray for kids by name and ask God to help them understand the life-saving power of the resurrection.

Schedule a prayer walk or sit in specific rooms to pray. Schedule a lunch-time prayer where children’s ministry volunteers can come and pray over their classroom and the ministry before Easter.

As much as we can plan and prepare for Easter weekend, our most effective tool is the prayer that begs God to do more than we can ask or imagine!

4. Prime Your Own Heart

As you prepare for Easter weekend, be sure you take some time to prime your own heart for worship and celebration of Christ’s resurrection. Read the Gospel account of Jesus’ final week and finish on Saturday night with the story of Jesus’ resurrection and appearance to the disciples in Luke 24. Let your heart be filled with the same burning joy that filled the disciples as they walked the Emmaus road with Him!

5. Preach the Gospel

As you prepare for Easter, don’t neglect to preach the Gospel. Resist the temptation to rely on gimmicks to entertain kids. Instead, focus on the powerful story of the resurrection to engage kids!

What better way to celebrate the resurrection than by showing why it was necessary in God’s redemptive plan. From Genesis to Revelation, show kids how the resurrection of Jesus restores all that was broken by sin. Celebrate that Jesus is alive and will return as reigning King to make all things new!

How are you preparing for Easter?

This article was originally posted here.