23. Neutral location.
Instead of holding services at your church, schedule them at a neutral location. One church uses a flower ranch located on the property of one of their members and draws many unbelievers each year.
24. Celebrity connection.
Engage your community by inviting a local Christian “celebrity” to participate in your Easter service. Ask the mayor to narrate your Easter musical; invite a sports figure to share his or her testimony; ask the local pageant queen to sing; or invite a local disc jockey or news anchor to participate in a reader’s theater.
25. Easter baskets benefit.
Collect Easter gift baskets from local businesses and church members for a silent auction, benefiting a local charity.
26. Easter photos.
On Easter Sunday, give guests free family photos. Enlist a photographer, set up a spring backdrop and give each person a card with a link to download their pictures.
27. Visual aid.
Build or purchase a large wooden cross and place it at the front. Early in your Easter service, explain the cross’ significance.
28. Children’s musical.
Never underestimate the power of a children’s musical or drama. Not only are children remarkably capable of presenting the Gospel in a compelling way, but parents, grandparents and friends who might otherwise never set foot in a church will come with cameras in hand.
29. Sermon on CD.
Make the Easter sermon available free of charge to guests. On the CD cover, list the upcoming message series and topics that will be covered.
EASTER FOLLOW-UP
30. Love Jars.
Fill canning jars called “Love Jars” with brownie mix, attractively layered, sealed with a lid and covered with seasonal fabric. Then make a personal visit to the home of each of Easter visitor. Make it a nonthreatening, non-preachy visit that simply says, “We’re glad you came…. hope to see you again.”
31. Spring family festival.
Follow up Easter Sunday with a spring family festival. Give the kids carnival tickets stapled to their Easter egg bags to use for rides and games. It’s a strong motivator that turns an Easter-only visit into at least two visits. A barbecue and outreach-oriented message series give parents a reason to return as well.
Written by Lindy Lowry.
