If the goal of your message is for people to respond to the Gospel of Jesus Christ, what should that look like? How should they begin? Do you want them to come forward, stand, repeat a prayer, fill out a card…what?
If nobody responds to your sermon, maybe it’s because you never asked them to.
Be clear, direct and unapologetic with what you want people to do.
4. Assuming people will come.
A dangerous assumption that can hurt your church is assuming people will show up just because it’s Easter.
Yes, more people are likely to attend a church service on Easter than most other weekends. But don’t fall into a safe sense of security in thinking that people will automatically show up without any work on your part.
God alone brings the harvest, but He asks us to prepare the fields. What have you done to prepare the field?
How are you getting the word out about your church services?
How are you encouraging your congregation to invite others?
How are you personally reaching out?
5. No follow-up plan.
New people showed up! Now what? What is your plan to follow-up with them? What is your plan to encourage them to come back?
Many churches put all their eggs in the Easter-Sunday basket with no plan for the week after. Will you start a new series that interests them? Will you personally call them? Will you send them a letter? Easter planning means follow-up, too.
If the Holy Spirit moves and 25 or 100 people make the decision to give their lives to Jesus, are you prepared?
How will you follow up? It doesn’t have to be elaborate, but you need a strategy.
Those are five mistakes that I have noticed. What about you? What other mistakes do pastors make on Easter planning?
