By Dr. Jeremy Roberts
After 13 years of being a senior pastor, I can relate to you when it comes to the post-Easter fog that lingers. Now is a good time to think about some intentional things to do as you recover from the exciting yet busy weekend. What should you do?
- Rest
Pastor Jack Graham, in his newest book Reignite: Fresh Focus for an Enduring Faith discusses the need for rest, based upon the Scriptures. You know this is important to do. The question is “Are you going to actually rest?” After the exhaustion that comes with Easter, heed the advice you know is biblical. Turn off your phone and chill for a bit.
- Contact
Hopefully you had a large number of guest cards submitted on Easter Sunday. Whether you are pastoring a church with an attendance average of 50, or a thousand and 50, you must contact those guests. Allow this article to serve as a reminder of the importance of contacting guests at your church. Call them. E-mail them. Text them. Do something to show them that you care about them.
- Pray
Go before the Lord and ask Him to be on the fore of your mind and heart, not just on Easter weekend, but every moment of every day. Ask the Lord to put evangelistic Christians along the paths of the lost people who attended last Sunday’s service(s). Pray for your family and yourself.
- Reassess
Sit down with your worship and media team – volunteers and staff alike – and ask them what went well over Easter weekend, what areas could see improvement, and get their feedback. Trust me … I know that is a painful thought, but good leaders do this.
Think about it this way: Imagine your favorite football team’s coaches not analyzing film from the previous game. That’d never happen. Then why would you consider not reassessing your Easter weekend activities? Reassess with your key leaders sometime this week.
- Encourage and Celebrate
Send a special video or letter to your church e-mail list and encourage them. Tell them what a good job they did inviting people to attend either online or on-campus. Tell them that you love them. Since it was the first Sunday of the month and Easter, chances are your giving was strong. If that’s the case, encourage them with that information as well.
Maybe you had really strong attendance or something happened that hasn’t taken place since COVID entered our lives. Celebrate that.
Too often, pastors err on the side of not celebrating. Remember this: You are more likely to replicate that which you celebrate. Celebrate your wins from Easter weekend.
Conclusion
Although Easter has passed, traditionally, you have between now and Memorial Day to capitalize on growth opportunities. Considering how people are not traveling as much, that may be prolonged. This is good news for you as you lead the Lord’s Bride!
Dr. Jeremy Roberts is the Associate Pastor of Missions Mobilization at Prestonwood Baptist Church in Plano, Texas.