67 Days to EASTER

Easter is one of the most significant Sundays of the year for churches. It’s a time of celebration, outreach, and engagement, and preparing for it takes strategy, intentionality, and execution. Whether your church is large or small, the 60-day mark is when planning and preparation truly shift into high gear.

If you’re leading the charge for your church’s Easter marketing, promotions, or communications, this guide will walk you through practical strategies to ensure your efforts are effective, well-organized, and impactful.

Let’s break it down into three key groups that make up your church audience: Core, Crowd, and Community.

Step 1: Engaging Your Core – The Inner Circle of Your Church

Who Are the Core?

The Core consists of the most dedicated members of your church—the raving fans. These are the people who:

• Attend regularly, often weekly.

• Serve consistently.

• Are excited about everything your church does.

• Will invite others to Easter without hesitation.

How to Equip and Mobilize Your Core

Your Core needs clarity and resources to spread the word about Easter. The key here is mobilization—getting them engaged and actively participating in your church’s Easter strategy.

1. Rally Excitement

Don’t assume your most dedicated members know all the details of Easter just because they’re active. Keep them informed and excited by:

• Weekend announcements: Reinforce the vision behind Easter during services.

• Exclusive sneak peeks: Offer a behind-the-scenes look at the Easter experience—stage designs, rehearsals, sermon series previews.

• Personal communication: Send targeted emails or texts to highly involved members encouraging them to take part in invitations.

2. Provide Invitation Resources

The easiest way to get people to invite others? Make it simple.

• Invite Cards: Business card-sized invitations that can be carried in a wallet or purse.

• Yard Signs: A visible and personal way to spread the word in neighborhoods.

• Social Media Graphics: Pre-designed images members can share online with one click.

Churches often put all their energy into digital marketing, but physical invitations still work. One of the most effective ways to invite someone is through a direct, in-person conversation—yard signs, invite cards, and personal outreach make a huge impact.

3. Leverage Digital Advocates

Identify highly engaged social media followers and invite them to be part of a “Share Team” to help spread the word digitally. Send them:

• Custom graphics to post on their feeds.

• Suggested captions to make sharing effortless.

• Links to your church’s Easter event page.

Step 2: Re-Engaging the Crowd – The Occasional Attenders

Who Are the Crowd?

This group consists of people who:

• Call your church “home” but don’t attend weekly.

• May not be in a small group or serve team.

• Attend 1-2 times every six weeks.

• Are easily overlooked but represent a huge opportunity for Easter.

How to Reconnect With the Crowd

Your goal with this group is to invite and involve them in Easter in a way that gets them back in the habit of attending.

1. Internal Marketing Campaigns

Since the Crowd isn’t always engaged, don’t assume they know what’s happening at your church. Promote Easter where they are most likely to see it:

• Church website and app

• Social media (use video content and testimonies)

• E-newsletters and text messages

• Weekend service announcements

Assume they haven’t heard the details, and keep repeating the invitation in various formats to ensure it sticks.

2. One-Time Serve Opportunities

One of the best ways to ensure someone attends is to get them involved. Offering easy, one-time serving opportunities encourages casual attenders to:

• Reconnect with the church.

• Build relationships with regular members.

• Feel a greater sense of ownership over Easter.

Examples of simple serve roles:
✅ Handing out Easter candy
✅ Setting up decorations the week before
✅ Greeting at the doors or helping with parking
✅ Helping prep Easter gift bags

Personal invitations to serve work better than general announcements. If someone attended a membership class but never got involved, or regularly checks their kids in but doesn’t serve, reach out personally to invite them to a small, low-pressure role for Easter.

Step 3: Reaching Your Community – First-Time Guests & Unchurched People

Who Is the Community?

The Community consists of people who:

• Have never been to your church before.

• May not know your church exists or what happens inside.

• Have driven by or seen something about your church but never visited.

How to Effectively Invite the Community

This is where external outreach efforts come in. Many churches default to Easter billboards, postcards, or digital ads that say:

"Easter at [Church Name]"

And while that branding is common, it’s also forgettable. If every church in your city uses the same wording, it blends into the background.

1. Create a Compelling Outreach Campaign

Instead of just naming your church, think about what’s inviting and unique about your Easter service.

For example, one church used:
👉 “Try Church Again” – A simple invitation targeting people who have been to church before but aren’t currently attending.

Why it worked:

• It’s intriguing and invites a response.

• It acknowledges that people may have past church experiences (good or bad).

• It removes the pressure of commitment—just try it again.

Find an engaging, clear message that differentiates your church from the dozens of other Easter invitations people will see.

2. Utilize Digital Ads & Social Media

Invest in targeted Facebook, Instagram, and Google Ads to reach people within your community. Use:

• Video invitations from the pastor or church members.

• Testimonials from past guests who had a great experience.

• Engaging graphics that highlight a key Easter message.

3. Encourage Personal Invitations

The most effective way people come to church? A personal invite from someone they know.

Equip your congregation to invite neighbors, coworkers, and friends personally through:

• Text message invitations.

• Handing out Easter flyers at work or school.

• Inviting people via social media.

Final Thoughts: Preparing for a Great Easter

The 60-day mark is when planning shifts into execution. This is when your marketing, invitations, and engagement strategies take shape.

Key Takeaways:

✔ Mobilize your Core – Give your biggest supporters the tools they need to invite others.
✔ Re-engage the Crowd – Make sure occasional attenders know what’s happening and offer them a way to be involved.
✔ Reach the Community – Craft a message that makes unchurched people curious and willing to visit.

In the next few weeks, focus on creating assets and finalizing strategies to make Easter as effective and inviting as possible. The goal? A life-changing, welcoming experience for as many people as possible.

Let’s make Easter 2024 the best one yet. 🚀

In church communications, the challenge isn’t just crafting creative campaigns or managing logistics. One of the most nuanced and essential skills is leading up—effectively serving and influencing your leaders to align with their vision while ensuring your strategies are clear, actionable, and productive. This process, rooted in humility and servanthood, can elevate your ministry and create a collaborative dynamic with your leadership team.

Dan Barnes and Zac Morgan, experienced church leaders, unpack this critical topic in their discussion on a 90-day strategy to Easter. In this blog, we’ll explore practical steps, tools, and biblical principles to help church communicators lead up well, especially during high-pressure seasons like Easter preparation.