The Biggest Day of the Church Year ... Ready?

[John Dobbs]

In the introduction to MAXIMIZING EASTER Searcy asserts that "Easter is arguably the biggest day of the year in the life of the church, with Christmas being its only competition. ... Since Easter's date varies it can sneak up on you."

Searcy suggests four important questions as we approach easter:

1. What will I preach on Easter Sunday?

2. What type of service will I have on Easter Sunday?

3. What special "activities" can I incorporate into Easter Sunday?

4. How will I follow up with the guests God brings me on Easter Sunday?

Those four questions form the basis for his free resource. (You have downloaded it haven't you?)

Before we look at his thoughts on each of these, care to share a brief answer?

John

[John Dobbs]

OK, I'll go first.

1. What will I preach on Easter Sunday?

A: I'm not sure yet. I do want to start a series. I have my summer series pegged...so am thinking a lot about what that ought to be...and what would pique the interest of our guests.

2. What type of service will I have on Easter Sunday?

We will have a normal service for the most part. We may utilize a short video of some kind. But overall, I expect our services to be typical in nature.

3. What special "activities" can I incorporate into Easter Sunday?

Good question. To me this is such a family holiday ... I hate to try to incorporate things like egg hunts and such ... but for those who do not have family nearby it might be good. Love to hear some ideas on this.

4. How will I follow up with the guests God brings me on Easter Sunday?

We will send hand written notes of appreciation with an enclosed $5 giftcard to a local ice cream eatery. We will also send a note again in a month... and then this Fall.

[James Nored]

1. What will I preach on Easter Sunday?
I will be speaking on the resurrection, of course. Or where Cain got his wife. Or the two waiting places before the judgment day. These are all equally relevant, right?

I am probably going to be speaking on Luke 24 and the disciples on the road to Emmaus. This is one of my favorite texts. I have been preaching on Acts 2:42-47, and Sunday I'm speaking on the breaking of bread. So Luke's resurrection account, where the disciples recognize who Jesus is at the breaking of bread, will be a good one to preach on following this series. The language that Luke uses in Luke 24 (the breaking of bread on resurrection day) is nearly identical to Luke 22 (the breaking of bread at the Last Supper).

2. What type of service will I have on Easter Sunday?
We will have an additional sunrise service, followed by breakfast and family communion. Then a normal service to follow.

3. What special "activities" can I incorporate into Easter Sunday?
We have a children's Eggstavaganza on this weekend. And we will have a Wednesday night fellowship meal after this in which we will be inviting our food pantry customers and others from the community to attend.

4. How will I follow up with the guests God brings me on Easter Sunday?
Cards, emails, personal visits, prayer, brochures, etc. We are sending out a 15,000 mailer to invite people to Easter. and then we will have 2000 invite cards for members to hand out to their family, friends, co-workers, and neighbors. My daughter Gina loves going and handing these out.