Forty days is a significant time period in the Bible. In the Old Testament, when God destroyed the earth with water, He caused it to rain forty days and forty nights (Genesis 7:12). Moses was on Mount Sinai for forty days and forty nights receiving the Ten Commandments. (Exodus 24:18). The Israelite spies took forty days to check out Canaan (Numbers 13:25).

In the New Testament, Jesus was tempted for forty days and forty nights (Matthew 4:2). There were forty days between Jesus’ resurrection and ascension (Acts 1:3). There are many more forty-day occurrences in scriptures.

As I write this blog there are forty Days between now and Easter 2018 (April 1st ) and I believe that we as church leaders need to have our plans prepared to make this Easter the largest attended Sunday of the year, as well as being the most significant launching platform for the rest of the year.

Here is a checklist list of five things that you need to have done or will soon be doing for Easter.

1. Spring Cleaning

Walk around your building and grounds and make a list of the things that need to be attended to. Pay attention to clear signage to doors and cleanliness of bathrooms and children’s/nursery areas.

2. Prepare Guest Packets.

Include a free welcome gift that is available at your Information Center when guests hand in their connection/commitment cards (For more see GETTING READY FOR EASTER PLANNING MANUAL from The Effective Church Group)

3. Recruit Extra Volunteer Teams

Most churches experience a significant influx in attendance on Easter morning. This means there needs to be more workers to help. Extra ushers, parking lot greeters, musicians, welcome center, children’s helpers, and guest follow up volunteers need to be recruited. (Don’t forget to recruit a prayer team whose job it is to pray for filling these volunteer teams for all of the guests your congregation will be inviting.)

4. Encourage Your Congregation to go to F.R.A.N.C.E.

Challenge your congregation to begin praying for and then inviting their Friends, Relatives, Acquaintances, Neighbors, Coworkers and Everyone else they can think of to Easter services at your church.

5. Promote Promote Promote

Through bulletin/platform announcements, news releases, public service announcements, and especially social media, promote a new, short, seeker friendly message series that will begin on Easter Sunday. Include in those posts an e-invitation that your congregation can in turn relay on to their F.R.A.N.C.E.

Each week from now until Easter, I will be highlighting one area you can focus on to prepare for that big day, and more importantly, the follow up that will increase your weekly attendance significantly for the rest of the year.