5 Things Every Pastor Should NOT Do This Easter Season

With only a handful of days remaining, pastors throughout the country are undoubtedly burning the candle at both ends, spending every waking hour fine-tuning the details for what some have dubbed the “Christian Superbowl.”

That’s right. Easter is upon us.

Pastors and church employees find themselves, and understandably so, caught up in a whirlwind of planning and organizing and working an insane amount of hours, preparing for services and events geared to new visitors. It’s an important time for churches to maximize their resources, find new and creative ways to reach out to their community and to share a life-changing message of hope.

LifeWay Research recently conducted a survey asking pastors what the three highest attendance Sundays were throughout the year. Of the 1,000 pastors surveyed, 93% said Easter was the highest attended.

That isn’t too surprising for those of us who’ve spent any amount of time working in churches. We get it. But more so, as we get closer and closer to the quickly approaching Easter weekend, we feel it.

As important as it is to fully immerse ourselves in the planning and preparations for these gatherings and events, it’s equally (or more) important not to lose our way during these times. It’s easy to burn out. It’s easy to get frustrated with other staff members, our spouses, and our children. And it’s even easier to forget the reasons behind the why.

During this season, I encourage the following:

Don’t forget to delegate.
Many pastors, mostly of churches in attendance of 200 or smaller, have a more difficult time delegating responsibilities during busier seasons like Easter or Christmas. Larger churches often have more financial resources where they can outsource some projects or have a larger staff to delegate responsibilities. Even still, pastors of any size church can take on more responsibility than they should. Stop seeking perfection and stop waiting for people to volunteer. Learn to trust others and start delegating.

Delegation is a real struggle for some pastors. If this is an area of struggle for you, I’d encourage you to check out this article and this article and have others close to you help in this process.

Don’t forget your kid’s names.
When you’re home, shut off your computer. Put away your tablet and your iPhone. Hide the TV remote. Grab a book and sit down with your kids. You may work long and hard during this time but as much as you try and express this to your kids, they will never understand.

Don’t neglect personal prayer and devotions.
A simple one but one that’s often the first to go. Don’t allow message prep to take the place of your personal prayer and devotions. Be intentional, even more so during this time.

Don’t forget to relax.
Personally, I love to work. I like being busy. Relaxing, I’ll admit, is often difficult for me. Being intentional in this area, however, is key to avoiding burnout and stress in busy times.

Walk to get a coffee instead of driving. Grab your baseball glove and play catch with a co-worker. Just 20 minutes a day, when we’re free from the tyranny of things present, is enough to counteract the harmful effects of stress.

Don’t get lost in bright lights.
My church and churches around the world will be honoring Jesus this coming Easter and it’s my prayer that the message would not get lost in bright lights and loudspeakers. But that the smallest whisper will be heard in the many hearts who attend these gatherings, a whisper that reveals our deepest sins and a deeper need for a mighty, living, and loving Savior.

These are just a few things to remember during this Easter season. Happy Easter!