3 Ways to Make Sure You Don't Blow it on Easter Sunday

Got some butterflies in your stomach over the Easter service? You should, your church's success hangs in the balance.

At Worship Artistry, we’re all about “bringing your best” and that goes triple for Easter, so make sure you’re on your game. You should be stressed out. If you haven’t cried yourself to sleep every night for at least the last 40 days you’re doing it wrong! Sure, God has grace for us, but those people who only come to church twice a year don’t. They expect top quality and if they don’t get it, they’ll probably go somewhere else at Christmas. You want that weighing on your conscience? I sure as heaven don’t! Everything has to be perfect.

Here’s three ways to make sure you don’t blow it:

Dress the Part

Make sure you’re in dress code. Better yet, have everyone wear a uniform. It decreases the chances of someone wearing the wrong color tie and a mismatch could keep that visitor’s eye on you instead of the incredible saving work of Christ. Sure, His blood can wash away our hideous sin, but it can’t cover that awful floral dress you bought in 1983.

Details, Details, Details

If your Power Point hasn’t already been completed and practiced with your tech person, stop reading this right now and do it! That visitor will spend most of their time staring at a screen and pretending to sing. Their very souls could hang on a well-timed slide transition. You better nail it. Make sure your tech person is aware of the gravity of the situation so they can be as stressed out as you are.

Practice Makes Perfect

Make sure your team is set up and ready to practice by 5am. As long as you have donuts and coffee available, it will feel like a special occasion and they will love you for it. You can practice the set so many times you’ll be able to play it in your sleep which is good, because that’s exactly what you’ll be doing at service time. This has the added benefit of making your team appear even more spiritual by playing with their eyes closed. Visitors want to know the worship team is holier than they are. It’s what keeps them coming back holiday after holiday.

On A Serious Note

Okay, I can't do this anymore. Easter is a celebration of the work Christ has done. At Worship Artistry, we always encourage you to bring your best, but keep in mind that yours will never be as good as His. God is the same yesterday, today and forever. He doesn't become someone different on Easter and He's the One we are playing for so take a breath; rest in His peace. Embrace His grace and know that the Holy Spirit will work both through us and in spite of us. 

Celebrate with these great song lessons.

Jason Houtsma is the co-founder and guitar teacher at Worship Artistry, where he is helping musicians of every level answer the call to worship with passion and confidence. Jason has been leading worship and writing music since he was 15 years old and currently serves as Worship Pastor for Mosaic Church in Bellingham, WA. He is husband to Alli and father to Bjorn and Asher.

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So I blew it on Easter.

Our 2nd song of the Easter set was All The Earth Will Sing Your Praises by Paul Baloche, in the key of G. Needless to say, I played the lead electric guitar solo from Glorious by Paul Baloche in the key of B. I somehow managed almost 2 full bars, to the dismay of the other guitarist and bassist. Somehow our worship leader trucked through, and didn't get caught on the wrong starting vocal note. The good news is I nailed the lead intro in the song which it belonged!

Oh OUCH!!!!!

I guess we should have had that lesson up :)

Me too

Went to float a subtle washed pad over the elder's prayer for Easter. Had the string break on my EB volume pedal...gave the congregation a 22 second 'power chord' instead....good times :)

Oh my gosh!

I just laughed so hard at this. That's brilliant!

i did it also

I forgot to stop playing for prayer and had to improvise for 4 minutes