Many churches will waste Easter. Here’s why.

Just before Easter, the pressure starts to build. Extra services get added. Easter and church graphics are refreshed. Social media calendars fill up. Volunteers are recruited. None of that is wrong. In fact, it shows how deeply you care!

But here’s the uncomfortable truth: activity is not the same as clarity. And when churches confuse motion with meaning, Easter gets busy without becoming powerful.

Check out more stories from church branding strategist and consultant Mark MacDonald.

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Most churches don’t waste Easter because they’re lazy. They waste it because they’re unclear. Everywhere.

Easter is the one Sunday your community is already open to a spiritual conversation. Curiosity is higher. Resistance is lower. People are more willing to say yes to an invitation. But openness alone does not create impact. Being known for clarity does.

Where it breaks down

Here’s where it often breaks down:

1. You’re promoting an Easter event instead of explaining a promise.

“Join us at 9 or 11!” is information. It’s not inspiration.

IMPORTANT: Unchurched people are not looking for a church service. They’re wrestling with real life. Is there hope for my family? Can I start over? Does God care about my mess?

If your Easter communication doesn’t connect the resurrection to everyday pain, you’re advertising a schedule instead of offering hope.

Next step: Rewrite your Easter headline to answer a real-life question. Make the transformation obvious, not assumed.

2. You’re designing for insiders.

It’s easy to upgrade the experience for people who already love your church. Better production. Bigger moments. Tighter transitions.

But first-time guests aren’t grading excellence (nor do they know how it’s upgraded). They’re scanning for safety and clarity. Where do I go? What do I wear? What happens to my kids?

If those answers aren’t simple online and obvious on campus, anxiety rises. Anxious guests rarely return.

Next step: Walk through your website and campus as if you haven’t attended in years (or have an outsider to do this for you). Fix the confusion immediately. Clarity is kindness and will feel like love.

3. You’re blending in.

Every church in your city is saying, “He is risen.” That’s beautiful and true. It’s also common.

If your communication sounds identical to everyone else’s, you disappear into the noise. Differentiation isn’t about being flashy. It’s about being specific. Being known for something that matters.

What transformation is your church uniquely positioned to help people experience? If you can’t say it clearly, your community won’t feel it clearly.

Next step: Complete this sentence: “This Easter, discover ______.” If it feels vague or similar to everyone else, keep working.

4. Your ministry team isn’t fully aligned.

When different ministries describe Easter in different ways, you don’t have a strategy. You have disconnected efforts. And it will be sensed by the community and congregation.

Alignment multiplies impact. Communicate in unison to be heard farther!

Next step: Create a one-page Easter clarity sheet with your core message, audience, promise and next step. Make sure every leader can say it in one sentence. A mini-Easter thread if you will. Bonus points if it connects quickly to your church’s thread (and of course, the Gospel).

Easter doesn’t need to be bigger. It needs to be clearer.

And if you feel too close to it to see what’s confusing, that’s normal. Every leader does. Sometimes an outside perspective simply helps you see what you can’t see anymore. Seek that help.

You still have a few weeks. That’s enough time to clarify the message, remove friction and make sure your church is known for something that truly changes lives. Happy (almost) Easter!