Beyond Easter: Sustaining Online Engagement After the Celebration
April 2024 – Easter Sunday has come and gone, but the true work of ministry is just beginning. After a season of celebration, churches now face the vital task of nurturing the connections made during Easter. Many new faces attended services, drawn by the significance of the holiday. The real opportunity lies in what happens next – how we follow up and integrate those attendees into the life of the church. In this spring season of renewal, our goal is to turn one-time visitors into lasting members of our faith community. Let’s explore how intentional online engagement and follow-up can sustain the post-Easter momentum.
Embrace Prompt and Personal Follow-Up
Easter often brings a surge of visitors, and timely follow-up is crucial. In fact, effective follow-up can mean the difference between someone who attends only on holidays and someone who becomes an active church member. Make it a priority in the weeks after Easter to reach out personally to every newcomer. Consider these steps:
- Send a Warm Thank-You: Within a day or two, email or text each visitor thanking them for joining your Easter service. A simple, genuine message shows care and keeps the conversation going.
- Invite to Next Steps: Clearly communicate one or two “next steps” for newcomers. This could be an invitation to next Sunday’s service, a newcomers’ Zoom coffee hour, or a link to an online small group. Keep it simple and focused so they know how to get involved.
- Leverage Multiple Channels: People have different communication preferences. Use a mix of email, text messages, social media DMs, or even phone calls to follow up, meeting people where they are comfortable. An online connect card (promoted via a QR code at Easter) can help gather the contact info needed for this multi-channel follow-up.
Personal touches matter greatly. Encourage members of your hospitality or follow-up team to hand-write notes or make individual calls. A brief call to say “It was great to meet you at Easter, hope to see you again!” can leave a lasting impression of welcome. Remember, over 60% of people visit a church for the first time because they were personally invited – and a personal invite back can be just as powerful. Showing each visitor that they were seen and appreciated eases the path from online viewer or pew attendee to engaged participant.
Provide Online Pathways for Connection
For many guests, especially those who connected through your livestream or social media, the next steps into community will happen online. Make sure your digital front door stays wide open after Easter:
- Update Your Website and App: Feature a prominent “New Here? Start Here” section that Easter guests can easily find. Include a friendly video greeting from the pastor, an overview of ministries, and an invitation to upcoming events. Keep the Easter graphics fresh by transitioning to spring themes and highlighting any post-Easter sermon series or programs.
- Online Newcomer Events: Host a virtual newcomers’ class or Q&A session. Services like Facebook or YouTube Live, or webinar tools, can enable your pastoral team to introduce the church’s mission and answer questions. This gives those who may be hesitant to attend in person a chance to connect safely from home.
- Small Groups and Studies: Promote any spring small groups, Bible studies, or Alpha courses starting after Easter. Emphasize that many groups offer online or hybrid options. New believers and seekers often emerge during Easter; offering a digital Bible basics class or “Foundations of Faith” course on your church’s app or Zoom can disciple them right away while the interest is high.
Nurture Relationships and Encourage Return Visits
In the weeks after Easter, focus on relationship-building. Church isn’t just an event; it’s a family. Use your digital platforms to foster that sense of belonging:
- Social Media Engagement: Continue the conversation on social media. Ask questions like “What was your favorite moment of our Easter service?” or “How can we pray for you this week?” Respond to comments promptly. Highlight stories of individuals who had meaningful experiences at Easter (with permission), and share photos of fellowship from any post-service events.
- Pastoral Touchpoints: Have pastors or ministry leaders send a short video message to all Easter guests, thanking them and personally inviting them to an upcoming series or event. A 60-second personalized video emailed or texted can be very impactful. It shows faces and heart, not just information.
- Plan a Follow-Up Event: Approximately 3–4 weeks after Easter, consider hosting a community event that you can invite everyone back to. This could be a spring picnic, a service project, or a special “New Friends Sunday.” If in-person, stream parts of it or create online engagement opportunities (like a Facebook Live segment during the event) so those connecting digitally can participate. Let your Easter visitors know that the celebration isn’t over and you’d love to see them again.
Also, pay attention to those who might have been spiritually moved during Easter. If someone indicated a decision of faith or interest in baptism, respond quickly. Some churches even organize a baptism Sunday a few weeks after Easter for new believers – an exciting way to integrate people into the community. Invite everyone to witness it (online or in person), as it reinforces the message that your church rejoices in next steps of faith.
Continue the Spirit of Easter Year-Round
The resurrection hope we celebrated at Easter is something to live out every day. Encourage your congregation to keep that spirit alive and share it. Perhaps start a new sermon series on “Living the Resurrection” or a devotional email series that extends beyond Easter. Provide shareable content – inspirational quotes, short clips from Easter Sunday, or testimonies – that members can forward to friends. This empowers your people to become inviters and includers themselves.
As spring progresses, plan for Pentecost in May – the commemoration of the Holy Spirit empowering the Church. It’s a natural next emphasis after Easter. You might host an online prayer vigil or a special service around Pentecost, again inviting all those new folks to engage. Emphasize how the story continues: after Easter, the first Christians built a thriving, Spirit-filled community, and so can we.
Sustaining the Momentum
By treating Easter not as a one-day event but as the beginning of a journey, your church can see lasting fruit. The weeks immediately after Easter are a golden window to shepherd visitors into deeper connection. With timely follow-up, accessible online pathways, and genuine relationship-building, you can help new attendees move from spectators to members of the family. At Intent, we believe that with intentional digital engagement and care, the post-Easter season can spark ongoing growth in your church. The celebration of Christ’s resurrection may be behind us, but its impact is only beginning – let’s sustain that momentum together, ensuring no one walks through our (physical or virtual) doors without finding a place to belong.
By maintaining robust online connection points, you ensure that those who discovered your church around Easter don’t drift away. For example, if you launched an #EasterAtYourChurch hashtag campaign, consider continuing it as #SpringAtYourChurch and invite people to share how they’re growing in this season. Keep posting highlights from Easter (photos, testimonies, recap videos) followed by invitations to what’s next. This reinforces that Easter was not an end point but a launch pad for ongoing community and growth.
Ready to Continue the Journey?
If you’re looking for guidance on building effective follow-up systems or enhancing your online community, we’re here to help. Intent.church specializes in digital strategies that turn one-time visitors into engaged disciples. Let’s keep the post-Easter momentum going – reach out for a free consultation to explore how digital tools can support your ministry’s next steps.
Together, we’ll ensure that every person who connected with your church this Easter finds opportunities to grow, serve, and flourish in faith long after the holiday.