Pressure at Easter

The week leading up to Easter is a busy time for Pastors.  There are usually extra services/events to attend or lead (Bible studies, Maunday Thursday, Good Friday, Easter sunrise service).  Also, it is normal for Pastor's feel pressure to offer something of significance in every sermon they preach.  At Easter, that pressure is amped up. 


I meet with a group of other younger pastors periodically and most of them have more experience preaching than I do. 

Recently, several of them confessed that they used to think Easter Sunday was a time to push themselves to create a worship service and a sermon that would "top" everything else they had done.  After feeling that way for several years, they concluded that the pressure and anxiety wasn't worth it.  And this year most of them have made a concerted effort not to put that kind of pressure on themselves.

It's one of those things that's easier said than done.  I'm trying to make a concerted effort not to put anymore pressure on myself this Easter Sunday than I normally do.  At the same time, this is my first Easter Sunday as a lead pastor and it is my first Easter sermon.   

I want to enjoy Easter and not put pressure on myself to "perform."  Since this is my first time leading the Easter Sunday service I can see that it might be difficult for me to do that.  I just hope I can take the wisdom of those who have been there and apply it my situation instead of learning the hard way.