Easter Offering Strategies: How to Unleash Radical Generosity

TL;DR:

Easter is one of the biggest giving opportunities of the year, yet many churches underplan their offering due to fear of discussing money. However, generosity fuels life-changing ministry, and a well-executed Easter offering strategy can maximize impact. Use these 4 Key Strategies for a Powerful Easter Offering:

1. Plan Early – Set clear goals and communicate impact ahead of time via emails, social media, and videos.
2. Paint a Vivid Vision – Inspire giving by connecting donations to life change, not just budgets. Use real stories.
3. Keep It Worshipful – Make giving part of worship, not an interruption. Include testimonies, scripture, and digital giving options.
4. Show Results & Give Thanks – Follow up quickly with personalized thank-you messages that reinforce generosity’s impact.

A planned, meaningful offering unleashes radical generosity that fuels mission work beyond Easter Sunday. Don’t leave this opportunity untapped—OnlineGiving.org can help with digital giving tools, donor engagement, and strategic generosity planning.

Easter isn’t just the Church’s Super Bowl—it’s also one of the most powerful opportunities of the year to unleash radical generosity that fuels life-changing ministry.

Pastors often call Easter the “Super Bowl Sunday” for churches. Alongside Christmas, it draws the year’s largest crowds, including many first-time attendees. Knowing this, church leaders spend weeks—sometimes months—perfecting every detail of the service. Yet one crucial element often gets overlooked: the offering.

Why Do So Many Churches Underplan the Easter Offering?

Too often, the offering is seen not as worship, but as an intrusion. In recent decades, churches have scaled back or eliminated the offering moment due to fear—fear of alienating guests, fear of seeming transactional, or fear of being perceived as “always talking about money.”

The MortarStone 2024 Annual Report, Transferring the Legacy of Generosity, highlights the consequences of this shift:

“The reluctance of churches to discuss finances, and in some instances omit offering moments or ‘passing the plate,’ has created a vacuum. The fear of offending guests or being perceived as ‘always talking about money’ has created a significant gap in discipleship.”

Yet, outside the church, nonprofits never hesitate to ask for support. Organizations like the Red Cross clearly state their needs and boldly invite people to give. Why? Because people give when they see a compelling reason to invest.

The issue isn’t talking about money—it’s failing to connect dollars to impact. As the MortarStone report further states:

“Many churches fail to connect dollars to impact to reveal how each giver has played an important role in accomplishing the mission.”

Easter Is a Giving Opportunity—If You Plan for It

Rather than skipping or downplaying the offering, what if your Easter offering became a defining moment of generosity? Imagine connecting every gift to a vision of global good, fueling your church’s mission in ways that inspire lifelong generosity.

At OnlineGiving.org, we help churches craft powerful giving experiences by offering multiple ways to paint a vivid vision, making it easier than ever to inspire generosity. Here’s how to turn your Easter offering into a meaningful and worshipful moment that unleashes radical generosity.

4 Easter Offering Strategies That Inspire Generosity

1. Plan Early—Weeks Ahead

Success starts long before Easter Sunday. Waiting until the last minute weakens the impact. Just as you plan sermons and worship sets, map out the offering strategy now.

Choose a clear goal—funding student missions, launching a new outreach, or paying down debt to fuel ministry expansion.
Share the vision early through emails, social media, and pre-Easter videos.
Don't limit communication to one moment—build anticipation so the congregation is ready to engage.

2. Paint a Vivid Vision

Budgets don’t inspire—life change does. People give when they see the tangible impact of their generosity.

Instead of saying, “Our budget needs your support,” tell a compelling story:

“Last year, your gifts sent 50 kids to camp—this year, we’re aiming for 75.”
“Because of your giving, 73 people accepted Jesus this Easter.”

Make it personal by featuring a testimony from someone whose life was transformed by past giving. When people see the direct connection between their generosity and ministry impact, they are far more likely to give.

At OnlineGiving.org, our platform gives churches multiple ways to showcase generosity’s impact, helping you maximize giving with ease.

3. Keep the Offering Worshipful

The offering is not a break in worship—it IS worship. Downplaying it cheapens the moment and makes giving feel transactional.

Instead, elevate it:

Have a lay leader share a 90-second testimony about how giving changed their life.
Pair the offering moment with a worship song or a scripture like Malachi 3:10, which ties generosity to faith.
Leverage technology—use QR codes, text-to-give, and digital giving options to make generosity seamless.

With OnlineGiving.org, your church has access to over a dozen giving methods, ensuring every person can participate easily and securely.

4. Show Results and Give Thanks

Post-Easter, follow up fast with a tailored thank-you message. The long-term goal is to turn one-time givers into lifelong supporters, and that starts with gratitude.

Personalize your thank-you receipts: We’ve found that 80% of receipts sent immediately after a gift are opened. Why not use that moment to express appreciation and show impact?
State a win in every thank-you: Use your thank you receipt to link every gift to a win: “Each dollar supports our student ministry, reaching 300 teens this summer.” Or share, “Because of you, 73 people accepted Jesus this Easter.”
Make it easy for donors to stay engaged—invite them to future giving opportunities, updates, and ways to continue making a difference.

For more ideas on using thank-you receipts to increase generosity, check out this post: Don’t Just Send Receipts—Tell a Story.

Your Easter Offering Fuels the Mission—Plan for It

Imagine a Super Bowl team showing up without a fuel and hydration plan for their players. Their chances of winning? Almost zero.

Ignoring the Easter offering is the same mistake—it leaves your church under-resourced and unprepared for the mission ahead. Instead, plan the offering, share the story, make giving easy, and show the impact—and watch as radical generosity transforms your ministry.

Need Help? Let’s Talk.

At OnlineGiving.org, we specialize in helping churches craft powerful giving moments that inspire generosity long after Easter Sunday. Call us at (615) 206-4000 or email support@onlinegiving.org to schedule a free demo today.

For churches, Easter is the Super Bowl of Sundays—so don’t fumble the offering! Plan ahead, share a vision, make giving worshipful, & watch radical generosity fuel life-changing ministry. Get the strategy: https://t.co/4rTEosq0qZ pic.twitter.com/543QNedMZA
— Online Giving (@onlinegivingorg) March 4, 2025