Don’t Rush to Easter: The Courage to Lead Slowly Through Lent

Let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus… who for the joy set before him endured the cross.

— Hebrews 12:1–2 (NIV)

Easter is coming.

You can already feel it.

Choirs are rehearsing.

Sermon series are mapped out.

Volunteers are being recruited.

Bulletins are filling up.

And somewhere in the back of your mind, you’re counting Sundays.

If you’re like most pastors, Lent can quietly become the runway to Easter. The buildup. The stretch drive. The momentum push toward the biggest Sunday of the year.

But Lent was never meant to be a runway.

It’s a road.

And roads are meant to be walked—not sprinted.

The Pressure to Accelerate

Let’s be honest about the tension.

As a pastor, you don’t just experience Lent—you manage it.

You’re thinking about:

• Attendance trends

• Easter outreach

• Sermon clarity

• Worship flow

• Volunteer fatigue

• Guests who might show up once or twice a year

There is real pressure to build momentum quickly. To energize the congregation. To “get them ready” for Easter.

And there’s nothing wrong with preparing well.

But there’s a subtle danger in accelerating too fast.

When we rush toward celebration, we sometimes bypass formation.

When we hurry to resurrection, we may unintentionally skip repentance.

Lent is not an obstacle to Easter joy. It’s what deepens it.

Jesus Walked — He Didn’t Sprint

Luke tells us, “Jesus set his face toward Jerusalem” (Luke 9:51).

That’s intentional language. Determined. Focused.

But notice what He didn’t do.

He didn’t sprint to the cross.

He didn’t rush the conversations.

He didn’t compress the teaching moments.

He walked.

He corrected.

He invited.

He challenged.

He formed.

The journey mattered as much as the destination.

Lent invites us to lead at the pace of Jesus—not the pace of anxiety.

What Courage Looks Like in Lent

It actually takes courage to slow down. Especially in smaller churches.

You may feel like you need momentum. Energy. A spark.

But courage in Lent may look like something quieter:

• Allowing space for silence in worship.

• Preaching repentance without apology.

• Naming sin honestly without theatrics.

• Leading prayers that linger instead of rush.

• Resisting emotional manipulation in favor of genuine response.

You don’t need production value to lead well through Lent. You need presence.

Your congregation doesn’t need you to manufacture intensity. They need you to model attentiveness. And that begins with you.

Lent Shapes the Shepherd First

Here’s something we don’t say enough:

If you rush through Lent personally, your congregation will too.

They will follow your emotional pace. They will sense your spiritual depth. They will mirror your attentiveness—or your distraction.

Pastor, Lent is for you too.

Not just your sermon prep.

Not just your service planning.

Not just your calendar management.

You.

Guard your prayer time.

Sit with confession.

Let Scripture confront and comfort you before you deliver it to others.

Lead from overflow, not exhaustion.

Especially in a smaller church, your spiritual posture sets the tone more than any program ever will.

Don’t Miss What God Wants to Do

It’s easy to see Easter as the payoff.

And yes, Resurrection Sunday is glorious. But Easter joy is richer when Lent has been honest.

A congregation that has wrestled with sin will rejoice more deeply in grace.

A church that has practiced reflection will celebrate resurrection with greater clarity.

A people who have walked slowly will run toward the empty tomb with authentic joy.

Formation cannot be rushed. And neither can renewal.

A Word of Encouragement for the Weeks Ahead

Pastor, I know the work is heavy. I’ve been there.

You’re preaching.

You’re visiting.

You’re counseling.

You’re planning.

You’re absorbing the emotional weight of others.

And you’re doing it faithfully.

Let me say this clearly:

Your steady leadership matters more than spectacle.

Your consistency matters more than flash.

Your faithfulness matters more than hype.

You are not just preparing a service.

You are forming a people.

And sometimes the most courageous leadership decision you can make is simply this:

Slow down. Walk the road. Let Lent do its quiet work.

Let’s Walk This Season Together

Pastor, you don’t have to lead through this season alone.

Lent can feel heavy. The calendar fills quickly. The expectations rise. And yet, beneath it all, God is quietly shaping you and the people you shepherd.

If this article encouraged you, I’d love to stay connected through the weeks ahead.

I share regular encouragement for pastors and church leaders on my website at smallchurchcoaching.com, along with practical tools for leading smaller congregations with clarity and confidence. You can subscribe there to receive updates and resources designed specifically for leaders like you.

You can also connect with me on social media:

• Follow along on Facebook at ItsTimeSam

• Join the conversation in the Facebook group Leadership Edge for Smaller Churches

• Connect on X at @ItsTimeSam

And if you haven’t already, I invite you to subscribe to my new YouTube channel, Worship Rising — a Sunday worship primer created to strengthen the local church by helping believers prepare their hearts before gathering for worship. My heart is to support what you are doing each week in your congregation, not replace it. Each episode is designed to encourage attentiveness, reverence, and readiness for corporate worship.

Let’s encourage one another. Let’s share what we’re learning. Let’s strengthen each other’s hands for the work.

You are not just preparing sermons. You are forming souls. And that work matters deeply.

Walk the road with courage — and let’s keep the conversation going.