Christian Obituary Writing Guide

Writing an obituary while grieving is one of the hardest tasks funeral planning throws at you. The deadline is immediate — the funeral home and newspaper both need it within a day or two — and the stakes feel enormous because this is the public record of the person's life.

Here is a straightforward structure that works for evangelical families, plus guidance on the printed funeral program that most churches expect.

The Obituary: What to Include

A Christian obituary follows a standard format with a few faith-specific additions:

Opening sentence. Full legal name, age, city of residence, and date of death. Some families add the phrase "went home to be with the Lord" or "entered into eternal rest" — these are appropriate in evangelical contexts and immediately signal the faith tradition to readers.

Biographical sketch. Birth date and place, parents' names, education, career highlights, and military service. Keep it factual. This section is the skeleton — the next section adds the warmth.

Faith and church life. This is the section that distinguishes a Christian obituary. Name the church the deceased attended, their length of membership, and any ministry involvement: choir, Sunday school teacher, deacon, Stephen Ministry caregiver, missions volunteer. If they had a personal testimony they shared publicly, a one-sentence summary belongs here.

Family survivors. Spouse, children, grandchildren, siblings, and other close relatives — listed by name. Precede deceased family members with "preceded in death by."

Service details. Date, time, and location of the visitation and funeral service. Name the officiating pastor. If the family prefers donations to a memorial fund instead of flowers, include the fund name and address here.

Closing. Some families include a brief scripture verse: "Well done, good and faithful servant" (Matthew 25:23) or "Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his saints" (Psalm 116:15).

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Oversharing cause of death. You are not obligated to include it. A general phrase ("after a courageous battle with cancer" or "peacefully at home surrounded by family") is sufficient. If the death was by suicide, overdose, or violence, most families use "died unexpectedly" and share details privately.

Listing too many organizations. Every Rotary Club and bowling league membership does not need to be in the obituary. Focus on the roles that defined the person.

Forgetting the newspaper deadline. Most newspapers need the obituary 24 to 48 hours before the desired publication date. The funeral home can submit it on your behalf, but you write it. Newspaper obituaries also charge by the word in most markets — a 300-word piece is standard; going beyond 500 words gets expensive.

The Funeral Program

The printed program — sometimes called a bulletin or order of service — is handed to every person who enters the sanctuary. It serves two purposes: it tells attendees what is happening (the order of worship) and it memorializes the deceased (a photo, dates, and a brief tribute).

A standard evangelical funeral program includes:

• Cover: Full-color photo of the deceased, full name, birth date, death date, and a scripture verse
• Inside left: Obituary or life sketch (condensed version of the published obituary)
• Inside right: Order of service — processional, opening hymn, scripture readings, tributes, sermon, closing hymn, recessional
• Back cover: Family acknowledgment ("The family of [name] wishes to express gratitude..."), the names of pallbearers, and sometimes a poem or additional scripture

The family designs and prints the program, not the church. Most families use a template from the funeral home or a simple word-processing layout. The church office can tell you how many copies to print based on expected attendance.

Who Reviews the Obituary Before It Publishes

In most evangelical families, the designated family spokesperson drafts the obituary, shares it with immediate family for corrections, then submits it to the funeral home for publication. The pastor does not typically review the obituary — their authority extends to the service, not the newspaper — but running it past them is wise if you are unsure about faith language.

For a complete funeral planning workflow that includes obituary drafts, program layouts, and newspaper submission timelines, see our Evangelical Funeral Guide.