Evangelical Funeral Planning: A Step-by-Step Guide

Planning an evangelical funeral for the first time is overwhelming because you are making dozens of unfamiliar decisions under acute time pressure — often while grieving. The process follows a predictable sequence, and knowing what comes next is half the battle.

Here is the step-by-step sequence most evangelical families follow, from the first phone call to the fellowship meal.

Hours 1–6: The First Three Calls

Call 1: Hospice or emergency services. If the death was expected under hospice care, call the hospice nurse — they have the authority to pronounce death and begin the paperwork. If the death was unexpected, call 911 first.

Call 2: The church office. Before calling the funeral home. The pastor's availability and the sanctuary calendar are the hardest variables to control, so lock them down first. Churches universally reject funerals on Sundays and major holy days (Easter, Christmas, Good Friday). A typical service is scheduled three to five days after the death.

Call 3: The funeral home. Once you know when the pastor and sanctuary are available, call the funeral home to arrange transfer of the body. The planning meeting will usually take place within the first 24–48 hours.

Designate a family spokesperson. One person communicates with the church, the funeral home, and extended family. Conflicting instructions from multiple family members are the single most common source of delays.

Hours 6–24: The Planning Meeting

You will meet with both the funeral director and the pastor (sometimes together, sometimes separately). Bring the following:

• Deceased's full legal name, date of birth, Social Security number
• Parents' full names (including mother's maiden name)
• Military discharge papers (DD-214) if the deceased was a veteran
• A list of surviving family members for the obituary
• Any pre-planning documents, burial plot deeds, or insurance policies
• The deceased's preferred scripture passages, hymns, or special requests

Key decisions made at this meeting:

• Burial vs. cremation (theologically permitted across evangelical denominations, though 64% of evangelical leaders still personally prefer burial, per a National Association of Evangelicals survey)
• Open casket vs. closed casket
• Embalming (common but rarely required by state law unless interstate transport or delayed viewing is involved)
• Number and identity of speakers, pallbearers, and scripture readers
• Music selections — all must be approved by the pastor or church music minister

Days 2–3: Finalizing the Details

Obituary. Draft it, circulate to immediate family for review, and submit to the funeral home for newspaper publication. Most newspapers need it 24–48 hours before the print date.

Funeral program. The family designs and prints this — a folded 8.5x11 sheet with the deceased's photo, life sketch, and order of service.

Flowers and donations. Decide whether the family wants flowers, a memorial fund, or both, and communicate this in the obituary.

Meal coordination. If the church's bereavement ministry is handling the fellowship meal, give them a headcount. If the family is hosting the repast elsewhere, assign a non-family volunteer to manage logistics.

Livestream. If remote family members need to attend virtually, confirm the church's streaming capability and any licensing requirements (CCLI Streaming License for copyrighted music).

Days 3–5: The Service

Visitation (evening before or same-day). Community members offer condolences and view the body. Not a formal worship service — more relaxed, sometimes with background music at the funeral home. The family has a private final viewing before the casket is closed.

Funeral service (45–90 minutes). The structured worship service in the sanctuary: processional, hymns, scripture readings, tributes, gospel sermon, closing prayer, recessional.

Graveside committal (10–15 minutes). Brief scripture reading, committal prayer, and benediction at the cemetery. If military honors were requested, they follow the religious committal.

Fellowship meal. Immediately after the committal, the community gathers at the church fellowship hall or another venue to eat, share stories, and support the family.

After the Service

The administrative work continues: filing insurance claims, notifying government agencies, closing accounts, settling the estate. The emotional work continues longer — most grief counselors identify the six-to-eighteen-month window as the hardest period, after the initial support fades.

Many evangelical churches offer structured grief support through programs like GriefShare (a 13-week biblically-based support group) and the Stephen Ministry (one-on-one lay care). Ask the church office what is available.

For a complete, printable planning toolkit that walks you through every stage from the first phone call to the post-funeral period, see our Evangelical Funeral Guide.