Home > Resources > Email | Print |  Share  Digg Facebook MySpace  Yahoo! Buzz Twitter Get Ready!   Small Group Outreach Events - Many churches struggle to keep their small groups interesting or even alive after a few months. Anyone involved in small groups has experience the natural ebb and flow of well meaning but time-challenged Christians attempting to regularly meet. Baptism “Celebration” - One of the great missed opportunities for connecting with the community is the baptismal service. If it was half the celebration on earth that I am sure it is in heaven, we would have a ball. Prayer Walking - This is one of the most popular outreach activities used today. Many churches utilize prayer walking in conjunction with evangelistic campaigns. Neighborhood Kids Bible Club - It was about 40 years ago, but I still remember the excitement of studying the Bible with kids my age at the home of a friendly neighbor. Field Day - After about two years of Friends Days our local church began monthly Field Days. On Friends Day we would invite our community to visit us; on Field Day we would visit the community. Musical Concerts - One of the tried and true ways to reach your community is through music. You would assume that this approach would appeal exclusively to believers, but even non-believers will attend certain musical concerts — especially seasonal concerts. Parenting Seminars - Most parents are eager to receive instructions on child rearing. In fact, parenting assistance is one of the most frequently mentioned felt-needs when neighborhood surveys are conducted. The Community Marriage Renewal Service - One of the few things that religious and secular communities agree on is the need to strengthen marriages. Valentines Day makes February a great month for this renewal service, but no month is a bad month. Improving marriages is always a priority. Mom's Night Out - The work of mothers is never done. There are constant demands at home and most of them must also work outside the home. The quest to be a good mother, wife and worker has physically exhausted many mothers. Block Party - Some members might consider this idea a “blast from the past.” There was definitely a time when block parties were a lot more common. It was a simpler, safer era. Back-to-School Book Bag Bash! - Many churches in many large urban areas can attest that this ministry really works. The idea is to tap into the energy and interest in back to school preparation. Neighborhood Talent Show - Thank the television blockbuster American Idol for the popularity of this idea. Talent shows work best in apartment complexes that have a meeting room or a clubhouse. Pathfinders Revisited - Like Vacation Bible School, your Pathfinder and Adventurer clubs are a gold mine for outreach to the community. Can you think of a better program for youth? Baked Goods Baskets - This has to be one of the oldest and most reliable community outreach efforts on record. From my earliest days in the church I have heard of the value of literally taking a loaf of bread to a neighbor. Workshops- Financial Development Seminars - No matter who or where you are, talk about money and you will get attention! Financial development workshops provide a service to the community and strengthen the stewardship of the local church. Hallelujah Night - This community program, which is known by a number of different names, is an alternative to Halloween. It is on the calendars of many, many churches as a tried and true approach to bringing the community to the church. Armed Services Day - This is an opportunity to show your appreciation for our men and women in uniform and introduce their families and friends to your worship service. Identify current and retired military personnel in your congregation and ask them to form a task force to hammer out the particulars of the special day. Neighborhood Prayer Bands - This is a “step up” activity for those who enjoy prayer walking. The bar is set intentionally low for prayer walkers because we need different activities for different tastes and temperaments. Recycling Day - What an opportunity to connect with the community and meet an important need! Communities everywhere are trying to raise the level of awareness regarding the importance of recycling. Blood Pressure Booths - These booths or tables have been used very successfully in conjunction with evangelistic meetings, but they can be set up at anytime. This outreach allows the healthcare professionals of your church to get involved at their comfort level. Neighborhood Car Wash - Car washes get plenty of people involved and provide plenty of community connections. They can be held in the church parking lot or even better at times, in the parking lot of a business in the center of your community. Friends Day - An amazingly simple way to increase your community connections and church attendance is to conduct Friends Days. Friends Day is a church service and fellowship meal that is structured for guests. Free Car Care and Inspection - This is a great outreach, especially to single mothers. We probably underestimate the amount of money many families spend on car repairs that could have been prevented by simple maintenance. Bottled Water Give Away - There are always activities in the warmer months that call for bottled water. Marches, marathons, rallies, and sporting events are just a few. People who would never ask for a Bible study will ask for water! Leadership Video Conferences and Simulcasts - Leadership development is a theme that has been particularly popular the last few years. Several large Christian organizations have tapped into this interest in a way that can help you connect with your community. International Food Fair - A favorite of us all! International Food Fairs combine ethnic and national pride, delicious and interesting food and creative outreach. This is an event that demands the involvement and promotion of the local church members. Health and Wellness Fair - I just returned from a university wellness center that is preparing for a health and wellness fair. The fair is scheduled for three hours tomorrow, and the place is buzzing. Movie-Night .With a Twist! - Leave it to young people to add a new twist to an old idea. When I had a group of college students brainstorm about creative ways to connect with the community I was surprised at the number of times “movie night” came up. Marriage Seminars - One of the most helpful seminars I ever attended was a marriage seminar at the Opryland Hotel in Nashville, Tennessee. My wife and I were invited to a weekend retreat for ministers and their wives. Pre-Marriage Seminars - In most places it is more difficult to get a drivers license than a marriage license. Little wonder that many times our cars outlast ours marriages! “An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure” is certainly the case in marriage. Financial “Physicals” - This is a variation of the financial development seminar which works extremely well at the beginning of a new year. People are making resolutions that inevitably involve health and often include financial goals. After School Programs - This is a great way to connect with the community and the local schools if your church has adequate facilities to provide for the entertainment, instruction, and safety of children. Be aware of any local ordinances that would impact this outreach. Super Bowl Parties - I enjoyed watching Tony Dungy and the Indianapolis Colts win the Super Bowl. But I enjoyed the Super Bowl party more. Gasoline Super Sale - This outreach event is always one of my favorites. Many churches (after their initial skepticism) have tried it and loved it. Community Surveys - Churches large and small have used surveys to get valuable information from the community and at the same time make valuable contacts. Book Clubs - Book clubs are back! After years of rumored decline, book readership is now surprisingly high. Book clubs have sprung up everywhere: homes, offices, churches, you name it. Groceries to the Car- For Free! - The universal complaint about most retail outlets, grocery stores included, is that you don’t get the service you once did. There was a time when it was expected that whoever bagged your groceries would carry them to your car, unless you chose to do it yourself. Job Fair - This is a timely outreach, especially during the early summer. As difficult as the economy is for many, unemployment rates in some areas are low enough for many employers to aggressively recruit workers. Skate Nights - This is an age-old outreach event that is tried and true. Most communities have skating rinks and are eager to fill them up. Free Haircuts - A good haircut is a small thing, but it makes a big difference. It is also a bigger issue than many people think to kids who go to school embarrassed because hair care is not a priority in their family’s budget. Grief Recovery Classes - One of the fastest growing churches in southern California established its reputation through grief recovery classes which they conduct twice a year. Church Open House - I have always been intrigued by the neatness and mystery of Mormon churches and temples. I’ve always wanted to visit a temple, but never found the proper time or occasion. Drill Team and Drum Corps - There seems to be a rise lately in the popularity of drill teams and drum corps. Perhaps it’s because of the large number of public parades and events that seek their services. Online “Bridge” Sites - The internet is not the next big wave for evangelism — it’s already here!! It is the rare outreach instrument that can travel around the world, walk through walls and literally meet people where they are. Vacation Bible School - Sometimes it is easy to overlook the obvious. There is no more effective outreach tool than Vacation Bible School. Unfortunately, many VBS programs are exclusively targeted to local members and their children. Emergency Training Workshops - It’s hard to believe that just a few short years ago countless people around the globe were in a frenzied panic. They had no idea what would happen to their computers (or their countries) when the clock struck midnight entering the year 2000.