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One of the biggest challenges new church plants face is creating visibility, so the community knows they exist. Developing a visible presence can help a church gain members, increase financial support, and build connections within the community. Even greater than those benefits is the reality that becoming more visible opens doors to sharing the gospel and the love of God with the people in the community.
Church Outreach Events Have Great Potential
- Share the love of God.
- Tell others the salvation message.
- Introduce your church to the community.
- Make a difference in meeting tangible needs.
- Start friendships.
- Grow your church.
- Build trust as a community member.
Building relationships with the people is one key that helps your community embrace your new church and your outreach. When you build relationships, something special happens: the community gets the feeling that you care about them. This happens because you do, and you take the time to talk with them and invest in their lives. They begin to realize you aren’t a fly-by-night operation and that you are there for the long haul.
When a person feels you care, they are more likely to “buy in” to what you offer. In this case, you are offering help, trust, friendship, and a church community to become a part of. Surveys tell us that one of the top reasons new visitors return to a church is they feel as if the pastor and the church members genuinely care about them.
Do Three Things Before Your First Outreach
- Before you embark on a year-long plan to do church outreach events, start with prayer. Ask the Lord to show you those on your team and in your church who have the heart to reach out into your community to help meet needs and share God’s love. Then, pray for wisdom and guidance as you set your outreach vision, goals, and plans.
- Reach out and let your local businesses know you are there to make a positive impact in the community. Share with them some of your ideas and how you plan to make a difference. This can encourage them and open the door for future support in your outreach endeavors.
- Start becoming part of the community. Walk the area. Shop at local businesses. Eat at local restaurants. It is easier for those in your neighborhood to embrace and trust a new church plant when you are a vital and active part of the community.
Impact Your Community By Meeting Needs
Identify the needs of the community and strategize to meet those needs. Your church may begin to see these benefits as a result of your community outreaches:
- Build trust with the community.
- Discover connections.
- Start friendships.
- Impact individuals and families in positive ways.
- Gain new church members.
- See increased financial support.
- Discover new ways to share the gospel.
- Find more volunteers.
Adopt A Neighborhood For Targeted Outreach
Urban and suburban areas are filled with neighborhoods, One of the most community-building pieces you can do as a church is to adopt a housing area or neighborhood. Identify the needs of the residents and make a plan to meet some of their needs. Every neighborhood has needs. Choose a Saturday and make a difference! Check out the Saturday Servants Idea in 3 Quick & Easy Outreach Ideas.
If you adopt a lower-income housing area, start with free cleaning supplies and paper products give-a-way. Collect donations from your members and solicit donations from local businesses. To promote your event, walk around your adopted area. Talk with people you see. Hand out flyers. Let them know you are a new church and want to help make a positive difference in the community.
For areas whose basic needs are mostly met, do a holiday outreach such as an Easter egg hunt or a Reverse Trick Or Treat to meet the needs for face-to-face connection and child-friendly activities.
The neighborhoods or apartment complexes that have more senior adult residents than young families might appreciate your church helping them with outside chores such as raking leaves and mowing the lawns. Offer water bottles, snacks, or even bags of groceries. Offer a Senior Seminar at a local community meeting room.
Community Outreach Events That Make A Difference
Use these events to reach out to your community to show the love of Jesus. Most of these ideas are low-cost and easy to do.
Provide Thanksgiving Dinner
Collect groceries and turkeys to give Thanksgiving dinner to those in need.
Kid’s Bike Parade
Hosting a kid’s bike parade requires little setup on your part. If you give prizes, be sure to give prizes to the most creative or most colorful. Try not to give prizes only to those with the most money to purchase decorations. Read more about this idea in July’s event in One Year Of Monthly Saturday Children’s Ministry Events.
Reverse Trick-Or-Treat
Dress up in friendly, G-rated costumes and pass out candy. Tip: Avoid being random strangers passing out candy. Make this a group event. Have church invite cards to pass out to those who ask.
Host A Kid’s Sandwich Day
This idea is from #14 in Your Kids Will Love These Summer Events. Go to your adopted neighborhood or set up at a local park. Host this event to teach kids how to make a sandwich.
Back To School Event
Work with a local barber to give free haircuts, host a backpack giveaway with school supplies, offer carnival-type games, have music, giveaway food like hotdogs, etc.
Cleaning Supplies Giveaway
Pass out cleaning supplies and paper products. Bathroom tissue, paper towels, comet, bleach, sanitizer, Windex, pine sol, laundry soap, dish soap, and bathroom cleaner are all needed supplies and welcome “gifts.” Read Collection Drive Service Projects For Small Churches for some more community out-of-the-box ideas for giveaways.
Church In The Park
Host an outdoor service, and serve lunch afterward with hot dogs, chips, drinks, and ice cream. Set up carnival-type games for a fun and friendly kid zone that is open after the service.
Meet Tangible Needs
As you talk with your neighbors, be aware of any specific needs. Make a plan to meet the needs of one family. For example, build beds for kids in a family who sleep on the floor. Deliver the bed with mattresses, bedding, and a kid comforter. Purchase or arrange donations of clothing for the family.
Pass Out Patriotic Themed Gift Gags & Treats
This is great during parades. Create gift bags with flags, glow bracelets, holiday candies, hand-held fans, and an invite to your church. Check out this Veteran’s Gift Bag outreach idea from a small church in Virginia.
Community Easter Egg Hunt
Host this traditional event at your church or the local park. For a non-traditional event, check out 10 Steps To An Easter Egg Hunt On Wheels. This Easter egg hunt on wheels requires a bit more planning; families drive past different places in your town to count eggs.
Toy Drive
Either set up a day for parents to come and choose an unwrapped gift for their child or deliver unwrapped gifts to kids just before Christmas. For another less prep idea, check out the 12 Days Of Christmas Gift Drop-Off idea.
Pop-Up Tent Events
Pop-up tent events are easy to do when there are few volunteers. Pass out muffins for those on their way to work or school. Read 5 Ways To Reach Your Neighborhood With Drive-Thru Events for some easy, low-prep ideas a new church plant can do.
Involve Your Church Plant In Outreach
Outreach events are opportunities to introduce your church to the community. It’s a great time to get to know the people, your church’s neighbors. Neighborhood residents get to witness, first hand, the vision, genuineness, and love your church plant team has for the community.
Outreach is more than sharing about the way to eternal life.
Building relationships with the people in a local neighborhood starts a level of trust and friendships. This eventually gives the opportunity for your neighbors to hear the Lord speaking to their hearts as He draws those in the neighborhood to Him.
This week, pray and ask the Lord which of these events would be an effective outreach tool for your church and start to put a plan in motion to bring it to reality.
Read More:
Rural & Small Town Ministry Ideas
Increase Your Church Visibility At Local Festivals
Keep Your Senior Adults Connected And Engaged In Church
12 Ideas To Reach Out To The Hurting This Thanksgiving, Advent, And Christmas
