21.Community-Wide Blood Drive
Description
Voluntary, non-remunerated blood donors are the lifeblood of a community and are considered to be the source of the safest blood and blood products for patients. Their donation is an altruistic gift and NOT a marketable commodity. This places all donors in a unique position, demanding special respect and care; it also places a responsibility on all involved in public health care to treat voluntary blood donors as VIPs.
It would be such a huge gesture if your church could run a voluntary blood donation program in your community where people are taught on the importance of donating blood. This will help you reach out to the community and at the same time to the health community.
Execution Checklist
- Contact your local red cross
- Organise venue
- Recruit volunteers
- Provision of food
- Advertise the blood drive
- Availability of evangelism literature and information collection cards
22.Stop & Pray Day (Evangelism)
Description
Sometimes we forget just how powerful prayer is. We aren’t fighting against something imaginary. Our prayers are fighting against spiritual battles that linger in dark places. Ephesians 6:12 says, “For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.
Sometimes members of the community become burdened with issues they are not sure how to solve. Inviting them for a day of prayer over issues of their lives can be a great moment of light in their lives. Select a day for prayer. On this day you will be praying for everything and anyone. Use an outside banner to invite the community to come inside and pray. Play background music, light some candles and provide a simple prayer guide, sign-in-book and printed invitation to worship
Executive Checklist
- Choose a strategic date and day where people are likely to be free
- Program campaign materials, banners, posters , fliers
- Financial budget for the preparation of campaign material
- Select a team that will be available during the prayer sessions
- Prepare your ushering team
- Availability of evangelism literature and information collection cards.
23.Back-to-School Backpacks (Outreach)
Description
Growing up in poverty, children face tough challenges: hunger and malnutrition, limited access to education and medical services, social discrimination and isolation. Support from the church can bring a huge change and create lasting change in their lives and communities. An investment in knowledge pays the best interest. Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world. You can encourage members of your church or from your church budget select disadvantaged children in your community and buy them school accessories which includes stationery, uniforms and even school fees.
Execution Checklist
- Identify those in need
- Engage your target recipients and establish needs
- Ask for donations from church members
- Set the time and date for the program
- Prepare equipment that you will need for the day e.g. cameras, chairs and tents
24.New Members Fellowship (Outreach)
Description
Fellowship is an important part of our faith. Coming together to support one another is an experience that allows us to learn, gain strength, and show the world exactly what God is. This is even more important for new members as part of integrating them into the new church family. You church can host a bi-annual or quarterly event for new church members to help them feel welcome and make friends. During this program, new members will be asking questions about the church. Also, church leaders should be present during this program to welcome new members, introduce themselves and answer some questions.
Execution Checklist
- Create a calendar of new member welcoming fellowship
- Organise venue
- Organise refreshments
- Inform all new members on time
- Organise some sentimental gift e.g. Bibles, book markers e.t.c
25.Christmas Carols (Evangelism)
Description
The Christmas season should be the easiest time of the year for us to share the good news of Jesus Christ with our friends, family, and neighbors. But, all too often, the busyness of the season suppresses our passion for sharing the true meaning of Christmas with people who need to know it and might be hungry to hear it. The birth of Jesus was a good news gospel announcement. We must continue trumpeting our Savior has been born. The month of December is a ripe time for evangelism. Song is one of the most effective means of sharing the Good news. Your church can blanket the community with Christmas carols. The program can be held at the shopping mall or you can do a march. Encourage all your church members to show up in numbers and invite their neighbors for this celebration.
Executive Checklist
- Necessary authorization needed
- The area that you are going to be covering
- Duration of the program
- Campaign material
- Campaign equipment PA system
- Availability of evangelism literature and information collection cards.
26.Christmas Eve Candlelight Service (Evangelism)
Description
Christmas Eve is a very special day and period which even non-Christians are more likely to come to worship services on Christmas eve and Christmas day than any other day of the year. Host a Christmas Eve Candlelight service where candles will be distributed at the beginning of the service. The candles will then be lit during the service. Keep it brief and family friendly. Plan ahead for quality music and ensure you have enough well-trained friendly greeters and ushers on the day. Invite the entire community.
Execution Checklist
- Prepare your greeters and ushers for high volume of visitors
- Financial budget
- Ensure the venue is well decorated and adequate for expected volumes
27. Community DIY day (Outreach)
Description
Many people in this day and age are extremely time poor and stressed out. 10-hour work days are no longer uncommon and both men and women are actively participating in the workforce. Mortgages must be paid, children must be taken to their swimming classes, family barbeques must be attended and self-care must be thrown into the mix somewhere. With these busy schedules and lives, often odd jobs around the home and business can get put to the side. Your church can take advantage of this challenge by enlisting the help of members of the church who are capable in various areas of DIY. Identify members of your church who are good at various DIY activities. Choose a day convenient for them and let them build teams which will give the DIY services in the community. These could become very handy especially for the elderly people, disabled people and female headed families.
Execution Checklist
- An audit of human resource in the church and available skills
- Identification of target audience
- Budget required
- Dates and times
- Campaign material, posters and fliers
- Camera and video recorders
- Assignment of project managers within the team
- Refreshments
28.Bible Reading Marathon (Evangelism)
Description
Many Christians begin each new year with a plan to read through the entire Bible over the course of that year. Some reach that goal, but most don’t. Then there are others who don’t even bother to read God’s Word at all. Is this issue really a big deal? Why is it so important to read Scripture. Author of “Unlocking the bible” David Pawson once held an amazing Bible reading marathon that lasted weeks and attracted a large number of people.
The intention is to introduce people to a bible reading culture in a conventional environment. Each person would come and read just one verse and give to the next individual. Instead of people leaving immediately after reading their scripture they might be tempted to stay and listen to more scripture. This activity brings the community together and brings fun in reading the word of God.
Execution Checklist
- Invite community through fliers and local radio bulletins
- Make more copies of bibles available
- Prepare your greeting and ushering department
- Depending with your expected attendees ensure the sound system is well prepared and have roving mikes
29.School Service Day (Outreach)
Description
Are there schools in your community that are underserved? Chances are their facilities could use some cosmetic work before the new school year begins. They probably don’t have the time, resources, or labour needed to get everything done — this is where your church comes in! Find out the specific work they need and recruit as many volunteers as you can for a service day. This can be a simple as repairing broken windows, doors, fixing the gate and mending the walkways. This service will go a long way in preaching the gospel to the students, teaching staff and the community.
Execution Checklist
- Identify a school that you want to assist
- Seek permission from the relevant authorities
- Draw a budget
- Make an announcement in church for donations and volunteers
- Date and time the program will take place
30.Health screenings (Outreach)
Description
Care of the underserved remains one of the most compelling challenges to the church. Working at the community level to promote healthy living brings the greatest health benefits to the greatest number of people. It also helps to reduce health gaps caused by differences in income, education, race and ethnicity, location and other factors that can affect health. A church that is continuously creating and improving those physical and social environments and expanding enable people to mutually support each other in performing all the functions of life and in developing to their maximum potential. Health screening activities can save a lot of lives by creating awareness to life threatening diseases and therefore enabling members of the community to proactively seek medical attention.
What makes this initiative usually easier for the church is that the church is wealthy with human resources. Most churches has nurses, doctors, dieticians, physiotherapists e.t.c. The church can use the voluntary services of these members to run health screen outreach. On the day you can pitch a tent or invite the community to come into your church for free health screenings.
Execution Checklist
- Gather background information about the community that you want to serve
- Identify volunteers in and out of the church to give the service
- Get enough equipment that will be used for the screening
- Acquire a venue that is a centralised
- Announce in church about this initiative
- Prepare campaign material, fliers, posters and videos
- Availability of evangelism literature and information collection cards