One of the privileges I have in being a Christian speaker is to help Churches strategize in putting together Outreach opportunities that are "effective" in reaching people who don't know Jesus. Anyone can do an event on a Saturday in the Fall that draws the people that already attend their Church. However, if a Church is going to reach people that don't know Christ some outside the box thinking is mandatory. In this posts I have put together just a few suggestions for some events that may just help your Church get creative in reaching Men.
These events are in no particular order, but always remember that there are good times and bad times to do an event. Fall is approaching quickly, and that brings two huge "Men" times to be aware of. Hunting Season and Football Season. Planning events on Saturdays in the Fall are tricky at best. Always keep this in mind. So with that said here is my list for this go round of Creative Outreach Events.
1) Dog Dock Jumping Event- Men and dogs are always a winning combination. My Dad used to say that the Good Lord gives every man one good bird dog. If you get two you are super blessed. Dog Jumping and Retrieval contests coupled with Fishing events, Cookouts, and sporting events are very popular. A recent Dog jumping event in Georgia drew nearly 4,000 people. Those are people that will never come to your "Church event".
2) Barbecue Competitions- It has been said that Competitive Barbecue cooking is the "Fastest growing Sport" in the nation! Men of every generation, genre, and economic level can be found at these events. To me this jumps off the page as a must do for Churches in the near future, I mean what Church doesn't rally around an eating event right! This event can be an effective tool in sharing the Gospel with people who don't know Jesus.
3) Ultimate Frisbee Tournaments- In case you haven't heard, ultimate Frisbee just became an official Olympic Sport! Staging Round Robin Tournaments attract men and women both young and old. Its a great way to do and event that isn't normally associated with the Church crowd.
4) 3D Archery Tournaments- I know that I have mentioned this one before, but this event is a winner from the word go. Archery hunting has exploded in the last several years. If you turn on the outdoor channel in the Fall 90% of their programming will be geared towards hunting with a bow. 3 D Archery courses are easy and fun to set up. Its an opportunity to give guys who may not be gifted in other areas in your Church a way to share their faith.
5) Biker Events- Yes I said Biker events. Some of the strongest Christians that I know are Bikers. They take their faith seriously. This type of event, if planned correctly can be a huge outreach success drawing in people that may never otherwise attend your service.
I want to say here that there is a "Pendulum Effect" in many areas of our Churches that swings back and forth between theological positions of doctrine, evangelism and discipleship. We tend to think that we have to be one or the other, when in actuality we need a balance of both.
These are only a few of the events that I share with Churches. God is using these to reach people all over our country. Now let me say that I know that Outreach events are not the staple of a healthy Men's ministry. However, when paired with proper preparation and follow up discipleship, these event can be quite effective.
Chris Wells consults with Churches all over the country. If you would like to know more about how to plan and implement Creative Outreach events for your Men's Ministry, Chris would love to speak with you.
He can be reached at:
Chris@chriswells.org
864-414-9453
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