Big Events Small Budgets

Big Events Small Budgets
10 Proven Ideas to Draw A Crowd Without Getting Overdrawn

By Debra Akins and Lindy Warren

Do big events have to mean big bud-gets? We talked to almost 30 church leaders who answered an emphatic “no.“ The same leaders affirmed that their events didn’t break the bank and served as entry points to draw unchurched men, women and children in their communities to their weekly worship services and, in some cases, a personal relationship with Christ.

How have these churches managed the mon-etary yet brought in the masses? The solutions are numerous. And while some require little effort and others need a little more logistical maneuvering, they all need a strong commitment and, most importantly, an intentional passion for reaching the unsaved.
The next time an outreach opportunity comes your church’s way, instead of automatically passing it up because “it’s not in the budget,“ check out these proven ideas churches are using to juggle their resources and make the Gospel attractive to the unchurched.

Partner with other area churches.
There’s strength in numbers, as five churches in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, have discovered. Each year, they unite for “Convoy of Hope“ to bring the Gospel and groceries to needy families in their community. Some 700 volunteers gather on the grounds of a local middle school on a Saturday to distribute 25,000 pounds of groceries. The event also features medical and dental screenings, balloons and clowns, haircuts, hot dogs and drinks, a job fair, live music and drama.

“It’s something we could never afford to do without the resources from the other churches,“ says Gary Huber, worship pastor for New Covenant Bible Church in Cedar Rapids.

Solicit local businesses.
If your church is hosting a community-wide event, don’t underestimate the power of petition. Some local businesses are willing to provide services and resources to churches they see supporting the community.
Each year, local businesses donate food, printing for fliers, and door prizes, such as guns and fishing rods, for Bayshore Community Church in Gumboro, Del.’s annual Sportsman Banquet. The event is one of Bayshore’s highest attended, drawing 800 men over two nights, says Events Coordinator Peggy Kissinger.
“Because we get so many things donated from businesses and hold the banquet in the church, we can afford to host two events in one weekend and bring in a really dynamic speaker,“ Kissinger says.

Focus on a specific group.
When you don’t have the resources for an event that reaches everyone, zero in on one segment that makes the most sense for your church. Because Shepherd of the Valley Lutheran Church in Apple Valley, Minn., has its own sound system, it turned its focus to youth. Each year, the church hosts a large-scale Band and DJ Dance outreach that draws hundreds of students from various high schools.

“We invite local bands to come in and play, and a DJ spins Christian music all night. That way, we don’t have to spend thousands of dollars booking a big act,“ explains the church’s Youth and Family Pastor Randy Brandt. The event, Brandt says, has been a catalyst for seeing area kids come to Christ and the church’s youth group.

Promote Creatively
One of the most expensive parts of an outreach event is the process of getting people there. Through the years, Donelson Fellowship in Nashville, Tenn., has learned that the best—and cheapest—form of promotion is word-of-mouth. That’s why the church first aggressively promotes outreach events to its members months ahead of the date. Then a few weeks before, the church prints and distributes small invite cards to its members.

“The best events are those which have strong person-to-person promotion,“ says Executive Pastor Jeff Nichols. “Advertising is important—our people talking to their friends is even more effective.“

Select a strategic location.
In some cases, event venue selection can offer the most visible and economical promotion. Intent on reaching the college students surrounding Christiansburg, Va., Main Street Baptist Church set up an event in the middle of campus on Virginia Tech’s drill field. More than 500 students showed up. The church used the money it would have spent on advertising for the event itself.

“Even with a ton of promotion (fliers, advertising, etc.), we would never have drawn the students who stopped out of curiosity,“ says Pastor Craig Hughes, adding that he saw students come to Christ that night. As a result, more than a dozen new students and their friends come to Main Street’s college group.

Keep it homegrown.
Who says you have to bring in Michael W. Smith and put on a pyrotechnic show to host an invitable event that draws families? For $500 each Fourth of July, 600-member Eastern Hills Baptist Church in Albuquerque, N.M., hosts an Independence Day Picnic on the church’s grounds that includes a barbecue, a moon bounce for kids, balloons, various old-fashioned races and music from the church’s praise band.
“Each family brings their own fireworks, and we assign them a certain section of the church parking lot,“ says staff member Shanna Hale. The annual event has led several families in the community to make Eastern Hills their church home.

Enlist church members’help.
Instead of hiring companies to provide simple services, ask worshippers for help. Along with other area churches, St. Paul’s—an urban church in Newport News, Va.—offers a “Good Friday Dinner & a Movie“ ministry. Each week, the church opens its doors to the neighborhood to enjoy a meal and a movie in a safe, drug- and alcohol-free environment. Volun-teers from participating churches perform all the labor involved, and a local charity donates food for the meal.

“Because members take such an active role, there’s no cost to the churches,“ says Zachary Hubbard, outreach commission co-chair at one of the participating churches. “It’s all from the heart.“

Let the congregation know the needs.
One of the best internal benefits to outreach events is the unity that’s created when the whole church works together to reach the community. But first they must know about the need.

Temple Baptist Church in Titusville, Fla., solicited the help of its congregation members, and as a result spent just $900 on its First Annual Sportsman Banquet—a $3,500 event not in the church’s budget. The men in the church gave out 400 free tickets to friends and colleagues. “We made the needs known to the church, and one of our members donated $2,000 of the cost,“ says Pastor Leroy Eldridge. “Late in the afternoon at the event when most of the guests had gone home, we took up an offering and received $600.“

During the banquet, 15 men accepted Christ. “The whole day was a success,“ Eldridge recalls. “We saw men come to Christ, introduced others to our church and watched what happens when a church works together to reach out.“

Know your community’s interests and needs.
Drawing the unchurched doesn’t always require a meal or a carnival. Instead, ask yourself, “What issues are the people in our church’s community dealing with right now?“ First Baptist Church in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., hosts personal finance workshops with very little cost to the church, says Associate Pastor Mike Jeffries. “Certain needs are actually names: ‘financial counseling,’ ‘friendships,’ ‘single parents.’ If we’re meeting needs and getting the word out about the availability of those programs, we don’t need a celebrity name to attract our community,“ he says.

Make the most of a city events
Pay attention to city events happening in your area and use them to inexpensively draw a crowd. Each year during Christiansburg, Va.’s arts and crafts festival, instead of locking its doors and posting “no parking“ signs, Main Street Baptist Church uses its downtown location to make its presence known. The church offers its courtyard for carnival activities and opens its doors for people to come in for refreshments, to use the restroom or to just look around.

“Getting involved in that event has provided a way for people to get to know our church and become more comfortable with our members,“Pastor Hughessays. “Hopefully, they’ll think of us when they want to attend a church.“

© 2003 Outreach Magazine. All right reserved. Copyright permission to make up to fifty copies of each article for free distribution is granted Christian churches at no charge. The reprint must include the article in its entirety with author credit and the following sentences:.

For all other uses, permissions or reprints, contact editor@outreachmagazine.com.

Click here to receive a risk-free subscription to Outreach Magazine!