I bet there’s a lot to be excited about at your church — especially when it comes serving your community through ministry work. Whether its kids ministry, youth ministry, or even if you’re planning on launching a new ministry, we want to help you get people pumped up about what’s happening next at your church. We’ve listed out a few ideas that are sure to be informative, purposeful and fun for your next church kick-off event!
Why Host A Kick-Off Event?
Church kick-off events can be fun if you plan them right. But fun isn’t the only goal. There are a few things you’ll want to make sure you cover before the chairs are all folded and the lights are turned out. Remember that the ideal purpose for your event is for you to inform people, gather information, and answer questions.
Inform people. A kick-off event is just a random party if no one knows why they’re gathering. When it comes to launching a ministry, be sure to give people as much information as possible. You’ll be great at telling people the what, when, and where while promoting your event, but remember to be just as intentional while the event is taking place. What’s there to be excited about? For good measure, remind people of what was expressed at the event in your follow-up communication, too!
Gather information. Speaking of follow-up communication, the most important thing you can do during your kick-off event is gather information about the people in attendance.
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- How did they hear about the event?
- Is there a particular reason they attended?
- How might you contact them if they’re interested in what they heard or saw today?
- Do they know the ways to contact you?
All of these questions are crucial for executing an informative and purposeful event. When planning with your team, decide how you will gather this information, whether digitally or using traditional paper forms.
Answer questions. Communication is a two way street, so why not provide an opportunity for those in attendance to share their thoughts with you? Before the fun is over, make time for a Q&A. You don’t want your guests to leave with any unanswered questions or any reasons not to be as excited as you are for your launch. Take every effort to make sure the information shared was clear and easy to understand by conducting a Q&A session between you and your guests.
In-House Expo
When building a ministry, we can get so familiar with our vision that we forget our church members still need a visual. So why not show them? One way to execute an explosive kick-off event is to host it yourself! Here’s how:
- Clear out the largest space at your church. For most churches, this is the sanctuary or church parking lot. Create stations for each ministry, or a booth for every small group represented if you are launching a specific ministry.
- Create carefully spaced-out stations and put your ministry on display! Make each station interactive and informative. Is your kids ministry fun and inclusive for families with children who are disabled? Show them! Does your youth ministry have the best spoken word or dance team around? Put it on display for visitors to come out and see firsthand.
- Give people a peek into what that looks like. Expos are a great way for people to get a snapshot of what it’s like to serve and experience the new ministry to come. Whether you contribute by offering food, music, art, or care, put on an expo and give people a front-row view of what your ministry is all about.
Take It To Them!
Who will benefit most from the church kick-off event that you’re about to conduct? If you’ve got a clear vision for who needs your ministry, try bringing it to them. Here are some fun ways to take the show on the road:
- Celebrate at school. Call up your local elementary, middle, or high school and ask for an opportunity to host a party at their school. Let them know that you’ll take care of the activities, food, and decor to inform their students and parents of the ways your church would like to serve them. Your next kids ministry kick-off event or youth ministry kick-off event could happen right at school!
- Coffee kick-off. It’s not unusual for cafés to host book readings and small bands. Why not rent out your local coffee spot and introduce yourself to the residents of your community? You could cover drinks and pastries for an allotment of time, and connect with those in attendance. Show the people of your community that there’s more than just cool coffee in your town and consider launching a ministry event at your local java joint.
- Bring it to the block. There’s a reason why block parties are so successful when it comes to getting people excited. The sights, sounds, and smells of a good block party are so hard to ignore, and even those passing by unexpectedly can get in on the fun. Securing a permit for a block party is as simple as calling your city official’s office or visiting their website to apply. Take your event to the next level by inviting local artists and vendors to take part in the launch!
Online Ministry Kick-off Event
In most recent years, church leaders have learned so much about the impact of creating online experiences beyond Zoom squares on a screen. Here’s an idea on how you can develop an unforgettable virtual church kick-off event.
- Prerecord an entire kid’s ministry kick-off party. Online groups are fun, but a family-friendly virtual party could be better! Prepare ahead of time by sending fun party boxes to families who sign up to participate in the fun. Include your volunteers in on the fun with prerecorded songs and games.
- Add students focused elements for a youth ministry kick-off event. Reach out to worship bands and musicians who pique the interest of the teens you serve and invite them to participate by performing a song or two.
- Host the recording on your church website and encourage parents to share the link with as many families as they’d like. You’ll be surprised how many families tune in to your fun and informative online party. Don’t forget to include an element of live interaction like a chat box or number to text for those wanting to ask questions or learn more.
Conclusion
Coming up with church kick-off event ideas can be a bit daunting, but our hope is that you can see just how it can all come together. You know just how exciting it is to be part of your church community, now all you’ve got to do is show others! Whether in-house or out in the community, plan for fun, prepare to inform, and aim to engage with the community you serve.
We created Grow Curriculum — because we know goals aren’t easy to set or achieve without some help. The Grow Curriculum and Annual Strategy (now available for kids, students, or adult small groups) is designed specifically to help you set and achieve your ministry goals and more by giving you all of the tools, teaching material, discipleship activities, volunteer training, family resources, and planning assistance that you need.
