101 Outreach Ideas

Outreach is definitely one of the most effective ways to achieve your church’s mission, and Outreach Events offer creative ways for your church to become known in your community. 

While some events can be large – both from a cost and volunteer perspective – many are easily done quickly, inexpensively and with minimal effort. Here are 101 ideas for you to consider, broken down into categories that are easy to scan. The bonus ideas at the end are sure to provide you with enough event ideas to last for months, if not years. Our prayer is that your church becomes known for the fun, inviting and unobtrusive events in your community, and you experience exponential growth as a result.

Church Outreach Event Ideas You’ve Probably Never Heard Of

1. Blacklight / Glow In The Dark Easter Egg Hunt 
   • (Do it for Halloween or Christmas to stand out)
2. Helicopter Candy Drop:
3. Host an Indoor Paintball Tournament (or Outdoor):
   • You can usually find companies who will set up an indoor paintball competition at your church for a good price. Don’t worry, they use foam paintballs instead of real paintballs, so there’s no mess. 
   • Some companies will even bring a giant inflatable arena to set up in your parking lot, so you don’t even have to host it inside the church 
4. Build A Treehouse:
   • Build a Treehouse, indoors or outdoors, and let members of the community vote on style, color, name, etc via social media 
   • When it’s built, invite the kids in your community to come and check it out. 
5. Indoor Slip and Slide:
   • This one could get messy but the buzz you’ll generate (especially among teens) will be worth it! 
6. Giant Nerf War:
   • You can buy hundreds, or even thousands, of nerf bullets off of Amazon and invite kids in your community to bring their nerf guns (and eye protection) for a giant nerf war at the church 
   • (PRO TIP: you can get 500 generic nerf bullets for about $20 and they work exactly the same as the name-brand darts. One father did this for his son’s 5-year-old birthday party and his friends still talk about it over a year later!).
7. Secret Church Event:
   • Host a Secret Church Event 
   • Create your own event or live stream one from secretchurch.org 
8. Host a Kan Jam Tournament 
   • Kan Jam is the popular Discflect sport where teams of two go head-to-head in a fun, exciting competition
   • Kan Jam goals are placed 50 (Pro), 35 (Amateur), or 25 (Youth) feet apart and each teammate stands at opposite goals
   • Their mission is to throw the disc toward their teammate who tries to deflect the disc into the Kan Jam goal
   • Teams take turns throwing and the first to make it to 21 wins
   • Invite the whole community 
   • If you want to make it “official” look for idea here: KanJam Getting Started

Celebrate the Arts Church Outreach Events

9. Battle of the Bands: 
   • Host a Battle of the Bands at your church and invite local bands to compete for a prize. 
   • Bonus points for sponsoring your Youth Worship team or worship team to participate!
10. Host A Concert For A Band: Big name or a local band, it doesn’t matter, just make it fun 
11. Rooftop Concert: Have a concert on the roof of your church 
12. Talent Show with a Twist: Host a talent show but do it like “The Voice” where judges have to pick their favorites without looking at the contestants 
13. Music Workshop: Have your worship team teach the basics of how to play guitar, drums,  bass, piano, sing, etc.
14. Magic Show: Hire a magician and host at your church or go out into neighborhoods and perform
15. Craft Night: This is great for families; get the supplies and have everything ready for a Craft  Night 
16. Open Mic Night: Host an open mic just like a local bar or coffee shop and let people in the community sign up to play 

Church Outreach Events – For Any Time of Year

17. Movies on the Lawn (or just Family Movie Night indoors):
    • Set up a projector outside (or inside in the gym or auditorium) and project a Disney movie onto the side of your church or a giant white sheet and invite people to bring their lawn chairs for a family movie night 
    • Give out free popcorn and drinks
    • Let the youth group sell concessions to raise money for missions, youth events, summer camp, etc. 

18. Host A Kite-Flying Day:
    • Invite families to come to your church on a Saturday to fly kites 
    • Buy a bunch of extra kites in case kids show up without a kite
    • Give out candy to everyone who attends

Seasonal Church Outreach Ideas

19. Halloween Haunted House:
    • Turn part of your church (or an old building on your church property) into a haunted house and charge admission or not, your choice
    • Invite attendees to church afterward 
    • If you have a lot of property you could always do a Haunted Hayride or Haunted Woods instead 
20. Trick Or Treat For Canned Goods:
    • Go door to door on Halloween and collect canned goods for the local food pantry
    • Invite the media to attend the can drop off at the local pantry 
21. Trunk or Treat Event:
    • Have members of your church park their cars in the parking lot and decorate their trunks, and hand out candy 
    • Then invite kids and families to go trick or treating in each car 
    • Give out prizes for Best Trunk Design and Best Costume 
22. Pumpkin Chucking Contest:
    • Contestants build pumpkin-throwing inventions
    • Give a Grand Prize for the invention that launches a pumpkin the farthest
    • Can partner with local science teachers or Destination Imagination Coaches and promote problem-solving skills
23. Pumpkin Palooza:
    • Kids decorate/carve pumpkins and get to then take them home afterward 
24. Christmas In July: 
    • Throw a giant Christmas Party, complete with Santa Claus and presents, in the middle of July
    • Have your worship team supply the Christmas music to set the mood
    • Use fake snow or confetti to complete the atmosphere 
25. Ugly Sweater Contest: 
    • Giveaways and prizes for whoever has the ugliest Christmas sweater 
    • Do this during one of your Sunday morning services 

Now these are just the first 25 of 101 outreach ideas designed to help your church connect with your community in meaningful ways. Whether you’re looking for simple acts of kindness or large-scale events, the full guide is packed with creative ways to make an impact. Download the complete 101 Outreach Ideas guide to keep the momentum going and find the next idea that will help your church reach more people with the love of Jesus.