Untitled Sermon (7)

1. Be the Fun

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“So I recommend having fun, because there is nothing better for people in this world than to eat, drink, and enjoy life. That way they will experience some happiness along with all the hard work God gives them under the sun” (, NLT).

Life is too short for it not to be enjoyable. God created this beautiful world for us to revel in.

Be the fun. Go to church determined to have a good time. Have fun in worship and during the sermon. Laugh at the preacher's attempt at humour. I'm not saying to make fun of others or be irreverent, but why don't you bring the fun and see if you don't start enjoying church? 

2. Volunteer

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The master was full of praise. ‘Well done, my good and faithful servant. You have been faithful in handling this small amount, so now I will give you many more responsibilities. Let’s celebrate together!’ (, NLT). 

Some of the best times I've had in church have been laughing and joking with volunteer teams. Not only that, but when we do something good and are faithful to our commitment, Jesus celebrates us. He loves to see the church using talents and abilities to serve His kingdom. 

So why not sign up and become a volunteer? Look for the teams that have fun volunteering and join in. 

3. Join a Connect Group

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“And let us not neglect our meeting together, as some people do, but encourage one another, especially now that the day of his return is drawing near” (, NLT). 

Church is about knowing and being known by others. In a large congregation, however, it's a little hard for everyone to know your name; hence connect groups. These groups are how you get to know others on a deeper level than simply raising eyebrows to acknowledge someone as you pass or  high-fiving when the preacher instructs interaction.

When you know people and they know you, church becomes more fun as well as a place you want to go.

4. Talk to People

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“Let your conversation be gracious and attractive so that you will have the right response for everyone” (, NLT).

You may complain that church is no fun, but did you interact with anyone? Did you have a conversation? Did you talk to people?

In the beginning, God recognised it was not good for man to be alone. You may attend church with thousands of people in a service, but if you don't talk to anyone, it can feel incredibly lonely.

So be brave, break the ice and talk to someone. Who knows --  they might have been meaning to talk to you too!

5. Look for People Who Need Help

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“Let us think of ways to motivate one another to acts of love and good works” (, NLT). 

Philanthropic endorphins are chemicals released in the brain that induce feelings of happiness and satisfaction, and maybe even a little fun, when you help another human being. 

Perhaps talking to someone will help them get through their week. You could give an elderly person a ride, help a single mother with her unruly brood, or buy a coffee for someone who probably can't afford it. There are people who sit next to you every week who need help you can provide. It always feels fun to do something positive for others.

6. Ask Forgiveness and Move On

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“But if we confess our sins to him, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all wickedness” (, NLT). 

Let's not beat around the bush -- church may not be fun for you because it reminds you of your sinfulness.

Firstly, no one is perfect; not the person next to you, not the worship leader, and not the guy with the microphone. 

Don't allow your sinful nature to keep you from God. When you gave your life to Christ, God forgave your sins - past and future. declares that there is no condemnation for those who are in Christ. 

You are forgiven and set free. You can come into His gates with joy and praise, not guilt and shame.

7. Seek God

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“And I will give you a new heart, and I will put a new spirit in you. I will take out your stony, stubborn heart and give you a tender, responsive heart” (, NLT).

Church is not fun when you have a hard heart. You will be critical, pessimistic and miserable.

If church is not fun for you, perhaps it's time to reinvigorate your relationship with God. Go deeper in your prayer time. Study the Word in a new way, such as verse mapping or a book club. Pray for God to change your hard heart into a heart of flesh - a heart of love, faith and hope in your relationship with God and attitude toward church.

8. Find a Fun Church

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“Praise the Lord, for the Lord is good; celebrate his lovely name with music” (, NLT).

I am not an advocate of church hopping. The Bible says we are to be planted in the house of the Lord, and you can't put down roots if you transplant yourself every few months. If God has called you to be part of a congregation, you shouldn’t leave unless He clearly gives the directive.

With that being said, if church is not fun for you, find one that is. As the Senior Pastor of my church, I have no desire for anyone to attend out of obligation. I want people to attend my church because they think it's a fun place to be. 

9. Opt for Joy - Not Happy

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“Always be full of joy in the Lord. I say it again—rejoice!” (, NLT). 

We live in a world that qualifies decisions based on happiness with phrases such as, "Well as long as it makes you happy." Making you happy is not a good indicator of whether you should act out a specific behaviour.

Happiness is a fleeting feeling; joy is a choice. 

When it comes to church, choose joy. Don't look for what makes you happy, but decide you will be joyful in all situations.

10. See the Season Out

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“For everything there is a season, a time for every activity under heaven” (, NLT).

There was a time when church was not fun for me - my children were small and I was stuck alone in the mothers room with them screaming. Church was not fun. It was hard work getting there and maintaining a smile.

But it was a season. 

Babies grow and life changes.

Church may not be fun because you are not in a fun season right now.  Don't leave. Don't stop attending. To get to the Promised Land, sometimes you have to go through the wilderness. 

Now is the time to persevere and see the season through, because seasons change. Who knows? Perhaps your most enjoyable moments in church life are just around the corner.

8 Church Social Activities Ideas

Create themed dinners. There are many holidays you can theme meals after. Ask each of your congregation to bring themed foods and celebrate the holidays together.Run board game nights. It’s simple and fun to play board games. Each member can bring their favorite game and turns can be taken playing them.Have a craft evening. Many members of your church may be skilled with their hands. Ask members if they would be willing to bring supplies and run a craft table. You will be surprised at the number of people who want to share their hobbies.Churches need fixing up. Offering a meal to volunteers, and allowing them to associate in a manner different than usual can encourage fellowship between them.Hold a Wii challenge night. Video games are popular, and the Nintendo Wii has several games all ages can participate in.Treasure hunts.

Treasure hunts are an exciting way to get the community involved in your church. Offer prizes for the people who find the most items hidden.

Karaoke Night. There are several gaming consoles that offer karaoke and dancing games, so you don’t have to spend money on a karaoke machine.Dance nights. Offer a room for dances or dance classes can bring people of all ages to your church.

Church events are a great way to bring your community together and grow your church attendance. Follow these 8 steps above and your church attendance will grow in no time.

Make It Easier To Schedule Your Church Events

If you’ve been charged with organizing and scheduling your church’s events, make it easier on yourself and everyone else by utilizing a church event scheduling to keep track of times, schedules, volunteers and much more.

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52 IDEAS FOR YOUR CHURCH THIS YEAR

January 6, 2014 13 Comments

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by Diana Davis

How will God use your church in the coming year? Here are 52 easy ideas to inspire you:

1. The 52 Challenge: Members commit to personally invite one person—friend or stranger—to church every week this year, and write the names on their personal calendar.

2. Snow Day: Build dozens of snowmen on the church lawn. Decorate snow-families with creative props and signs inviting folks to church.

3. Plan a baby shower for a local pregnancy center on Sanctity of Human Life Sunday, the third Sunday in January.

4. Sunday Brunch: Deliver invitations to homes located near the church building inviting them to worship services and to a Sunday brunch beforehand with their neighbors (and some friendly church members).

5. Pray for Leaders: Invite local government leaders to your worship service. Recognize those who are able to attend and pray for them.

6. Community-Wide Blood Drive: Support your local blood bank.

7. Date Night: Provide complimentary childcare for unchurched couples on Valentine’s Day.

8. NearlyWed Seminar: Invite engaged couples to an 8-week seminar before church or during the week. Each session is a topical Bible study about marriage, with homework and handouts. At completion, couples get a certificate and promote to newlywed class.

9. Mission Trip Mania: Plan several mission trips for the year—local, national, international—and challenge members to either participate personally or help sponsor another participant.

10. Interactive Missions Fair: Educate the entire church about how your church does missions both locally and globally. Invite missionaries your church supports and local ministries you partner with to set up booths.

11. Biggest Workday Ever: Plan dozens of projects, involving all age groups.Challenge members and regular attenders to commit at least two hours for planting, painting, cleaning and other DIY projects.

12. Host a Kite-Flying Day: Encourage kids, teens and adults to participate and invite friends. Give awards for highest, longest in flight, most creative kite.

13. Community Easter Egg Hunt: Provide kids’ music, candy-filled eggs, snacks and a puppet show about the meaning of Easter. Distribute bookmarks or refrigerator magnets that list weekly and special events for kids. Don’t forget to invite everyone to Easter worship.

14. 1-2-3 Serve! Each small group in the church plans a servant evangelism project on the same Saturday, blitzing the entire community with good works in Jesus’ name.

15. Friend Day: Encourage every member to bring an unchurched friend to worship.

16. Car-Care Clinic: Enlist the help of some men in your church to set up a free oil and lube change and general car maintenance operation at your church for the single moms and widows in your community.

17. Stop & Pray Day: On May 1, National Day of Prayer, 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.

18. Mother’s Day is perfect for a baby dedication and to promote the launch of a small group for new parents.

19. School’s Out Celebrations: Host three last-day-of-school parties. Elementary kids’ ice cream party, middle school pizza party and treasure hunt; high school sand volleyball tournament and Christian concert. Provide a summer calendar of church events for each age group.

20. Welcome Wagon: Deliver welcome baskets to people who move into your community. Include baked goods or pantry items, information about your church, as well as coupons to local businesses. The Chamber of Commerce can provide you with the names and addresses of people who recently have relocated to your area.

21. Be Festive: As a church, participate in the town’s annual fair or festival. Wear church T-shirts and have fun. Make a parade float, host a diaper changing station or offer to be the cleanup crew.

22. Neighborhood Cookout: Encourage church members or small groups to host a neighborhood cookout one Saturday and invite their neighbors to church.

23. Cool Comfort: Open your facility to those in the community who may not have air conditioning. Provide play areas for moms with young kids. Set up a workspace for college students with free Wi-Fi access. The summer heat is especially dangerous for seniors. Providing a cool place for them to spend their days may even save a life. You may need to arrange transportation to and from their homes.

24. Student Camp Sendoff: Members of an adult Bible class select a camper, prepare a snack bag for the trip, and pray for them that week.

25. Outdoor Concert: Invite the entire community to a free outdoor concert on the church lawn.

26. Thank Local Heroes: Invite fire fighters, police officers, emergency medical personnel and others for a special recognition service and lunch at your church.

27. All-Church Picnic: Plan a fun-filled day of food, games and fellowship.

28. VBS. Vacation Bible School is an enormous outreach. Visit LifeWay.com/vbs for ideas.

29. Middle School Summit: Incoming middle school students and their parents rotate through 10-minute topical classes taught by church youth leaders and Christians who teach or work in local middle schools. Afterward, kids have a party and parents eat out together.

30. Back-to-School Backpacks: Partner with a local school or shelter and donate backpacks filled with school supplies to school-age children whose families need financial assistance.

31. Move It: Recruit volunteers to wear church T-shirts and help with move-in day at your local college. Invite students to Sunday worship and a homemade lunch in their honor.

32. Snacks for Teacher Workday: Bible study classes or small groups select a local school, prepare and deliver baskets of snacks with a note of thanks and a prayer for the upcoming school year.

33. First Day, Moms Pray: Host a tea for moms just after they drop their kids off for the first day of school. Seat them by school or child’s grade level for fellowship. Pray for the moms and the children. Provide a list of church activities and worship times.

34. Explosion Sunday: Kick-off new small groups and invite guests and unconnected members to join one.

35. Adopt an International Student. A majority of international students who come to the U.S. to study are never invited into an American home. Work with your local university to host an international student throughout the year. Pick them up at the airport when they arrive. Invite them to dinner once a month and spend time with them during the holidays.

36. “Meet the Teacher” Sunday: Kids invite their schoolteacher, principal, cafeteria worker, etc., and sit by them in worship. Pray for them during church and honor them with a brief milk and cookies fellowship afterward.

37. Singles Dream Team: About one-third of adults in your town are single. Form a top-notch team to pray and plan multiple small groups, events and ministries for singles. Kick off with a single adult retreat.

38. New Members Fellowship: Host a bi-annual or quarterly event for new church members to help them feel welcome and make friends.

39. Minister Appreciation Week: Ask members and attenders to send a note of appreciation to the pastor(s) during the first week of October.

40. Stock the Pantry: Ask members to donate non-perishables to your church’s food pantry or a local food bank.

41. Pumpkinpalooza: Display an invitation banner and gobs of pumpkins outside. Kids under 12 pick a pumpkin, decorate it and take it home. Take family photos and invite guests to pick them up on Sunday.

42. Senior Adult Revival: Plan a weeklong daytime evangelistic revival for senior adults. Serve lunch. Encourage members to bring friends who may not know Christ.

43. Citywide Thanksgiving Art Exhibit: In early fall, begin to solicit entries from church members, friends, local artists, art clubs and classes. Using any medium, artists illustrate a Thanksgiving theme. Deadline is end of October, and art is displayed in the church lobby throughout November.

44. Fall Daylight Savings: Plan ahead so early arrivers (who forgot to change their clock) can enjoy their error. Signs at doors can offer doughnuts and coffee in the foyer, library time, or an invitation to watch the praise team rehearse.

45. Election Day: Before voting day, each Bible study class selects one elected position such as Sheriff or City Commissioner. The group purchases a Bible, highlights favorite Scriptures, and delivers it immediately after the election with a note promising prayer for that leader.

46. Baptism Sunday: Invite people who want to become a Christian, and believers who have never been baptized to sign up for a big baptism Sunday. Provide printed and e-invitations for their family and friends.

47. Missions Parade: Emphasize international missions with a simple international parade during worship. Have children march around the worship center during a mission-themed song carrying miniature flags of the nations.

48. Digital Thanks: Members submit one photo and a two-word description of something for which they’re thankful. Show a media presentation of the photos before and after the service.

49. Holiday Food Baskets: Organize, prepare and deliver holiday food baskets to families and individuals in need.

50. Wrap It Up: Provide free gift-wrapping for mall shoppers. Promote upcoming Christmas events at your church.

51. Christmas Caroling: Teams blanket the community with caroling then meet later for hot cocoa.

52. Christmas Eve Candlelight Service: Keep it brief and family friendly. Plan ahead for quality music and friendly greeters. Invite the entire community.

https://family.lovetoknow.com/family-activities/family-night-activities-church

https://www.pinterest.co.uk/allygnz/church-social-events/?lp=true

https://www.pinterest.co.uk/pin/525162006541248046/?lp=true

https://www.pinterest.co.uk/pin/194428908895972522/?lp=true

https://chuckwarnockblog.wordpress.com/2008/11/24/101-outreach-ideas-for-small-churches/