Church events are a great way to bring families together, build relationships, and create lasting memories. But planning a successful church event for families can be challenging. There are so many things to think about, from the activities and food to the promotion and logistics.

That's where this article comes in. We'll walk you through the entire process of planning and executing a great church event for families, step by step. We will draw on our twenty-plus years in performing, planning, and executing events to have you event planning like a pro!

First of all, take a moment to pray about your event. It is vital to bathe any event you do in prayer. Making sure that you are in God’s will for the event is the best thing you can do.

Now, let’s start planning. It is important to keep in mind the WHEN, WHAT, WHO, WHY, WHERE, and HOW of your event.

Step 1: WHEN

The first step (not the most important step - that comes later) is to choose a date for your event. This will help you to narrow down your ideas and make the planning process easier.

Here are a few things to consider about “when”:

What is taking place in the larger church calendar?

How can you use events leading up to your event to build momentum?

Can you take a unique holiday and make that a fun event?

Try to choose a date that works for the majority of the families in your congregation. You may also want to avoid scheduling your event on the same day as other major events in the community.

Step 2: WHAT

Once you have a general idea of when, you can start to brainstorm specific theme ideas. For example, if you're hosting a fall festival, you could choose a theme like "Harvest Hayride" or "Pumpkin Palooza.”

Here is where you can be a little creative. Try something new. OR…if you have been doing this event for years and it has name recognition, keep it the same…as long as people still like it.

When coming up with creative themes, you don’t have to reinvent the wheel. Take advantage of the “I Love KidMin” Facebook page community to ask for creative ideas and solutions.

Step 3: WHO

The “who” of your event is very important. Who do you want to reach with this? Will it be just the kids? Will it be their families? Will it be just people within the church? Do you want to reach people from outside your walls?

The answers to those questions will affect not only the activities you do, but the marketing, the approach, and the focus of your event.

Really take the time to target your audience. This will help to save you from spinning your wheels and should deliver a bigger ROI (return on investment).

Step 4: WHY

This is truly the most important question you can ask when planning an event. Your “why” should influence EVERYTHING about this event.

When we are contacted by a church to do an event, we want to know why they are doing this. This is for a number of reasons. At the top of the list, we love to see how Kingdom-building plays out in different communities. Also, however, we want to know if we are going to be a good fit for their expectations and goals.

Your “why” will also change your approach, planning, and so much more. Really pray about this step. Are you wanting to do something for spiritual nourishment or just to build community? Both answers are good, but both will change the direction and trajectory of your event.

Step 5: WHERE

Naturally, you may be thinking, Well, the event will be on our church campus. Even that answer has decisions that need to be made. Parking lot? Sanctuary? Fellowship hall? Gym? Kids’ area? Hallways?

Beyond that, though, consider off-site events. A local park. The high school auditorium. A local restaurant or hotel. The Performing Arts Center.

Each of these locations has pros and cons. It is also good to mix it up. When you go into public spaces, the community sees that you are willing to go to them. Then, when you invite them back to your campus, they are more likely to attend.

Step 6: HOW

Planning a church event for families is a big job, so it's important to form a committee to help you out. Your committee should be made up of people with a variety of skills and talents. For example, you may want to include people who are good at organizing, decorating, cooking, promoting, and working with children.

Here is a radical idea…what if you partner with other churches in your community to pull this event off? Naturally, that sort of decision would come back to your purposes. However, what an AMAZING way to show your community unity in the BODY

EXTRA-PRO TIP:

If you are bringing in an entertainer for your event, you can utilize a technique from the Performing Arts world. Theaters will often team up with other theaters to get a “routed” price from a traveling show. Essentially, if you want a better deal from that minister outside of your local area, offering them the opportunity to do multiple shows within a 100-150 mile radius is a great incentive!

PROMOTION:

Once you have planned your event, you need to start promoting it. Be sure to promote your event to your congregation as well as to the wider community.

Here are a few ways to promote your church event for families:

Create a flyer or poster and hang it up around your church and community

Post about the event on your church's website and social media pages

Send out an email newsletter to your congregation

Talk about the event during your church services

Invite local businesses to sponsor the event (maybe even small business owners within your church)

EXECUTING THE EVENT

On the day of the event, arrive early to set up. Be sure to have everything you need on hand, such as food, drinks, supplies for the activities, and a first-aid kit.

Once the event is underway, be sure to circulate and interact with the guests. Make sure that everyone is having a good time and that they have everything they need.

FOLLOWING THE EVENT

When the event is over, be sure to clean up and evaluate the event. This will help you to improve your planning for future events.

Here are a few things to consider when evaluating your event:

What went well?

What could be improved?

What feedback did you receive from the guests?

By following these steps, you can plan and execute a great church event for families.

Here are a few additional tips for putting on a great church event for families:

1. Make sure the event is accessible to everyone. This includes providing wheelchair ramps and accessible restrooms.

2. Offer a variety of food and drink options, including options for people with dietary restrictions.

3. Have a plan for bad weather. If you're hosting an outdoor event, have a backup location in case of rain.

4. Make sure to have plenty of volunteers to help with the event. This will help to ensure that everything runs smoothly and that the guests have a great time.

5. Don’t be afraid to seek out sponsors for your event. Not only is this helpful for your budget, but it also gets buy-in from the community and others outside of your immediate circle.

6. Most importantly, have fun!
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David & Kylie Knight are a husband and wife Christian illusionist duo who have traveled and performed together for over 20 years. They have a passion for wowing audiences with their craft and helping churches make gospel and church connections with their community. David and Kylie currently make their home in Frisco, Texas.
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