Reaching Your Community Through Club How to invite both kids and families by Cathi Toms 
Jesus commissioned each of us to go and make disciples of all nations. It’s exciting to be a part of God’s plan for reaching out to others! Your Pioneer Clubs program is a natural and effective tool for outreach in your community—to both kids and adults. When you invite kids and families in your neighborhood to Pioneer Clubs meetings and events, you open a welcoming “back door” for them to enter into your Christian community. Here are some suggestions to help your club reach out: 1. Sponsor a family carnival. Individual clubs could sponsor activities or provide refreshments. If your club is small, you could do this with other church ministries. 2. Hold a family video event. This could be held indoors or out. Serve popcorn and lemonade. 3. Perform music or puppet ministry programs in local parks. Pass out invitations to club. 4. Sponsor a churchwide event (skating party, etc.), and encourage everyone to bring a friend. 5. Serve coffee for adults from outside your church who bring their kids to club. Designate adults from the church to provide hospitality to make these visitors feel comfortable in your church. Visit with parents yourself. Get them involved in club projects, snacks, trips, and so on. Ask parents to help with award activities. 6. Widely publicize special events in your church and community. Use PSAs on local radio and TV stations. Set up an Outdoor Welcome Banner (catalog #6700) in front of your church. 7. Encourage adults in the church to invite neighbors to bring their kids to club. Set up carpools if transportation is an issue. 8. Sponsor a tent at a community event. Invite parents to bring their kids to Pioneer Clubs. 9. Provide classes during club time such as ESL, tutoring, a parenting class, or a sports or aerobics group. 10. Encourage club members to invite friends. When kids are involved in something fun, they want to share it. This makes them natural evangelists! Encourage club members to share club—and Christ—with their friends this winter by sponsoring a Bring a Friend Meeting. Pioneer Clubs offers FREE online resources to make your meeting an easy success! Click here for a free meeting plan, invitations, and take-home flyers for guests. When you reach out to your community, be prepared to welcome the visitors! Have extra children’s handbooks and supplies available. Provide take-home information, letting parents know: If your club charges registration fees, have a scholarship fund in place. Keep copies of “Becoming a Child of God” (catalog #6794), “Belonging to God’s Family” (catalog #6790), and “Learning More About Jesus” (catalog #6792) on hand for children who make (or ask about making) a salvation decision. As you reach out in faith, remember to pray for your club leaders, the families involved in Pioneer Clubs, and the families who could be involved. God is faithful—he will help you reach them! Cathi Toms serves as Pioneer Clubs’ marketing coordinator. |
