This post was last updated on July 25th, 2024 at 01:12 pm.

Did your church ever want to plan an event but the cost just seems outrageous? Most churches can not afford events that cost tens of thousands of dollars.

There are a lot of ways a church can come along the side of other churches or nonprofits and help in the community without busting the budget. By hosting events or playing some small part in the event, the community will get to know the church. What’s important to the church and its mission?

Here are some examples of event ideas that won’t bust the budget.

Some churches will open their doors when other community events are going on. This allows people to come in and use the restroom, take a break from the sun, or even get a free snack. This works especially well in the downtown areas of cities as they are always having events, but lack facilities. If there are multiple churches, then the churches can take turns to always have one open for eventgoers. People come in and see the church and meet a few friendly love-filled people. Who knows – the eventgoers may come back to listen to a sermon in the future because of the friendly people they met.

Host a carnival in the large parking lot. Some churches have enormous parking lots that sit empty most of the time. Communities need space to host events. Come alongside your community and let them take over your parking lot and yard for their yearly carnival event. The church doesn’t have to pay anything as the cost is typically picked up by the community. Again you can open your facilities using some volunteers to monitor bathrooms and clean up. No money is invested, but you will be known in the community as the hosting place for the carnival and people may come to your place of worship later.

Host workshops for the betterment of the community. For example, many local resources could join a one-day event to teach about financial planning, marriage counseling, racism, etc. Most communities have counseling offices that would help present the information to the community and offer follow-up to any that may need these services. These are the true needs of any community. I think everyone knows someone affected by debt, marriage, racism, homelessness, human trafficking, and so on.

Host a parent’s night out. Could the church’s youth, with the right supervision, take care of the younger kids for 3 – 4 hours while the parents are watching a movie or having dinner? The invitation should be sent to the local community. Every parent can appreciate some time away from their fussy 2-year-old, especially to spend with their partner.

I’m sure there are many other successful examples that churches have done and we ask that you share them for all to see in the comments below. Also, stay tuned for the second part of this two-part series for more ideas for the church. 🙂