Block Party Ideas
Mike Oliver

Let me take a moment to try to share with you this exciting tool of evangelism. Of course until you see this in action and the numbers of new guest walking on to your church property for the very first time it is hard to describe in words. However let me try to describe what will become of the day when you decide as a unified family to reach with this tool of outreach called block party. Unlike any other block party or boot camp this event involves the entire church and makes door knocking, or standing on a street corner a tool of the past. Some people I have found have a difficult time inviting their neighbors, friends, co-workers, or even family to church. Why? I don’t know being this is the best thing this side of heaven! However, no one turns down an invite to a party! Nor, do we have a problem in inviting someone to a party.

So, what makes this so fulfilling is when you have an entire church family who has made invites, not just the faithful bus ministry staff or pastor, but the entire church. Each member, young and old alike, have collected 10 families committed to attend this four hour event of building a rapport and trust with families who may have never committed to a church service, or Bible study, because of the unknown. But a party? Count them in! So, now is that time I believe to befriend, and live a life of relationship with God so those around us ask what is so different about us. Not changing truth, just changing our approach by loving them, and showing compassion.

You may have noticed we said four hour event. We recommend this due to the amount of work that goes into this day and clean-up. After set-up and a long day in the sun we want the people of God ready for worship on Sunday. Again, every church does this different in some way. Some have had a small service the day of the event; some have had Sunday morning with lunch and a block party afterwards. This is the perfect opportunity to invite all of your community, the mayor’s office, local police dept, fire dept, and not to forget backsliders. Let me inject something right here that some of the hardest workers I have seen is the backsliders that volunteer to help and many have come back into the church this way. They are able to warm up to the families they have not seen for awhile and they just slide back into place. If the invitations and the tickets are spread about, this makes such an impact and lasting impression for a very long time both on the church and city.

The connections that are made in this one day, you will continue to see through out the year. Many churches now use this one day to build their entire evangelism efforts around for an entire year. Let me explain. Once people arrive they come under a large inflatable dome tent that serves as the registration. There they turn in a card with names of family members, ages, address, email, along with a question or two, and would they like to receive additional invitations to such events. We also ask them while in line to text their contact group or five families. This always adds 300 to 400 guests. Here is when wrist bands are given for the children and adults to take advantage of all the events that are set-up and ready for these families to spend the next four hours participating.

What they do not see is that each event has an Apostolic teen, adult, young married couple, or even family unit overseeing each event. Each one is greeted while children are playing and the moms and dads stand watching. This is your moment not to ask for 12 weeks of search for truth, but to find common ground, let a connection be made, and a relationship started. After four hours of connections, guess what, they feel connected! They feel the warmth, love, and the bond of the church family. They feel protection in this environment for their family! This is what most people in our world today desires for their families. They want their family to be safe and this is what you just provided to them, an atmosphere focused on love, peace, happiness, and protection in one place with their entire family unit.

From this point you can build bus routes, teen services and singles night. Now you have an entire city full of connections to work from all angles. I promise when you make a phone call to Ron Jones or whoever, they will remember you. Why? Because you connected with them for an entire day, their children loved it and talked about it. The moms and dads, and grandparents were greeted during that time by the pastor and the leadership. It is not hard from this point to drop by and pick up their kids for Sunday school, their teens for a canoe trip or a youth service. Also you can invite that young married couple or single momma to the church service or another event.

The Pastor will now become a pastor even outside the church building, because the guest that came may not even know a church, have a pastor or a spiritual leader in their life. Now you are called to hospitals, nursing homes, graduations, weddings because you’re the only man of God in their lives. And it’s all through this one day event that we all participated in. Wow! It is just that way! Of course I might add we want this day blessed by prayer and fasting.

Here is what could be expected. Also, I might add that every church, town and city is different. Each pastor may want to change up the whole event. Make it a weekend event, outdoor service, Friday night family movie night, or whatever works. We will provide according to the package that was chosen to set-up at 8am Saturday morning, along with 10 to 15 strong guys and expect help for clean up and loading.

We will set-up with the largest package in which most churches go with. The events listed below are subject to change and not all are listed, or all brought at times due to size, cost, or help. You can view most everything on line at blockpartyamusements.com

Ministry of Evangelist Michael & Krista Oliver and family is included if so desired. Please check out additional pictures on Facebook, call for a list of references at 317.339.7432 or personally email revmike@flash.net

We are also available and have met with the planning committee prior to the event to lay out a plan that will help with the success of this day and follow up.

* Giant 24’ Slide
* Giant covered 20’ Slide
* Large 3 piece Obstacle Course
* The Adrenaline Rush Course
* The Outdoor Movie Theater w Surround sound
* Mobile Laser Tag 25 players
* Boxing Ring
* The Rock & Roll event
* Jacobs Ladder
* The Two-lane Bungee Run
* The Velcro Wall
* Four-Way Bungee Basketballs
* The Superman Challenge
* The Speed Racer Combo
* The Superman Combo
* The Disney Cars Bounce House
* Wall-E Bounce House
* Dino Bounce
* World of Sports
* The Incredible’s Challenge
* The Looney Tunes Bounce House
* The 30’ Water slip & slide
* A surround sound system for music for an Ipod playlist & cordless microphone
* Concessions such as, Popcorn, Cotton Candy and Sno-cone Machines
* An inflatable Tent 25’ for registration
* Banners & 20’flags provided for front of property

Concessions material is given at my cost. We ask for a hotel room and fuel mileage reimbursement. Please call for availability and additional questions you might have including pricing.

Evangelist Michael Oliver
Block Party Amusements & Ministries
blockpartyamusements.com
317-339-7432 mobile

This article may not be written by an Apostolic author, but it contains many excellent principles and concepts that can be adapted to most churches. As the old saying goes “Eat the meat. Throw away the bones.”

This article “Block Party Ideas” by Mike Oliver was excerpted from Evangelist Mike Oliver. Used by permission. January 2011. It may be used for study & research purposes only.