Easter is a time when many people are open to the gospel in ways that they might not be during the rest of the year. Use these resources to emphasize evangelism in your church and Sunday School ministry.

Kids’ Easter Outreach Helps

Children can make a difference in the community through outreach evangelism!

• Reach out: check out some ideas for community outreach projects your students can do.
• Evangelize: download Q&A booklets your students can give people about Jesus and the plan of salvation.
• Tell them why you care: download outreach cards your students can hand out.

Easter Resources to Connect People with Your Church

There is still time to equip the members of your church to welcome Easter guests and connect them with Jesus and the people of God.

• Invite: Read a quick prep strategy (PDF) for mobilizing people by Easter Sunday.
• Minister: See and download a commitment card (PDF) will offers Easter ministry options for church members.
• Follow Up: View and download an Easter response card (PDF) that will help your church follow up with Easter guests.

Your Easter LIFE Response

Use this Easter LIFE Response (PDF) in your Sunday School classrooms to remind your students of a Biblical response to what Christ did for us on Easter.

Everyday is a day to honor God. However, Halloween presents some unique challenges. If you’re not crazy about Halloween but don’t want to discount the evangelism potential it represents, try spreading Jesus’ light in your neighborhoods with these ideas:

Gospel Tracts

This year, instead of turning out the lights, pass out gospel tracts and candy to the neighborhood children. Sunday School class members who live in apartments can meet up with home-owners to help. The American Tract Society has put together some tracts to help you spread the gospel in your neighborhood.

Welcome to Holsom: Adventures in Faith

Reach out to kids in your neighborhood with this new comic! Welcome to Holsom: Adventures in Faith instantly grabs kids with cool art and an enthralling story about Hugh’s transformation from budding thief to follower of Jesus. Kids learn vital practices of Christian living that keep them growing in faith while preparing them for service, things like salvation, prayer, Bible study, witnessing, baptism, reputation, and community service. The story pauses for short journaling sections throughout that allow kids to respond with their own thoughts. This inexpensive tool will be a great hit with all your trick-or-treaters. Read more about Holsom!

PowerMark Comics

Kids love comic books, and these comic books were developed especially for the purpose of introducing kids to the gospel of Jesus Christ. Your church can give these comic books to kids on Halloween, but the kids have to come to church to get the next issue! Read more about the PowerMark series here.

Halloween Party

Discover how a Halloween celebration can help children’s Christian faith. Your Sunday School class can have a Halloween party for the kids in your neighborhoods. Allow them to dress up in family-friendly costumes and invite them to a “Candy Extravaganza.” Try using these resources for a story-time event:

• The Pumpkin Patch Parable

Halloween Alternative Ideas

Here are some great ideas for getting the gospel out to your friends and neighbors—and teaching your children about God’s love in the process:

1. Walk around the neighborhood as a family or break up your Sunday School class into groups and tell neighbors: “Instead of taking candy from you, we want to give something to you.” For families: you can explain that you are helping your children understand the joy of giving. Then find out if they need windows washed, leaves raked, weeds pulled, etc. Let them know when you’ll be back to help out, or simply surprise them.

2. Invite neighbors over before Halloween for a pumpkin-carving party. Instead of carving scary faces in the pumpkins, assign each pumpkin a letter to carve, spelling out a phrase that glorifies God, like “Jesus Saves.” And have lots of candy and treats for the kids!

3. Go door-to-door as a family or a Sunday School class, introducing yourselves to your neighbors and giving them bags of candy, candles, or other treats along with a tract or a Bible.

4. One woman put signs on her property that said things like “No Trick, God’s Treat is Jesus,” and “Let Jesus fill the Hollow.” Don’t be afraid to throw attention back onto God on a day when He might be far from some people’s minds.

5. Read the article "Maryland Church Provides Community with 'Safer Alternative'" about a Maryland church that offers a Halloween-alternative fall event.

Thanksgiving is a time when many people without families are lonely—and many people without homes are hungry. Whether you have the backing of your Sunday School class or you go it alone, follow Jesus’ example by serving and meeting people’s deepest needs.

World Hunger Day

On World Hunger Day, encourage your family, church, and Sunday School to give generously. Help Sunday School students realize they can help people who are hungry or even starving. Focus Sunday School lessons on all the ways Jesus fed people—and His commands that we continue to do so.

1. Donate here.
2. Check out the World Hunger Day web site.
3. Read about World Hunger Day.
4. Q & A about World Hunger Day.

Bags of Hope Thanksgiving Party

You never know which of your neighbors are eating alone this Thanksgiving. Try some of these tips to help them feel Christ’s love by way of a Thanksgiving party:

1. Go door-to-door as a family, handing out personalized invitations to a Thanksgiving celebration at your house. You can have it on Thanksgiving or several days before.

2. Check back with the people who seem most interested, especially people who live alone or are elderly. Ask what each person’s favorite Thanksgiving dish is—then fix it in their honor. Chance are, many of them will have similar favorites, so you won’t have to make much more food than normal.

3. As guests show up, give each one a small gift (perhaps just a bag of candy, a small candle, or a Bible with their name inscribed on the cover). Let them know they are wanted.

4. After dinner, if you feel led, you can present the gospel, letting them know that one reason you care about them is because God cares about them. If it doesn’t seem like the right time, try relaxing with them around a board game or a light-hearted movie.

Volunteer at a Shelter

Jesus commanded all His followers to feed the hungry, and giving your time on Thanksgiving to serve people less fortunate will not only bless the people to whom you’re ministering, it will also teach your Sunday School students, whether adult or child, a valuable lesson about the kind of sacrifice and service that pleases God.

When Christmas comes, many people without funds—or families—suffer from depression. Sunday Schools can provide for their needs through feeding them, providing presents—and ultimately, pointing them to Jesus Christ.

Remember the Troops

Christmas can be a lonely time for many men and women in the military. The simple effort of a card means so much to them. Encourage your troops in times of war by sending Christmas care packages, Christmas cards with heartfelt notes inside, and letters from the children of the church. Be a blessing to these men and women who serve so bravely—and miss the holiday traditions that most of us take for granted.

Adopt-a-Shelter

Families in shelters are forced to neglect Christmas presents for their children due to lack of funds, and some shelters exist for children who have no families at all. Sunday Schools are uniquely poised to help encourage these people by “rallying the troops” to give gifts so needy families and children will have presents. Your Sunday School class can adopt a shelter and make sure each person receives a gift this Christmas.

Adopt-a-School

Many children go without presents at Christmas because their parents are struggling just to keep them fed. Churches can show God’s love by “adopting” an area elementary school and providing gifts for every child.

For Smaller Churches

Although funds might be limited and workers few, God can supernaturally bless the efforts of smaller churches to accomplish His purposes. Tailor any of the outreach ideas listed above to your smaller church with these tips:

1. Most gospel tracts are inexpensive (around $.12/ea). Ask Sunday School students to set aside enough money to purchase 5 gospel tracts each week until Halloween.

2. Ask local businesses to donate food for a community-wide Thanksgiving outreach.

3. Partner with other smaller churches to pool funds and resources for an Adopt-a-School or Shelter outreach. Your community will appreciate the help, and the unity of several churches coming together to provide for the needy will please God.

4. Church members can pool talents for a sale with the purpose of purchasing Bags of Hope for the hungry. Baked goods, craft items, and quilt raffle tickets are all popular items to sell. Let shoppers know if they don’t see anything that interests them at the sale, that they can simply buy a Bag of Hope directly. Advertise the sale and its purpose in the paper, in bulletins, at work, and even by way of homemade fliers.

5. It only takes four people—a bass, tenor, alto, and soprano—to go Christmas caroling, and most carols draw attention to Christ. This can be an outreach in and of itself, or your church can use it to draw in funds for giving to others in the Christmas season.

Resources

• Article: One Community’s Christmas Outreach

• GPH Holiday Catalog