Reaching Families In The Neighbourhood Around Your Church

Over 74% of UK parents with children under five years had attended a church event in the previous year, according to the Talking Toddlers research conducted by Evangelical Alliance, HOPE Together and the Church of England released in May 2020. 

This incredible statistic indicates the missional opportunities present for local churches, like yours! Family ministry is a fantastic way of connecting with people in your neighbourhood, meeting needs and building meaningful relationships. 

Of course, there is no one size fits all. Every neighbourhood is different and so the method you choose to reach families at your church may vary greatly from one in the next town. 

How can you figure out what ideas might work best for you? Read on for some pointers. 

Knowing Your Community 

Collecting some data about your neighbours will help you better understand how you can help. 

Start with demographic research: explore census data, local government websites, and libraries for insights into age ranges, family structures (single-parent, multi-generational, etc.), and income levels.  

Supplement this with informal conversations. When you are out and about at the shops, park or school pick up, ask some questions about what people love about the area and where they would like to see change. This can be a great starting point for collecting information and building new relationships. 

Identifying Need And Interests

Meeting the need in front of you is the most effective way of engaging with your community. Just because something worked in another area doesn’t necessarily mean you can copy and paste it to achieve the same results in your neighbourhood. 

Use these reflection questions to consider where needs and interests could be addressed in your context: 

• What are local families' biggest concerns?

• What services or programs are lacking in our community?

• What childcare, education, or healthcare challenges have families faced?

• What are families' thoughts on after-school activity availability and affordability?

• Is there a strong sense of community here? Why or why not?

• What resources or support groups do families wish existed?

• What are local children and youth most passionate about?

• What do local families enjoy doing in their free time?

• What are families' favorite local spots or activities?

• What causes or issues do families care deeply about?

• What questions do families have about our church or its ministries?

• How is church perceived in the local area?

Getting Stuck In 

Reaching families means more than just opening your church doors. Effective engagement requires venturing beyond those walls and becoming a visible, active presence in the community. Think of it as showing, not just telling.

It's not enough to simply host events at the church; we need to be in the community, sharing life with our neighbors. This might involve volunteering at local schools, offering a helping hand at community clean-ups, or partnering with organisations already doing good work in the area. By rolling up our sleeves and getting involved, we demonstrate genuine care and build authentic relationships, showing families that our church is a true partner in the well-being of the neighborhood.

Creating Connection Points 

Creating connection points means developing ministries and collaborating with local initiatives to meet identified needs. For example, if after-school activities are lacking, your church could offer a tutoring program or sports league. If childcare is a concern, a playgroup might be helpful. Partnering with existing groups like schools or community centers expands your reach. Collaborate on events or cross-promote services. While serving the community is the priority, these connections can naturally lead to deeper church engagement. 

Offer invitations to events and create opportunities for continued involvement like small groups or Alpha courses, but avoid pressure. Focus on building relationships and creating a welcoming environment where families feel comfortable exploring faith and community.

Pray

We couldn’t finish the blog without mentioning prayer! God is the one who will grow the church! 

Pray to make good connections with families and also that the Holy Spirit will lead you to people of peace. This could include key figures in the community who can open doors. 

One of our sports camps was hosted at a community hall where the owner was so excited about the vision he gave the premises for free and told everyone who came to go to the church! Although not a Christian himself, he is a person of peace that God clearly used. 

Why Not Run A Sports Camp?

Here at Breakout Ministries, we love helping churches connect with their community through American sports camps, tailoring the experience to their local context. 

We handle all the logistics, from planning engaging sports activities to providing trained coaches, so your church can focus on building relationships. Beyond the fun and games, our camps weave in age-appropriate messages about Jesus, creating natural opportunities for spiritual conversations and deeper connections. We equip your church to reach families through a shared love of sports, fostering a welcoming environment where kids and their parents can experience the love of Christ. 

Ready to bring the excitement of sports camp to families in your community? Don’t hesitate to get in touch! We look forward to chatting more about how we can help. Email our founder, James, today at j.greene@breakoutministries.co.uk.