This past summer our children’s ministry team decided to do something different in promoting for our annual Vacation Bible School (VBS). We started with passing out door hangers in nearby neighborhoods. Our goal was to connect with new families in the surrounding communities. One day we drove into a local neighborhood that was literally on the other side of the tracks. We noticed an area where some kids were playing kickball. As soon as we got out of the car we heard one of them yell, “Wanna play kickball?!” Seeing it as an easy opportunity to make new contacts, we joined in. It was something so simple. In just a few minutes we learned most of their names and began to connect with them. For the next several weeks that followed, we brought a brand new kickball and orange cones and drove into the neighborhood one day a week. Some days, there were no kids playing at all. But soon enough, after we set up the field and began to play, there would be anywhere between 10 to 20 children.
This simple act of kindness began to open doors. Once we knew the kids, we were able to connect with parents. Sure, we were still passing out cards and water bottles, but this time it was different. The parents had seen that we were willing to put the time and effort into this forgotten neighborhood. After winning the parent’s trust, the rest was easy. We began to take the church van through the community. Needless to say, we had a total of 15 brand new kids from that neighborhood attend our VBS. Till this day, a majority of them attend our children’s ministry on a regular basis.
There are hundreds of children in our surrounding communities that lack consistent relationships. Relationships require one thing. Time. Pick a neighborhood. Do something once a week, whether it be kickball, passing out cards and water bottles, visiting with a gift or playing basketball. Whatever you do, be consistent and have one motivation: to connect and bless families. When you do this, you will be blown away by the results. It can all start with simple question, “Wanna play kickball?”
