February 2005

In This Issue:

Featured Event Idea - Spring Festival - Keep Easter Visitors Coming Back!

Real Stories - Case Study: Anniversary Celebration

Performer Profile - Michael Joiner: God's Smart Aleck!

Special Promotions - DoorHangers ~ Referral Rewards Program

Effective Resources - Event Planning Guide

Event Planning Tip of the Month - Welcoming Visitors

News & Updates - Team & Performer News

Joke of the Month - "Cell Service" Featuring Michael Joiner

Spring Festival

Keep Easter Visitors Coming Back!

Easter is the largest attended day of the year at churches nationwide. Make the most of your opportunity to reach unbelievers for Christ and keep them coming back! Host an incredible Easter Sunday program with a comedian, then invite guests to return the following Saturday for your Spring Festival. It's a strong motivator that turns an Easter-only visit into at least two visits.

The General Idea

Mention activities during Sunday services. Invite membes back in creative ways--staple carnival tickets to Sunday Easter egg bags for each child attending your children's ministry. Invite adults back for music, a comedian, picnic lunch, etc.

Target Audience

Location

Site Set-Up Ideas

Decorations

Game Booths for Kids

• Set up any number of concession stands with candy and toys as prizes

Contests & Games

Stage

Food

Visitor Welcome Table & Ticket Sales

Volunteers Needed

Ideas & Tools to Get the Word Out

Budget Booster Ideas

Added Outreach Impact

Spring Festival Event idea adapted from page 38 of the Jan/Feb 2005 edition of Outreach Magazine. Used by permission. Click here for a free trial subscription.

Case Study:

Anniversary Celebration

Rev up your church members to participate in Outreach efforts! Oasis Church celebrates their 5th anniversary AND provides intense incentive for member outreach at their next Outreach Event!

Event Basics

Customer Interviewed: Pastor Steve McNary

Organization Name: Oasis Church

Event Name: "Oasis Rewind"

Event Type: Anniversary Celebration

Event Dates & Time: Sunday, January 23, 2005 - 7pm

Event Location: Coconuts night club in Victorville, CA

Location Profile: Victorville is a "inland empire" desert community--60 miles outside of Los Angeles. See "Site Set-Up" for more about the Event location.

Attendee Type: Members of the church family

Price per Attendee: $10

Total Attendees: 250+

Behind the Scenes Efforts:

Publicity Tools Used:

Cutting Costs:

Team Efforts Included:

About the Event

Event Purpose:

The Event was a celebration of the church's 5th anniversary. The goal was to re-ignite, encourage, inspire, and refocus church members to the goals of the church and outreach. One of the goals was to rev members up for future Outreach Events. At the end of the Event, the pastor announced that they would be holding a similar Outreach Event soon--only this time, if members wanted to come they had to bring an unchurched friend!

Event Content:

The evening's schedule of events included a gourmet Asian meal served family style, a slideshow of videos and photos from major church Events, personal church member testimonies about the ministry, and comedy with a message from Thor Ramsey.

Theme:

The Event had a movie theater theme because when the church originally began, they'd been renting space from a local movie theater. They've since moved to a new building, but wanted to go back to their roots for this Event.

Site Set-Up: 

They rented out space from a local night club and walled off the bar area. Banquet tables were set up around the professional stage.

Decorations:

Decorations included tons of movie theater props, posters, banners, popcorn boxes on each table, church member "family" photos placed inside film-edged frames as centerpieces, 4"x4" gold stars on tables, sections of theater seats, and a 6ft tall popcorn box filled with yellow balloons (decorated by dedicated volunteers).

About the Comedy Performance

Performer: Thor Ramsey

Performance Type: 55 minutes of stand-up performance and a 5 minute message.

Message: Thor discussed a themed message with the pastor beforehand. He reminded the church family that 5 years didn't mean they've "arrived," or that their work is done. He encouraged members to keep reaching out to their community for Christ.

Results

Response to Performer:

"Everyone loved Thor. There was a woman who'd just celebrated her 88th birthday that thought he was so funny, and my 4-year old daughter couldn't stop talking about the "funny man" the whole evening. Some of the younger kids also had fun afterwards collecting the stars off the tables and asking Thor to sign them. He was definitely our 'celebrity' of the evening!"

Response to the Event in General:

"Why don't we do this more often?!"

Additional Comments

Biggest Concerns Heading into the Event:
"Making sure we could get the place decorated in time, and people who wanted to come last-minute."

How These Concerns Were Addressed & Resolved:

"The volunteers really pitched in quickly and were able to turn the club into a movie theater experience in just and hour and a half. Unfortunately we had to turn away those who wanted to attend last-minute, but gave them the incentive if they wanted to attend the next event, they had to bring an unchurched friend along."

How This Compares with Past Events:
"One of the top-most definitely."

Would You Do This Event Again?

"Yes. The way Thor connected with our crowd was so effective-people left feeling so comfortable with the church and connected to each other. It was just so obvious that God brought all these things together."

What Would You Do Differently Next Time?

"We told all of those attending that the next event we have like this will be a pure outreach. The only way they'll be able to come next time is if they bring unchurched guests. It'll be a great incentive and opportunity for outreach that our congregation can participate in."

What Would You Say to People Planning a Similar Event?

"It's obviously well-worth it. We'd do it again in a second. Definitely money well spent. God was definitely involved in the whole thing and made it happen."

Stand-Up Comedian

Michael Joiner

God's Smart Aleck!

Where are you from, and what was it like growing up there?

Gary, Indiana, which is one of the crime capitals of the world… I remember when I was going to school the teacher would ask the class, “what comes at the end of a sentence?”  They would say, “Parole?”  

How did you become a Christian?

I trusted Christ as my savior.  Is there another way? … Seriously, as a senior in high school I began pondering what would happen to me after I died.  I read a tract that said you must be born again and it convicted me “big time.”  I prayed the prayer and didn’t feel much different but the next morning when I woke up, the fear of death was gone, I knew I was saved and I had a hunger for God’s Word.

When and how did you become interested in becoming a stand-up comedian?

In 1989 I had recently recommitted my life to the Lord and was attending Vineyard Christian Fellowship in Valparaiso, Indiana.  The pastor, who knew me as a real “cut-up,” was having a church talent show and practically begged me to try stand-up comedy.  After 3-4 refusals I finally gave in, wrote some material and was hooked after getting more laughs than I expected.

What's your favorite thing about being a comedian?

You can actually tell folks about your frustrations and get paid for it.  Plus, the fact that it is such an easy way to share Christ.  Once you’ve made someone laugh, they will just about listen to anything else you have to say.

As a contributing writer I am one of a couple dozen writers from around the country who have been given a private fax#.  On a weekly basis, we can submit as much or as little as we want, and the Tonight Show will buy the ones they want, and they send us a check.  I like writing, but like most comedians, there’s nothing like being on stage performing your own material.

What are some of your current struggles and triumphs?

As an actor pursuing a film career in Hollywood, where the atmosphere toward Christians can be very hostile, I’ve learned that ultimately, God is my agent, manager and teacher, and that no man can close any door that He wants open and no one can open any door that He wants closed.  Proverbs says, “The fear of man brings a snare, but he who trusts in the Lord is kept safe.”  

How do you see the Lord moving through your Comedy?

My style is very “un-churchy,” therefore, I always encourage folks to bring there unconverted neighbors and friends.  I know that they will experience Christianity in a way that they would not expect – the “cool, fun” side, so to speak.  I hear testimony after testimony of outreach events where someone who would not go to hear a preacher, came to one of my shows, and is now committed to Christ and attending church.  I always pray before each show that people would not go away thinking, “what a funny comedian,” but “what an Awesome God!”

Where do you see yourself in the next ten years?

With lots of botox bills!...Creatively- reaching my full potential as an actor, comedian, screenwriter and director, and developing my three boys’ talents as well.  Spiritually- using these same talents to “turn many to righteousness.”

What's your favorite Bible verse and why?

Jeremiah 29:11,  because we can get a warped idea of who God is and what he wants for us if we don’t believe this.

What do you enjoy doing in your free time?

Free time is all about family.  I love acting, I love comedy, I love writing and directing, but my favorite time is quality and quantity time with my wonderful, beautiful wife, Michelle, and our three precious boys, Dustin, Jack and Max.  

What's you're all time favorite gig?

I love gigs where there are 2-3 other comedians because God always blesses our fellowship.  Comedians are really the only other ones who understand each other.  

Anything else you'd like to share?

I’ve very proud of my 7 year old, Dustin, who was the only performer chosen in the comedian category to perform on “America’s Most Talented Kids.”  He has since then performed on “Steve Harvey’s Big Time,” and has opened for me at many of my shows.

Click here to read more about Michael Joiner and watch his video clip!

Monthly Website Promotion

Receive 600 FREE DIY DoorHangers™!

Receive 600 FREE DIY (Do-It-Yourself) DoorHangers™ when you book an Outreach Comedy Event before February 28, 2004!

Door-to-Door Outreach
DoorHangers™ are great tools for targeting specific neighborhoods or new homeowners with information about your church and Events. They are also an effective way to get your congregation involved in outreach. The standard DoorHanger™ (3.625" x 8.5") comes 3 per sheet, is micro-perforated for easy separation, and comes in  quantitites of 150 per pack.

Features:
. Over 80 designs available
. 32 lb. Paper, 4-color graphics
. Standard DoorHangers™ 3.625" x 8.5"
. Perforated for easy separation
. Compatible with most laser printers (not recommended for risograph or inkjet printers)
. In-stock orders ship in just one business day

How do I choose a design?
For a selection of standard DoorHangers™ available, click here or visit www.outreach.com to view all DoorHangers™ and products available.

*Booking minimum required. Offer good on new Events only. Not valid with any other offer. Must mention offer to Event Coordinator at time of first contact.

Referral Rewards Program

*Qualifying Referrals must book an Event, valid on referral's initial Event only, new clients only, with a minimum Event price of $1000.

Event Planning Guide!

Features:

3 Ring Binder. 96 pages.

1 CD ROM with worksheets and forms.

The Event Planning Guide gives your everything you need to organize an effective Outreach Event. Based on the 3 P's of Event planning: Pray, Plan and Promote, the 96-page guide features planning schedules, discussion guides, budget and fundraising ideas, preparation checklists, follow-up guidelines and more! If you find this eNewsletter helpful, you'll LOVE the Event Planning Guide!

Welcoming Visitors

Intentionally Making Connections

Adapted from the Outreach Event Planning Guide, pg. 84.

Michael Joiner

Michael Joiner appeared starring in the new crime drama Guilty or Innocent, which debuted Sat, Jan 29, at 10pm on The Discovery Channel. Michael plays the part of lead detective "Josh Parnell."

 

Michael jr.

Michael appeared on ABC's Jimmy Kimmel Live on Jan 17 at 11:30pm. We hope you were able to catch it!

"Cell Service" Featuring Michael Joiner

"I love my new Sprint cell phone, you can get service anywhere in the world as long as you’re not going by a tree or a bush..."

Click here to read more about Michael Joiner and watch his video clip!