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Church Recreation Leadership Training and Resource Center of Ideas "Ministry of Church Recreation"

Recreation in the local church is a vital ministry to be considered by every church

Recreation in the Local Church. Why? What? When? Where? And How? These are the questions that every church and minister should answer when considering an emphasis in the Ministry of Church Recreation. The reason recreation is to be used as a vital church ministry should be explored and a mission statement on “Why the church should consider a ministry of Christian Recreation” should be written. Every Youth Minister, Children’s Minister, Senior Adult Minister or Recreation Minister should know why he or she is using Recreation in their program. “Why am I doing what I am doing”? That is a very important question. It is important that a church or you as a minister should answer. If a mission statement is written at the very beginning it will help everyone understand why the Ministry of Church Recreation. is important and why it is sponsored by the local church.

The Christian Knows God As Creator Of All Things. When one becomes a Christian, he is born again or to put it in another term he is re-created. It is therefore basic and thrilling to note that re-creation and recreation are the same base word. As one looks toward recreation as a ministry in a local church, one must look to the God of creation and re-creation as its author. Any recreation program can include sports, drama, crafts, social activities, camping, retreats and music be it at a community center, a boys' club, a YMCA, or a church.

The Church's Ministry of Recreation has a plus that must be there. That plus is a desire to use that recreation to lead people to a saving relationship with Jesus Christ and to lead those who know Him as their personal Savior to grow in their knowledge of Him and a closer relationship with Him! Luke 2:52 says "And Jesus increased in wisdom and in stature, and in favor with God and man." The ministry of recreation ministers to the whole man, physically, mentally, spiritually and socially. This approach to the abundant life in Christ is at the heart of a ministry through recreation.

Have you been to the Church Recreation Leadership Training Page? If not Click on this link.

Seven Meaningful Approaches of Recreation in Ministry:

Recreation Is A Channel Of Service And Support. Far from being an end in itself, recreation serves to build up the organizations of the church. The Sunday School department has coffee and doughnuts available on a regular basis for a fellowship time just before Bible study on Sunday morning. The youth in Youth Bible Study take part in a fellowship supper prior to their weekly meeting. Children play games prior to their Bible lesson. Senior adults play charades, sing songs, and participate in mixers before their weekly meeting. The choir has a time of refreshment and fellowship after their weekly rehearsal, the ladies auxiliary has tea before their program, a church committee has refreshments after a meeting. These recreation activities serve as support to these organizations.
Recreation Is A Catalyst In Outreach. The first requirement to play on a church basketball team is to join and attend regularly a Sunday School class, a weekly Bible study or another church sponsored church group. A couple from the church invites another couple in the same apartment complex over for hamburgers and a time of Bible study, then eventually brings them to the church. A child goes to day camp and meets new friends and is invited to visit the children’s program in the church. A senior adult signs up for the fall leaf tour enjoys the company of those on the trip and joins the weekly senior adult Bible study. A woman attends a craft class and decides to visit the Sunday morning worship service and eventually joins the church. These are just a few of the many ways people are introduced to the church through a recreation activity and who eventually becomes a member of the church.
Recreation Is A Vehicle For Ministry And Mission Action. A youth choir takes a puppet-team and goes to Mexico or to New York City. The music and the puppets prepare the way for the gospel to be presented. The drama group from a college department of a large church ministers on the beaches during spring break with pantomime, short skits, and monologues. A game wagon equipped with a basketball, snow-cone machine, and books to read ministers in the inner city. A after school day care program offers mothers a safe and enjoyable alternative to children going home to an empty house. A family fall festival offers parents a safe and wholesome alternative to Halloween trick or treating. A weekly senior adult program offers many lonely adults a place to go and fellowship with other adults. A monthly “service your car program” offers assistance to single mothers and single adults by providing oil changes and inspections of their autos. A home repair group helps senior adults, widows and other people in need of minor repairs to their homes. The list is endless. But recreation provides many opportunities for service and mission.
Recreation Is A Tool For Teaching. A Sunday School class uses role playing to get across a vital truth of the lesson. Another teacher uses aluminum foil to ask class members to show what the new birth means to each one personally. Some Royal Ambassadors or Boy Scouts play a game, then sit down and discuss how that particular game made them feel, as they won and as they lost. A children’s group use puppets to tell a story and then discuss what they learned from the puppets. A girl’s soccer team practices and then discusses how they can be a good witness on the soccer field. A group on a camping trip looks at the stars and discusses the vastness of God’s creation. A group works on a potter’s wheel making pottery and the leader compares the process to God’s work in each individual life. There are endless avenues for teaching through the recreation activities of
Recreation Is An Avenue For Abundantnt Living. A church sponsors a marriage enrichment retreat, and a couple pledges anew their love for each other. A series of after-church fellowships aids in the healing of a rift in the congregation. A shy young man finds meaning in his life for the first time as a puppeteer. A young man or woman accepts Jesus as his or her personal savior at youth camp. A man learns what it takes to be a Christ led son, husband and father at a weekend men’s retreat. An elderly widow takes a trip with the Senior Adult group and learns that there is a place for fellowship with other Christian women. A young man plays on the church softball team and through the witness of other players learns to enjoy life while controlling his temper. A middle aged woman taking a ceramic class and finds a friend who becomes a mentor and helps her work through depression in her life. Jesus teaches us in John 10:10 that he wants us to live life abundantly when he states, “I have come that you may have life and that you may have it more abundantly”. Through play and leisure activities people learn to enjoy life and the church can provide a place and wholesome atmosphere for these activities.
Recreation Is An Aid To Worship. The pastor has announced that he will preach a series of sermons about men and women who knew Jesus. Before the first sermon begins, a woman in a simple biblical costume comes forward and tells what being the mother of Jesus was like. Perhaps the entire sermon will be a monologue by the pastor. Or a church's drama group can portray dramatically what a choir is singing in a presentation such as Elijah or Celebrate Life. A puppet presentation features bible characters in Bible settings.
Recreation Is An Environment For Fellowship. The concept of fellowship, the Koinonia, of the early church is exciting, and recreation furnishes a natural environment for it to happen. It may be at an all-church fellowship, at an annual picnic, at a championship softball game, or simply around the tables at a family night supper-but the environment is right for fellowship! So we begin certain that recreation can be a meaningful ministry in any Christian church.

Do you have a written goal list? Have you determined what you want to accomplish in your program nex year? For help in "Determining Needs and Goal Setting" Click on this link.

The Church Recreation Program

The church recreation staff or committee will probably plan many church wide activities and will assist the organizations in planning many more. As you plan, work closely with the church council to avoid conflict in dates. Also consider state, association, and other denominational events; school events; and community events. The following are simply recreation suggestions by the month and by organizations to trigger your imagination. Adapt these and other ideas to your own needs and have a great year of recreation ministry in your church.

The Church Recreation Calendar

October

Kickoff covered-dish supper and clinic for Sunday School officers and teachers

All-church fall family film festival

Retreat for new choir leaders

After-game fellowships (football)

Senior adult foliage tour

Retreat for new puppeteers and drama personnel

A “Super Saturday” program for Children

November

Youth Thanksgiving breakfast

All-church talent show

Hayride for singles

Stewardship dinner

Youth after game fellowship (football)

Children’s Hayride and wiener roast

Senior adult Thanksgiving luncheon and program

December

Department and class Christmas parties

Christmas drama

Watch Night activities

Basketball and volleyball games

After Church Christmas fellowship

Senior Adult trip to a passion play or Christmas musical

Youth winter retreat

New Years Eve youth party

Youth, children, family or senior adult Christmas caroling fellowship

After-game fellowships (football)

January

Banquet for choirs

Short dramatic features promoting January Bible Study

Bible study fellowship

Everybody's birthday party

Crafts program for senior adults

College ski trip or winter retreat

February

Sweetheart banquets for youth or adults

Valentine fellowships

After-game fellowships (basketball)

Skating (roller or ice)

Adult ski trip

March

Fish fry for men's classes

Retreat for college students

Sports award banquet

Senior adult fellowship

Church wide skate night

April

Easter drama

Beginning of spring sports

Income tax party

Retreat for married young adults

Church wide bowling night

May

Family retreat

Breakfast for graduates

Flower arranging for senior adults

Physical fitness class for women

After church fellowship

June

Bus to Ridgecrest for Recreation Leadership Conference

Picnic in the park

Recreation at VBS

Drama at VBS

After church homemade ice cream social

July

Senior adult retreat

All-church watermelon feast

Day camp

Backyard fellowships

Saturday festival of puppets

August

Senior adult day camp.

Drama festival with other churches

Off-to-school retreat

Golf tournament

Rotation fellowships with nearby churches

September

Retreat for new members of recreation staff

All-church county fair (begin church year)

Back-to-school fellowship

Fall crafts class

Organization Recreation

Sunday School

Recreation at Youth VBS

Puppetry at VBS

Retreat for youth

Retreat for adults

Coffee and doughnuts on Sunday mornings

Dramatic features for Sunday School

Church Training
Supper for youth Sunday nights

Drama for Youth Week

Retreat for training leaders

Watch Night

Woman's Organizations

Mother-Daughter or Father-Daughter banquet

Mission dramas

Mission camps

Breakfast for seniors

Men’s Organizations

Father-Son or Mother-Son dinner

Father-Son campout

Retreat for boy’s programs

Mission camps

Craft sessions

Fishing rodeo

Music

Pie and coffee at rehearsal

Choir retreats

Choir banquets

All-church musicale

Music fellowships

Music camps

Choir tours

Need help in planning your calendar? Click on this Link "Planning Your Calendar"

Ministry Of Recreation: Resources

From Life Way Book Stores (many of the books a phamplets are out of Print)

A Guide to Church Recreation Reaching People Through Recreation

A Guide to Using Sports and Games in the Life of the Church

The Volunteer Coach

A Guide to Church Camping

Notebook for the Christian Camp Counselor

A Guide to Planning and Conducting a Retreat Social Recreation and the Church

Using Craft Activities in the Church Introduction to Church Drama

Using Puppetry in the Church

Fellowships: Plenty of Fun for All Fun Plans for Church Recreation

52 Complete After-Game Fellowships (10/80) Using Craft Activities in the Church

52 Complete Recreation Programs for Senior Adults 150 Ideas for Activities Singing Is Fun

Youth Camp Curricula:

Living the Christ Life (Leadership and Youth Editions) Recognizing Relationships (Leadership and Youth Editions)

Glory! (Leadership and Youth Editions)

Children's Camp Resource Book (12/80) Day Camp Director's Guide

Day Camp Curricula:

Frontier Series Forest Ranger Series Indian Series

Hand Puppets People Puppets

Puppet Scripts for Use at Church (with or without cassette) Puppet Scripts for Use at Church, " (with or without cassette) Drama in Creative Worship

Extra Dimensions in Church Drama

Adapted from a pamphlet written by Frank “Pogo” Hart Smith and printed by the Church Recreation Department of the Southern Baptist Convention. No longer in print

Ministry of Church Recreation

Complete Guide To Church Recreation an eighty page booklet on church recreation that gives direction and information on planning for parties, banquets, fellowships, puppets, drama, camping, day camping, trips, senior adult activities, therapeutic recreation and much more.

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