Our whole city knows how much our youth ministry cares about its kids because of this simple idea!
There are few things worse than having to go watch a middle school girl’s basketball game by yourself. But it is important to watch those activities, get out in the community and support your students. So we created a Fan Club. Fan Club is a group of students who go with us to watch and support other students’ activities.
Each year we ask students to sign up and purchase a $5 t-shirt that says “Fan Club” on the front and the name of our church on the back. We made the t-shirt very bright so we would be seen for sure.
During the school year we try to have at least one fan club event a month (sometimes one a week). We would make posters and signs for the student from our group that we were there to support, and sit all together to cheer as loud and as crazy as we can for our student(s). When going to a sporting event we made it a point not to cheer against or even for a certain team. Instead we cheered for our students.
We are there to support students, get our name out there, meet parents and have fun. We don’t want to make people mad or cheer against other students. Our hope is that they would want to be a part of our group.
This ministry has been a huge hit. It takes a little bit of planning ahead of time but our kids beg for the Fan Club to come to their event. The Fan Club is also getting pretty popular around the city.
Now let’s get to the details. Here is what you do to get a Fan Club started at your church:
- Get students and parents to send you schedules of upcoming events and programs that they would like you to come watch.
- At your youth program announce the beginning of Fan Club. Have students sign up, name, email, phone number and get $5 for a t-shirt.
- At first schedule just one fan club event a month. Make sure you make posters, wear your t-shirts, and get loud, but behave. You do not want to turn people off from your group.
- Take some time to publicize your Fan Club event, take pictures and share it with your group the next Sunday.