You just wrapped up a successful child sponsorship event at your church. The energy was high, and many wonderful people stepped up to sponsor a child, showing the compassionate hearts and commitment within your congregation.
This initial enthusiasm is amazing: your church is buzzing with the joy of making a difference. But, as weeks turn into months, you start feeling the challenge of keeping that spirit alive. Too often that energizing sense of purpose starts to fade when our impact is hard to see or feel on a daily basis.
To help with this, we’re providing tips to help your church members stay in touch with that powerful feeling of impact in their everyday lives.
8 ways to keep your church engaged after a child sponsorship event
1. Share stories and updates in your church communications
Whether it's your email newsletter, social media, or another platform, sharing updates and stories from the sponsorship organization can significantly boost engagement. Imagine sharing a heartwarming story from a recent phone call with the organization, a captivating blog post, or an inspiring video.
On social, you can create your own posts or you can simply share posts directly from the sponsorship organization. This is a great way to share blog posts, video updates, and other engaging content. By broadcasting these stories, you not only widen the reach of these impactful narratives but also create opportunities for your congregation to share and engage with the content personally.
You could spotlight your church's direct impact, detailing a specific project or program you're involved in, or even share the journey of a child someone in your church supports. These stories not only inform but also connect your congregation emotionally to the cause, reinforcing the importance of their continued support.
At MOHI, through our newsletter, blog and social platforms, we provide weekly, monthly and yearly updates so that there’s always something new to share.
2. Discuss the impact during offering time
This is a great opportunity to highlight the child sponsorship organization and the tangible difference your church is making.
During the offering, you can share impactful stories with images, or videos, about the sponsored children and the programs supported by your church. Highlight the number of families in your congregation actively participating in child sponsorship, calculate the number of children you are helping to send to school, add up the number of meals you are helping to serve and remind everyone about the lasting impact they are making.
This information can deeply resonate, encouraging continued and even increased support for this vital Kingdom work.
3. Get the congregation more involved with mission trips
Few things get people more passionate about making a difference than seeing the impact of their efforts first-hand. For this, consider sending mission trip teams to engage directly with the work and meet sponsored children. This hands-on participation brings a unique, tangible connection to the child sponsorship efforts.
Mission trips also provide an opportunity for members of your church, who sponsor a child, but can’t go on the trip, to send a letter or a gift package with someone who is going.
You might also consider having the mission trip team take a group photo will all the children that your church sponsors. It’s a great way to show your impact in a visual and tangible way. 
4. Document your mission trips
By capturing videos and photos during your journey, you can create a vivid narrative of your church's contribution and the difference it's making
Transform general footage into a compelling recap video, or feature interviews with church leaders and members sharing their firsthand experiences. For example, something like: “This is Pastor Rob, and I’m standing in front of this church plant. This is the church plant that you (church members) gave money to help fund last year. Today, it's a thriving church, made up of members from the community.”
Integrating these powerful visuals and stories into announcements, sermons, or even during the offering time not only showcases the tangible results of your church's support but also deeply engages and motivates your congregation to continue their invaluable contributions.
Similarly, daily social media updates from the team can keep the entire church community connected and engaged with the mission in real time. For instance, consider posts that start with "Day 1: Today we spent time doing X...," offering everyone at home an immediate and personal glimpse into the journey.
If you’re wondering about the best way to share these stories online, you may want to check out our article covering how to share mission trips on social media.
6. Hold a letter-writing gathering
Consider organizing a letter-writing event at your church. This gathering offers a unique opportunity for sponsors to write personal letters to their sponsored children. It's a chance not only to update the children on their lives but also to share words of encouragement and support. During the event, share and pray over the latest news from the sponsorship organization, enhancing the connection between your community and the broader mission.
To make the event even more enjoyable for everyone:
- Serve snacks inspired by the country of the organization's focus, adding a tangible cultural element to the experience.
- Offer guidance on crafting impactful letters, provide templates to help get the letters flowing.
- Set up a photo station for sponsors to snap and print pictures to send with their letters.
After the event, collect all the letters and send them to the sponsorship organization. By handling the logistics of sending these letters, you remove barriers to participation, making it easy for everyone to contribute to this meaningful exchange.
7. Set aside dedicated time for prayer
Dedicating prayer time for the sponsorship organization, either during services or on special church prayer days, is an essential way to support the cause. This focused prayer time not only uplifts the organization's work and the children it supports but also deepens the church family’s commitment to their well-being.
It's a simple yet profound act that keeps the spirit of sponsorship alive and reminds everyone of the powerful role faith plays in making a difference. To help kids get involved, you can send families home with our prayer guide too.
8. Share personal testimonies and stories
It’s always easier keeping the spirit high when more people are involved. Capture and share a video testimony from a member of your church who has experienced the joy of child sponsorship firsthand. Showcasing this during your services can powerfully convey the impact of sponsorship, serving as a heartfelt call to action.
Whether it encourages involvement with the specific organization or inspires engagement in your other ministries, personal stories resonate deeply. These testimonies not only highlight the transformative power of giving but also motivate others to contribute their part to this meaningful cause.
Getting your church more involved
The success of your child sponsorship event is just the start. Now, let this enthusiasm fuel a lasting commitment that will truly transform lives, both in your community and beyond. For many, this means going on a mission trip.
Engaging in a mission trip is not just about taking a journey abroad; it's about stepping into the lives of those you're supporting, witnessing the challenges they face, and contributing directly to the solutions. It's an opportunity to see firsthand the incredible difference your church is making through its support and sponsorship. As part of our child sponsorship efforts, MOHI also facilitates mission trips for churches and individuals alike.
MOHI mission trips are designed to be more than just visits; they are immersive experiences that allow you to connect with the communities you're helping. You'll have the chance to meet the children your church sponsors, interact with their families, and work alongside MOHI staff on meaningful projects.
If you’re considering a mission trip for members of your church, find out more about MOHI mission trips today. Alternatively, consider a vision trip, which is designed for lead pastors, missions pastors, campus pastors, elders and others on your leadership team.
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