One of the most important resources Married People provides for churches is date nights. That’s because dating is important in every marriage. But most couples are too busy to find time to date. So they slowly grow disconnected.
But your church can help couples to date more and stay connected. Couples just need encouragement and a little push to go on dates. Your church has the relational equity to make that happen. And Married People can help.
Every year, we create Date Nights that your church can give to couples in your church and community. Many of our church partners take this content to the next level by customizing the date nights. Want to know how you can do the same?
1. Custom Packaging
The first step to customizing a date night is the packaging. Packaging makes the date look good and easy to grab and go. Here are some creative ideas that some churches have used in the past.
- Brown paper bags
- Gift bags
- Chinese takeout containers
- Popcorn bags
- Ziplock baggies
This can be as simple or as fancy as you’d like. And you can get volunteers to help you assemble all of these bags when it comes time to share.
2. Added Goodies
Our date nights provide the instructions for everything the couples need to do for a fun date night. But your church can add a personal touch by filling the date bags with other fun stuff.
These items can be on theme with the date. Or they could just be fun, generic things any couple would enjoy. Here are some ideas for what you can add.
- Candies—Hershey kisses are always a good bet
- Stress balls
- Bubbles
- Candles
- Massage oil
- Popcorn bags
Obviously, budget is always an issue—but when you buy these items in bulk it shouldn’t cost you too much to make the date night special. A few hundred dollars will get you quite a bit.
3. Local Discounts
Part of every date night is going out—usually to a restaurant, a movie, or local activity. This helps couples connect in an environment away from all the stresses at home. We make suggestions, but we don’t know your community as well as you do.
That’s why providing discounts to local places can be such a huge benefit. Not only does it lower the cost barrier to dating, but it also connects your church to the local community. Here are some local places that you can contact about potential discounts.
- Restaurants—see about getting a percent off the bill or a free appetizer
- Movie or performance theater
- Fun activities like putt putt golf or an escape the room
- Art museum or city zoo
- Upcoming events or festivals
You could also provide a list or map of local places you recommend couples check out on their dates. Coming up with fresh ideas can sometimes be a barrier that keeps couples from dating.
4. Provide Childcare
What’s the biggest thing that keeps married couples from dating? Finding a babysitter.
Your church can eliminate that excuse by providing childcare during date nights. This isn’t always easy or feasible to pull off. But it’s something great to shoot for.
If you can’t afford to hire people for childcare, consider bringing in ministry volunteers, especially some of the older students from your youth group. You can usually convince students to babysit by bribing them with free pizza.
In fact, why not try to plan a couples’ date night on the same night as an existing children’s ministry event. You’ll already have programing in place for the kids.
Want More Date Nights?
- Download a free date night to see how it works
- Buy more date nights from Married People
- Check out our Pinterest board on custom date nights
- Listen to our podcast episode on dating
- Read this blog post on 10 reasons not to date your spouse
How does your church customize date nights?
Robert Carnes is the editor on the MarriedPeople team. He’s worked in marketing and communications for a number of churches and nonprofits. Robert lives in Atlanta with his wife, Victoria.
