How to Use Facebook Events for Churches: A Checklist That Improves Attendance

Facebook Events are free, discoverable, and include built-in reminders.

Most churches create them with minimal info and then forget about them. That's a missed opportunity.

When done right, Facebook Events can drive real attendance—not just "Interested" clicks.

Creating the Event Right

Event name:

Clear and searchable. Include what it is and (for community events) your church name.

Good:

• "Easter Services at First Community Church"
• "Women's Retreat 2024"
• "VBS: Ocean Adventure"

Bad:

• "Something Special This Weekend"
• "You're Invited!"

If someone searches Facebook for "easter service [your city]," will your event show up?

Date and time:

Double-check the timezone. Confirm start AND end time if it's relevant.

Location:

Physical address. This enables the map and directions feature. Even if people know where you are, the address helps newcomers.

For off-site events, enter the venue's address—not your church's.

Description:

Answer the key questions:

• What is this event?
• Who is it for?
• What should I expect?
• Do I need to register? Is there a cost?
• What about childcare?

Keep it readable. Use line breaks. Bold key details if the platform supports it.

Cover image:

This is the first thing people see. Make it count.

• Use the correct dimensions (1920x1005 pixels recommended)
• On-brand, eye-catching
• Readable on mobile
• Event name and date visible in the image

Avoid: cluttered graphics, tiny text, low-resolution photos.

Category:

Select "Religious Event" or "Community Event" depending on the audience. Helps Facebook recommend it to the right people.

Co-hosts:

Invite ministry leaders or key staff to be co-hosts. When they share the event, it reaches their networks too.

Driving Responses

Creating the event is step one. Getting people to respond is where it matters.

Invite people directly:

Facebook allows you to invite friends to the event. Staff and leaders can invite their personal networks.

Share to your page:

Post the event to your church's Facebook page. Do this when you create it, and again closer to the date.

Ask staff and volunteers to mark "Going":

Social proof. When people see that 20 people are already going, they're more likely to click too.

Cross-promote:

• Link to the Facebook Event from your email
• Include the link in your bulletin (or QR code)
• Mention it from the stage: "Check Facebook for the event page"

The "Interested" vs. "Going" question:

Both help. "Going" is better. But either one means they'll get reminders from Facebook.

Using the Event Page

Don't just create and forget. The event page is a communication channel.

Post updates to the event wall:

• 3 weeks out: reminder + highlight a speaker or detail
• 2 weeks out: logistics or FAQ
• 1 week out: countdown, excitement builder
• Night before or morning of: "See you today!"

These posts notify everyone who responded to the event. It's free reach to an interested audience.

Respond to questions:

If someone comments or asks a question on the event page, answer promptly. This builds confidence.

Behind-the-scenes content:

As the event approaches, share prep photos. "Setting up for tomorrow!" generates excitement.

After the Event

The event page is a record. Use it.

Post photos and a recap:

Share highlights within 24 hours. This shows people what they missed—and reminds them for next time.

Thank attendees:

A simple "Thanks to everyone who joined us!" acknowledges those who came.

Link to the next event:

If this is recurring (like Easter or VBS), plant the seed for next year. "We can't wait to do this again. See you next time!"

Recurring Events

For weekly or monthly events, create individual events for each occurrence.

Why:

• Each event gets its own reminders
• Past events show a track record
• People can RSVP per date (they might miss one but come to another)

Yes, this takes more effort. But it's worth it for events where you want to build attendance over time.

Template your descriptions so setup is fast. Same format, different dates.

When to Use Facebook Events

Good use cases:

• Holiday services (Easter, Christmas)
• Big community events (VBS, picnics, outreach)
• Conferences or special guests
• Retreats and camps
• Recurring events you want to grow

Less necessary:

• Weekly services (unless you're trying to attract new visitors)
• Internal meetings (staff, leadership)
• Events that are members-only with no public promotion

If you're promoting it publicly and want attendance, create the event.

The Checklist

Before publishing:

☐ Clear, searchable event name

☐ Date, time, and end time correct

☐ Physical address entered

☐ Description answers key questions

☐ Cover image is the right size and readable

☐ Category selected

☐ Co-hosts invited

After publishing:

☐ Shared to church page

☐ Staff/leaders marked "Going"

☐ Link included in email and bulletin

Leading up to the event:

☐ 1-2 posts per week on the event wall

☐ Questions answered promptly

After the event:

☐ Photos and recap posted

☐ Thank you shared

☐ Next event teased

The Payoff

When Facebook Events work:

• More people see your event (Facebook promotes it)
• More people get reminders (built-in feature)
• You have a place to communicate updates
• You build a track record for recurring events

It's a free tool that most churches underuse. A little extra effort makes a real difference.