In my part of the country, flash mobs are quickly going from fun to violent. Several have been broken up by the police with arrests being made because of the vandalism and methods teens are using to send a message. If flash mobs are the thing to do right now, why not use them for our ministry and show the positive impact youth can have on our communities? Organizing a few fun flash mob activities may be a way to reach out to youth who never would step foot inside our churches. Many of these activities are ones your youth ministries may have been doing for years. By turning them into a flash mob in which you text or Facebook your students on the day of the event to arrive at a surprise destination, you will build fresh perspective and excitement.

So our busy teens will be able to participate in the flash mobs, decide to do this on a set day (i.e., the first Saturday of each month). After the first event, your teens will be anticipating what will come next. Below are some ideas to get you started. If you have had problems with flash mobs in your city, it may be a good idea to notify the police or administration before you start to organize anything and let them know of your plans.

Community Service Flash Mobs:
• Have your youth meet to clean up community parks, beaches or downtown areas.
• Flash mob a neighborhood in which a lot of elderly reside. Have your youth go door to door and offer to rake leaves or do yard work for the residents of the neighborhood. Don’t forget to have youth bring rakes and gloves.
• Plan to meet in the parking lot of a hospital. Have your youth perform a choreographed dance routine that hospital patients can see from their windows. You may want to meet at a location beforehand to practice. Have the students bring or make signs that say “GET WELL SOON” and “We are praying for YOU” to hold up at the end of the dance routine. This would be an activity that would require notifying the hospital of in advance.  
• Start a flash mob that feeds the homeless. Tell each of your youth to arrive at your destination with snack-size bags of candy or chips. As a group, distribute these snacks to the area homeless.
• Remember when people used to go Christmas Caroling? Organize a flash mob that goes door to door singing Christmas Carols (as we get closer to the holidays) or even worship songs in area neighborhoods.

Prayer and Evangelism Flash Mobs:
• Pick certain areas in your city to have youth meet to gather to pray or worship. I have a theme for each prayer time that fits the location. If you are meeting in front of city hall, pray for the government. If you are meeting in front of a school, pray for the students who attend there.

Just for Fun Flash Mobs:
• Show up at your pastor’s house or another member of the church (get permission from the home owner first, informing him/her of your plans) and treat your kids to a bonfire or another fun social.
• Arrive ready to sing “Happy Birthday” with balloons and signs to the next member of your group that has a birthday. This one would be fun to do early in the morning!
• Have youth arrive with banners, signs and instruments. Bring candy for your youth to throw out to onlookers. Hold a flash mob parade through a park or a neighborhood.

These ideas are just a start. A flash mob can be anything you want to make it in hopes it will be a way to turn a negative flash mob scene into something that will be positive and uplifting for your ministry and community.