Last June 20 on a beautiful evening, hundreds of Christians gathered on the front lawn of Ginghamsburg Church in Tipp City to hear music by Sanctus Real, For King and Country and singer/songwriter Jaime Jamgochian. It was a feel-good concert for the like-minded in Christ. And it was free.

Area mega-churches (those with a membership more than 2,000) use events of this type to get their message out to those who may be searching for meaning in their lives.

Church members invite friends, neighbors and co-workers who might be curious enough to attend Sunday worship. Entertainment is just the first step in a two-pronged approach to gain Christ followers.

“We are going to continue having events and activities going on all the time, like children’s camps and VBS (vacation Bible school),” said Dave Hood, Ginghamsburg executive pastor of discipleship/new church development. “But people are looking for a sense of community now, and we are training and equipping members to be involved in friendship evangelism.”

Ginghamsburg plans to hold another summer concert this June 26. The specific Christian bands have not yet been determined.

Ginghamsburg has several life groups that are formed around shared interests, like studying Hebrews in the Bible, sports or even couponing. These semesters all last about 13 to 16 weeks.

Ginghamsburg is the fourth-largest Methodist church in the U.S., church data says.

Aside from its Tipp City location, the church has campuses in Fort McKinley and Trotwood. For information, call (937) 667-1069 or go online and search “life groups” at www.ginghamsburg.org.

“People can share their faith with friends and neighbors while doing something they enjoy together,” said Hood.

Other churches

Here is a look at ways some other area mega-churches attract attention through special events.

SouthBrook Christian: Are You Ready for Some Football? This Miamisburg church is hosting a pre-game experience for Super Bowl weekend at 5:30 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 2, and at 9:30 and 11:30 a.m. on Sunday, Feb. 3. Church staff is encouraging everyone to wear their favorite jerseys, make spirit signs and even paint their faces for this event. These pre-game shows will feature preaching by Charlie McMahan, 20,000 tailgating snacks, 4,000 root-beers and 5,000 giveaways. Guests can also meet two Indianapolis Colts cheerleaders from the Dayton area and see some awesome homemade commercials.

This is a pre-game experience only, the game itself will not be broadcast at the church.

In addition, SouthBrook is hosting Couples, Comedy & Cupcakes from 7:30 to 10 p.m. on Feb. 15. This features the nationally known husband-and-wife comedy team of Barnes & Miner, who have appeared on Comedy Central, MTV, VH1, Fox, ESPN, NBC, HBO and other channels. Tickets cost $10 if registered before Feb. 15. To register, call (937) 435-9966 or go online to southbrook.org.

“We love hosting events like this because they provide a safe entry point into the church community,” said SouthBrook spiritual formation pastor Laura Buffington. “On a deeper level, we think part of what is means to be the church is to enjoy each others’ company and to celebrate life and faith together. A lot of stories about Jesus start with him enjoying a good meal at a party with his friends.”

Concord United Methodist Church: The church in Englewood is sponsoring the Jeremy Winston Chorale, the 2012 World Choir Games gold medalists from 4 to 6 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 27. The chorale has performed all over the U.S., including a performance for President Obama and the first lady last year. Tickets cost $17 each. For more information, call (937) 836-3773 or visit www.englewoodconcord.com.

The Vineyard: This church has a main campus in Beavercreek and a Dayton campus. The church features an outreach/discipleship program called Military Connections. It is geared for all current and former members of the military and meets in the Family Life Center Coffee Bar, 4051 Indian Ripple Road, at 7 p.m. on the first Friday of every month.