Yes, resting.
Here I’m talking about taking a daily run instead of running a marathon in the summer. Don’t stop running altogether.
Fellowship.
People are already in the mood. It’s BBQ, baseball, lake/beach season. Go with it and enjoy it. Rather than plan a thick calendar, find one or two simple ways for the church to do together what people already love doing in the summer–grillin’ and chillin’. You can do this as a whole churc, or in small groups. It will be fun and build community.
Strategic planning.
I’ve always taken some time in the summer for strategic planning–sermon series, crafting a fall/winter ministry strategy, preparing to launch new ministries, etc. Take note: youth ministry is less accessible in the summer– it’s their “high” season, so I’m talking here about strategic planning that doesn’t impact youth ministry much.
Apprenticing new servant leaders.
Summer is a great time to “try out” new servant leaders. Just be strategic about it. Don’t throw in someone totally unprepared.
Spiritual growth.
Perhaps it’s because many have more time in the summer, but summer is a great time to encourage the church toward a season of spiritual growth through prayer, Bible study, etc. This also applies to church leaders. Make sure your walk with the Lord is vibrant. Summer gives some space for this.
Closing loops.
Summer is a great time to finish projects that remain undone and general organizational messiness. Get the new copier. Look for a better deal on lawn care. Do some digging on that new approach to family life ministry that piqued your interest.
Lastly, to my fellow preachers–don’t mail in the task of preaching over the summer. God deserves better from us. Plus, it hurts us practically as those who visit our churches as guests or vacationers get cold leftovers rather than warm, fresh bread. The guests may not come back. The vacationers may tell a friend who is set to move into the area they came and found it rather spiritually tepid–check out somewhere else. If summer is your break time, fill the pulpit with quality guests or able staff. Keep the bread fresh, whether it’s you serving it or not. Glorify God by not mailing in or downloading your sermons.
To sum it up:
Some of the “back to school” jump churches often see is actually “regulars” coming back from summer travels along with people who become a part of the church informally over the summer. As tempting as it may be, don’t mail in the summer. It provides all sorts of unique opportunities for your church to grow–inside and out.
