If you are like me, one thing is consuming your mind over the last couple of months, SUMMER! I am always worried of students being gone, and our attendance going way down. I am worried about leaders on vacation. Also, scheduling is a nightmare it seems like. How can we have a successful student ministry during the summer?
Plan a vacation with your family
Now, when I say family, I mean your immediate family. In other words, your spouse and kids. There is a major difference between spending a vacation with your extended family than your spouse and kids. You need set aside times for your spouse and your kids this summer! Just you and them. If you do not have a time where you have set aside for just them, stop reading this and go schedule it NOW. Okay, I am passionate about this…
Focus on building individual relationships
School is out so students can hang out whenever. Most do not do nothing besides sleep in till 12 every day. Find them, and go spend time with them. Do not always ask them to come to you, go to them. Visit them and build a relationship with them. I have a few students in mind that I am going to set a goal to have a stronger relationship with by the end of the summer.
Be topical
Now, I am an ex-positional speaker, but this summer, we are focusing on two topics that our students need from the Word. We are discussing their relationship with their parents, and friendships. We are using the Orange Curriculum which I am super stoked about. Spend the summer to focus on a topic that your students specifically need.
Keep it Casual
Our school year meetings are pretty casual, but the summer is casual on steroids. Many dress in their board shorts and come ready to get wet. We do outside games each week, and most of them involve getting wet. Be casual, and have fun with it!
Get Help
Ask leaders to speak for you. Hire an intern if your budget allows. We try to hire an intern each summer, and I tag team all summer with speaking. We rotate through a series all summer. Use your leaders this summer!
Question: What are you doing this summer, and how do you go about scheduling your ministry during the summer months?
