Summer can be a time of small moments. People are meeting for coffee, having conversations poolside, traveling and experiencing God’s creation in new ways. How can your church equip and encourage your people during the summer?
Exploring new ways to equip and activate your people
We know that summer brings unique dynamics within the church. People are taking vacations, running kids to sports camps and spending the weekend at the lake. It’s a time when people want to be active, outdoors and spend time with friends and family. These are all great things! But we also acknowledge that as church leaders, it adds a new level of intentionality and planning.
In a previous
blog post, we gave you tips on how you can build awareness of your church by serving in your community. We love the idea of your congregation showing up to serve people in big ways! But summer can also be a time of small moments. People are meeting for coffee, having one-on-one conversations poolside, traveling to new places and experiencing God’s creation in new ways.
So how can your church encourage and equip during summer?
If you've been following Fishhook for a while you know we always encourage embracing digital platforms. So our answer shouldn't be surprising. Going digital isn’t about flashy production — it’s about delivering value. You don’t need fancy equipment or a new live stream; leverage your people and resources to show your congregation that their faith can grow and be expressed outside the walls of your church. Here’s how:
- Curated Playlists: From pool parties to road trips, music sets the rhythm of summer. Equip your people with tunes that will leave them feeling connected with the joy and presence of the Lord.
- Daily Devotionals: Foster daily spiritual habits with short, accessible devotionals tailored to summer themes or your sermon series. Use a format that’s simple and easy to engage with. You can add them as a page to your website or use tools like the Bible App to find a devotional plan for your church to use or add your own.
- Family Conversations: There is a lot of family time that happens over the summer. Give parents easy prompts they can use to start conversations that help kids connect their summer activities back to the wonder and goodness of God. (Could you also include some parenting tips on how to stay present and calm? Asking for a friend.)
- Journaling & Prayer Prompts: One of the best parts of summer is encountering Jesus in new places. We love the idea of your church guiding your people through daily prayer or journaling. Think simplicity here, like, “How did you encounter God’s goodness today?” “What are three things you’re grateful for?” “Where could you use God’s guidance?” Etc.
- Social Media Presence: A lot of traveling comes with a lot of scrolling. Inject positivity and perspective into digital spaces with content that is easy to consume and share. (Think 10-second reels with a short encouraging message. Or repurpose your Devotionals, prayer prompts or conversation starters.)
Be in Prayer
This may sound cliche, but we truly believe prayer is one of the most powerful ways you can impact your congregation during the summer. As a staff, how can you form new rhythms to pray for your people? Pray that they have good, quality time with friends and families. Pray for them as they go out that they will share the love and hope of Jesus. Pray that their faith deepens and they can be refreshed. Share this new rhythm with your congregation and ask them to join you!
Statement Swag
We love seeing church swag out and about during the summer. Instead of only using your logo, equip your congregation with t-shirts, notebooks or stickers that encourage and uplift the people who see them. Make it something they want to leave on tables at restaurants or in hotel rooms, or things they can easily share with friends and family.
The goal in all of this is to look at the summer as a time to reimagine how you equip your congregation and to empower them to deepen and live out their faith in new ways. We hope these ideas ignite your creativity and excitement for summer ministry!
If you’re looking for support to activate any of these ideas, or need to develop ones more specific to your church, let’s chat. We’d love to help you make the most of your summer ministry!