Sweet Summertime
summer is the best!
Yet While you are busy this summer ministering to others, what about ministering to you?
What is your game plan to relax?
The ministry Countdown is Complete
The Summer season is excitedly anticipated by many. Summer is a time to unplug, relax, and just chill! It is the time of year for beach vacations and a breather from routine hustle and bustle. However, in the world of student ministry, summer has the potential to be a very full 12+ weeks. While the other ministries in your church either shut it down or slow it down, we still go hard! You know how amazing and powerful your summer ministry can be in the lives of students. This is such a powerful time of connecting and growing. Camp, missions, VBS, and pop-up events fill the calendar and require much prep work, let alone all of the time and energy to execute all of these events. Tired yet?
For most leaders, the opportunities of ministry in the summer are cherished highlights that can be genuinely enjoyed. Some of our fondest memories are cultivated during long bus rides, late-night worship sessions, sweaty kickball games, overly crowded pool parties, and more cookouts than most Americans attend in a year. I am sure you have some incredible memories as well!
“...there is an important difference between being around your family and being with your family. ”
Family First
In all seasons, serving the next generation is a family commitment. Oftentimes, our spouses and children can tag along for events and activities without any interruption. There are great benefits to this! However, there is an important difference between being around your family and being with your family. One’s marriage and family are the primary ministry that pastors and leaders have been given. 1 Timothy 3:4-5 challenges overseers and deacons within the church to consider the importance and God-given call of leading their family first and the Church second.
But what if one is single?
For single individuals, prioritizing family and close friends is certainly important as well. We can note this in the perfect example of Christ. Jesus spent personal time with those He was close with. Namely, journeying to be with His dear friend Lazarus on his deathbed (John 11) or in tenderly caring for Mary his mother, Christ showed a special and even set-apart commitment to those closest to Him. Though our ministry calendars during the summer months are marked with inclusive and “fun for everyone” events, it is important to create a separate space for enjoying vacations, fireworks, hikes, day trips, and cookouts with those closest to us.
our plan
To make it more personal, I have loved traveling for most of my life. Even if just for a weekend, I will pack the car and drive hundreds of miles to experience a different part of the country. My husband, however, is more of a homebody. He certainly enjoys annual getaways, but spontaneous adventures to a mountain oasis or lake getaway are not always his style. This is primarily because we do a great deal of moving around for ministry-related things (i.e., conferences, camps, missions, conventions, etc.). We are learning to strike a balance with this, especially during the summer. There is much to enjoy from May through August, but we must be intentional about “us” time amidst our ministry calendars. Without planning, the “trip” to Student Life Camp in Myrtle Beach could easily become our annual getaway to the ocean.
With this in mind, it has worked well for us to take a bigger vacation in April just before school lets out. This allows the two of us to enjoy time away and relax before the action-packed months ahead. We also plan a few one-day adventures to places nearby that are most enjoyed during the summer heat. This year, we are hoping to see the Columbia, South Carolina Zoo and take a hike to a few waterfalls in North Georgia! Though seemingly trivial things, being able to enjoy God’s creation with family is special.
To Truly Enjoy
In God’s presence, there is fullness of joy (Psalm 16:11), and Christ came to give us abundant life in Him (John 10:10). Consider the locations and opportunities we have in student ministry primarily during the summer. We travel to various camps and mission sites to continue the mission of discipling students in amazing settings. During ministry, we are exposed to His Creation and His Creation is a display of God’s mercy and grace, drawing us to a place of worshipful reflection. Ministry allows us to see and experience things that we may not get to otherwise.
However, it is important to craft a game plan for being with our family and loved ones. Having designated family-only days throughout the summer will allow us to experience special aspects of the season with our number one ministry. As I said at the beginning, I will say again…summer is a time to unplug, relax, and just chill! Be intentional and creative. Go outdoors and enjoy this summer!
Youth leader, from the team at NextGenMatters, we are praying over your time of ministry this Summer.
Be Encouraged!
- AB
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