Ask God to show you new hope for your ministry to kids.
Summer programming can take us to new places. I like finding new ways to do things. At least once a week, I take a wrong turn on my way to work.
Before anyone thinks I’m crazy or a terrible driver, I do this on purpose. Research has shown that breaking your normal routine and driving route has benefits for your brain. The challenge improves your mental sharpness and increases creativity. I’ve found the break from “what I always do” is a great spark for new ideas, new energy, and a new level of productivity.
Ministry can become routine and mundane just like a familiar drive. Week in and week out, we prepare lessons, gather supplies, and communicate with volunteers. As soon as we say goodbye to the last child, our minds start thinking about and preparing for the next ministry gathering.
The motto of children’s ministry leaders is Sunday is always coming.
Our brains—and more importantly our hearts—need a break from “what we always do.” The summer months may be the perfect time to take a wrong turn!
Whether your goal is to give volunteers a break, have more fun, or just survive the summer months, here are a few creative changes you can make this summer to spark new energy and new life into your ministry.
Ideas for Changing Up Your Summer Programming
Utilize a Large Group Model
If you tend to group kids with peers of similar ages, summer is a great time to combine ages in a large group model. This model creates the opportunity for kids to worship together. And they’ll hear the Bible taught by your most experienced teachers or special guests, while also giving some of your regular volunteers a break from serving.
This model also creates some fun interactions between younger and older kids. In a large group model, the energy of younger kids often enhances times of corporate worship with older kids. These worship moments are also opportunities for older kids to serve by assisting younger kids and setting an example for them during worship.
Spark new energy and new life into your ministry.
If your ministry meets in small groups or classrooms throughout the school year, kids may find it fun and engaging to meet in a larger space and see more of their friends. Because the space is larger, you can utilize games and hands-on activities to reinforce Bible lessons.
Try to think of things you’d never be able to do in the normal routine and use the large group model to give kids a new experience!
Create a Theme
Another way to break the monotony of the ministry year is by creating a theme for the summer. You could invite kids on a treasure hunt to get them excited to dig into God’s Word and discover the treasures it has for us this summer. You can do this by decorating your space like the set of an Indiana Jones movie, having volunteers dress like adventurers, prepping for activities by hiding the craft supplies, and burying clues for snacks in a sandbox!
Summer attendance can be a challenge. But themed Sundays can really help to draw kids back to church week after week.
A fun Sunday might be a team Sunday, where kids can wear a jersey to support their favorite sports team. You can invite kids to wear their pajamas and bedhead for a pajama day. Other ideas might be crazy hair day, wacky socks/hat day, or superhero Sunday. Have fun with a theme that gets kids excited about being at church and learning more about Jesus!
Zipped To-Gather: A Summer Programming Guide
Zipped To-Gather: A Summer Programming Guide
Zipped To-Gather: A Summer Programming Guide
Ask Students to Lead in the Summer
Another change to bring energy and creativity to your ministry this summer is to invite high school students to lead. You likely have some students who are super-star volunteers throughout the year. Ask them to recruit other students to serve as Bible teachers, game leaders, and room hosts.
Rather than just using students as volunteers, ask them to help plan the curriculum, events, and activities throughout the summer.
Give them ownership and responsibility in the ministry to show them how valuable they are as leaders.
Summer gives you the chance to pour into students as leaders in the church!
If you have a few students who lead during the summer, you may consider giving part of your budget or the children’s ministry offering to scholarships for camps or mission trips.
Student leaders are guaranteed to bring creativity and energy to your ministry. Working with these students gives you the chance to pour into them as leaders in the church!
Host a Volunteer Training Cookout
Even if you can’t radically change your ministry programming during the summer months, there are ways to inject creativity and new life into your volunteers this summer. Rather than waiting until August or September to host volunteer training for the new ministry year, why not have a volunteer training cookout this summer?
Host a cookout with burgers, hot dogs, watermelon, and popsicles. Provide outdoor activities like bounce houses, water games, or bubble machines for kids. Cap off the fun by casting vision and giving helpful training for your volunteers.
Hopefully using the summer to host a training will reduce the stress and schedule fatigue of your team in the fall, and the laid-back atmosphere of a cookout will help you make it through your 15th year of volunteer training!
Spark Creativity this Summer
How will you use this summer to spark creativity and energy into your ministry? My wrong turn on the way to work is intentional. It is a choice I make to help me break out of the normal and find something new.
Decide today to do something different in your summer programming—to break out of the normal ministry routine. And ask God to show you new hope for your ministry to kids.
