Surviving the summer as a ministry family

To start with, this isn’t about surviving the summer.

After all, if we lived in a place where summer means escalating military conflict… or heatwave-fuelled violence… or crop-ravaging drought… or torrential rain and floods… or throat-constricting pollution.. or no break from grinding 16-hour working days seven days a week… or no change to intimidation, harassment, economic oppression, physical attacks, fear of a knock at the door, simply for being a Christian…

If we lived somewhere like that, surviving the summer would be a real problem, not merely a first-world one.

But at worst, for most of us summer means a few weeks of half-empty church, and work as normal while seemingly everyone else enjoys their vacations. Summer may mean a heavier load—Vacation Bible School, and extra jobs on Sunday because people aren’t around. But most of us get a vacation sooner or later. And what about the extra free evenings and fine weather?

Let’s think instead about summer opportunities. For all of us involved in church ministry, here are some…

Tips on making the most of summer:

1. Thank God for his good gifts
Whether that’s weather, activities or change of routine. Think of what God can do through VBS, or camps, or day trips with friends, church and family, or barbecues with neighbors. How many stories of people coming to Christ involve such things? Summer gives us less structured time or longer chunks of it for spending with people and sharing the gospel—not to mention time for enjoying creation or a good read. Gratitude to God is our first weapon against summer blues.

Gratitude to God is our first weapon against summer blues.

2. Don’t think you’re indispensable
If summer means a vacation, make the most of God’s gift of rest and relaxation. That’s hard for some. But we’re not indispensable in God’s work; and we need to trust him while we are away with the care of our ministry, our church and the people there. It’s Jesus’ church—he’s the one building it, so it’s not going to collapse without us. Which means it’s fine not to check emails three times a day and it’s OK if someone else takes phone calls.

3. Don’t think you’re being take advantage of
If summer means work, thank God that Christian brothers and sisters can take a break, and for the privilege of serving them by “holding down the fort” until they return. It’s worth remembering that secular jobs can be as stressful and take up as many hours as paid ministry, and that’s with church commitments squashed into spare time but without the compensations of paid ministry: Christian colleagues and the privilege of giving most of our hours to what we love most—Jesus and his gospel. Any extra summer load is our contribution to the essential refreshment of our Christian family.

4. See the opportunities
The downsides of summer bring opportunities too. Smaller gatherings on Sundays can be a great time for beginners to try out ministries like preaching, welcoming or hospitality. A break in the program means you can do something different, perhaps with neighbors, friends, or new or fringe people from church. Seeing the opportunities can transform the extra burdens of summer.

Tips for encouraging your leaders and their families:

1. Be positive
Things may be different—and sometimes a bit sub-standard—in church. Those who provide for the smooth-running of church go away. Those standing in might not be so efficient or they do things differently! It’s not the end of the world if someone forgets to buy donuts, or the sermon outline doesn’t get printed. It helps leaders greatly if you don’t grumble; so instead, stay flexible, cheerful and…

2. Be proactive
Feeling grumpy because there is no home group? Invite those still around for a meal, or takeout, or out for a coffee or a picnic. Disgruntled that no one’s doing refreshments on Sunday morning? Organize some yourself. Worried that the person just out of hospital might not get visited? Guess what?!

3. Be prayerful
Pray for your leaders—they are no different from you, so they need it. Pray for refreshment on vacation. For energy for camps and VBS. For joy in ministry. For ideas and enthusiasm for the fall semester coming up fast. For God’s glory and your blessing in their ministry.

Look back at the other posts in the series: Surviving the summer as a parent and Surviving the summer as a student.

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