Summer can be hard on churches. Most experience a “summer slump,” where attendance numbers plateau or dip. But summer does not have to be a season of dread! Instead, it can be one of fun, experimentation, and engagement.
Leverage Your Summer Church Engagement
Churches can even leverage summer to help their congregations stay engaged. This needs to be strategic, though. A bad way to approach summer is to pack the calendar full of activity, as that may actually do the opposite of your desired outcome. Church leaders can become so anxious about the numbers that they may try to do too much, and their volunteers may burn out with too much activity.
With that in mind, here are seven ways to boost your summer church engagement without burning you out!
1. Use the Summer to Experiment
Summer is a great season to try new things. It’s a wonderful time to change seating, move the café area around, or test new technology. For instance, a church could test electronic kids’ check-in stations. Or it might experiment with different stage designs or new elements during the worship experience.
A church leader would be wise to lead their congregations into this by letting them know that summer is a time for experimenting with new things. A wise leader would also be transparent about the fact that these experiments may work or they may not.
2. Engage New Families Moving into the Area
Relocation for jobs, school, and military assignments usually occurs during the summer. Families can move more easily during the summer because the kids are out of school, and they can find a new house to get settled into before the kids start a new school in the fall.
One of the first things families do when they move is to search online for a church. This is true not only for churched families who are relocating but also for unchurched families. Paid ads on search engines can pay great dividends. This is low-hanging fruit for summer church engagement. The ads are affordable and effective.
3. Create a Compelling Sermon Series
Summer is a time to create a compelling sermon series to get people’s attention. First-time guest numbers may slow quite a bit, so an “insider” type series could work great. I have also seen churches use this season to go through one book of the Bible. Utilizing a teaching team and guest speakers in a series could boost engagement due to something new and exciting.
4. Have a Dream Team Bash
The summer months are a great time to honor volunteers. There is no better way to do this than by having a big party for them with free food, giveaways, bounce houses, and fun activities. Honoring volunteers with awards and prizes is also a hit. And don’t forget the music. Hire a live band or DJ to get the excitement going!
You can host this dream team bash on-site at a church or a special venue. The key to this event is that it is strictly for volunteers and their families. Those who want to attend but don’t serve simply need to fill out a serve team card to get in.
5. Host a Special Event for the Congregation
You could host food trucks after a Sunday service or have a special coffee bar. You could also utilize Sunday around July 4th to have a BBQ on campus. Special events like these tell the congregation that they are appreciated and valued. The key will be to do something that normally wouldn’t be done during the rest of the year.
6. Launch New Small Groups
Again, summer is the perfect time to try different strategies, even in small groups. This works especially well if you offer small groups just for the summer.
Ideas for unique, short-term small groups include:
- A Financial Peace University group
- A special leadership group
- A small group following the sermon series
- A hiking small group or other outdoorsy activities
Whatever your strategy is, make it special and for the summer only. If it is a hit, people will look forward to summer as an opportunity to participate in this special group.
7. Use the Back-to-School as Leverage
As summer is ending and school is getting ready to be back in session, this is a perfect time for churches to do something for students and schools, especially those who are underprivileged. Hosting a book bag giveaway with free school supplies or teacher class kits on a Sunday afternoon really boosts engagement. You can even incorporate a time during the worship experience to honor and pray for the teachers of your community.
Opportunities like these will boost summer church engagement with your congregation because your church will think about your community all summer. Giving away school supplies will lead your church right into the fall. It also blesses the community and makes the name of Jesus known.
We’re Just Experimenting
Summer doesn’t have to be a time of despair for church leaders. Instead, it can be an incredible opportunity to increase summer church engagement in new and exciting ways.
All that is required is that your church leadership stays focused. Remind your team to “take the pressure off. We are just experimenting.” The worst thing church leaders can do is try to stay busy all summer to keep people coming. This will be virtually impossible.
Progress isn’t always seen in Sunday attendance numbers. Sometimes, progress involves tweaking your systems and finding practical ways to engage your congregation.
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