Most churches witness a dip in the overall attendance during the summer season. Whether it’s due to vacation or families going out on trips, people do not usually participate actively in the ministry. Although this might look like a setback for the churches, the season paves the road for improvement and betterment. Planning strategically can help the churches increase the ministry in size and volume by significant levels. That being said, we have elaborated on the 5 best and proven ways in which churches can make the most out of the sunny days.

Let’s not limit ourselves to the four walls of the churches! The summer season means warm weather and longer days. So, what churches can do is organize outdoor ceremonies for community-based events. It will help them draw the attention of the maximum onlookers and encourage them to participate. People who have never set foot in the sanctuary may also attend these events out of curiosity to experience something new.

Below are a few outdoor event ideas that one can consider. 

1. Family movie nights: A family-based movie can be arranged where you can use a projector and a white screen to elevate the fun time. Add a brief gospel message or prayer before the movie.

2. Outdoor worship services: Places like parks, backyards, and open-air amphitheaters are great for hosting outdoor prayer meetings. This will help you take worship to a place where people are and not the other way round.

3. Sports and games: Another great idea to keep people engaged with the ministry during the summer season is to organize small sports events. You can go with soccer, basketball, or volleyball, which will encourage the young minds to participate.

4. Potlucks and community BBQs: People usually flock to areas where there is food. So, organize a public event with potlucks or community BBQs where everyone can show their cooking skills equally.

Most schools shut their doors for the summer vacation. During this time, teenagers and younger kids get a lot of unstructured time, which can be further utilized for active participation in the church work. These events can restore faith in them and encourage them to form community groups and work for the betterment.

Here are some of the best creative programs churches can arrange for the little ones

1. Youth retreats or summer camps: Whether it’s a spiritual retreat or a leadership program, these mission-focused gateways are perfect for teenagers. Proper routines and time away from the screen will help make them more disciplined.

2. Vacation Bible School: VBS is said to be the most powerful initiative to plant the seeds of faith in the young minds. Here, storytelling is usually done via crafts, plays, and music pieces to keep the young ones engaged.

3. Creative art camps: You can also organize short-term workshops on drama, art, music, and other such creative arts based on a biblical theme. It will help the kids express their faith in the religion creatively and artistically.

Most regular church activities slow down during the summer. That’s why you can use this time to build intentional discipleship and organize a deeper fellowship bond between the church and the communities. Here’s how!

1. Discipleship quads or triads: Encourage people to form a group of 3 or 4 and meet weekly over coee. There, they can study scriptures, pray together, or share ideas on dierent biblical themes.

2. Short-term small groups: You can also launch small groups, with 6 to 8 people at the most, during the summer. Encourage them to converse on dierent topics, like relationships, parenting, spiritual disciplines, and many more

3. Couples or men’s/women’s nights: Another option will be to host summer nights for teaching, worship, or fellowship programs. Organizing these for smaller groups will help strengthen marriages, build brotherhood, and even inspire mentorship.

4. Outdoor Bible studies: Patios and parks are ideal locations for weekly reading sessions of the Bible.

As pastors usually go on vacation during the summer, other leaders and volunteers will get the perfect chance to step in. This will help empower the church from within, allowing people to actively participate in dierent types of activities. Here’s how!

1. Encourage the ministry teams or small volunteer groups to organize summer camps and other types of retreat activities.

 2. Even if a couple of people show interest in learning something new, host leadership programs for them only. It will help you spread the word about leadership roles within the church and discipleship

3. It’s important to let the young children and teenagers participate in church activities voluntarily. So, what you can do is allow them to lead the worship or serve on the AV teams.

Summer is indeed the best time to organize mission trips, locally and internationally. These types of plans usually help the Church live out the Great Commission in the best possible and achievable ways. Some of the best mission-focused initiatives perfect for the summer time are:

1. Local mission week: Organize a week of serving within the city to assemble all the members in one place. For this, you can partner with cleaning parks, non-profit organizations, and other bodies. Missions can be anything, like feeding the homeless or organizing free medical camps.

2. Mission-focused giving drives: You can also support summer camps that are organized for specific causes, like cleaning the water or distributing the Bible.

3. Prayer walks and evangelism: Encourage the members to go out and pray in the neighbourhoods for the well-being of the residents.

Summer is the best time to let go of the regular church routines and encourage active participation outside the four walls. These events and initiatives will keep the existing members engaged for a long time. In addition, these will also attract those who have never stepped foot inside the sanctuary. So, start with planning events that are tangible and can generate the results you are expecting.