Summertime has a different rhythm than the rest of the year. It is a welcome change for many, but it is still a bit of an adjustment. Summertime in church life is different as well. We have occasional Sundays where the crowd might be sparse, because many went on vacation at the same time. Some of our regular church calendar is a little less full as well. We get to enjoy lessons from some different faces on Wednesday evenings, and ministers all over this part of the country have the opportunity to speak to different groups. For these and many other reasons, I enjoy the summer.As I write this article, I am in Searcy, Arkansas, where I spoke this week to the congregation I worked with for almost 14 years. It is always good to reconnect with friends and to share something from God’s word. During this trip, I was flooded with memories of youth ministry. Although the rhythm of summer takes on a slower pace with a sparse calendar in other areas, that is not the case in youth ministry. The youth ministry summer calendar is full of camps, trips, devotionals, service projects and much more. I was asked this week if I ever miss it. There are parts of it that I really do miss, but even thinking about the pace of summer makes me a little exhausted.
I hope you realize how blessed we are at Southwest to have John and Jessica doing all the things they do, and I hope you will do whatever you can to help them as they bless our teens. Whether you are young or old, there are things you can do to make this summer a good one for our youth ministry at Southwest.
- Pray for John and Jessica. You might even let them know that you are praying and ask them if there are specific things you can pray about.
- Pray for our teens. Summer can be a great time of growth. Pray for those opportunities. Pray for their safety during increased travels. Go to God on their behalf.
- Volunteer. There is always a need for chaperones, drivers, teachers, people to host or cook for events and various other things. Ask John how you could be of service.
- Encourage. Encourage. Encourage. We can’t do this enough everywhere in life. This is no different. Our teens, parents and leaders can all use positive words.
As busy as those summers were, I can think of time after time where God made an impact on people during those times. It was in the midst of plans that went off without a hitch and times where thing were changing so quickly it was hard to keep up. God was working through it all. I can’t wait to see what He does this summer.
Brian
Let no one despise you for your youth, but set the believers an example in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith, in purity. 1 Timothy 4:12