Summer small groups are also an ideal way to raise up new group leaders, for two reasons. Number one, many of your regular leaders will want to take the summer off. In fact, we encourage a summer break. You don’t want leaders to get burned out. And through their break, you open up the opportunity for people who have never led before to step in. … Read More
Maximize Summer By Being Creative With Small Groups (Part 1)
Many churches decide to take a break from small groups during the summer, which is a perfectly legitimate thing to do. But if your structure allows for it, summer groups can be extremely effective for getting new people plugged in… especially if you do them creatively. The summer weather gives you and your group leaders the opportunity to plan lots of fun groups that … Read More
How To Be Creative With Your Preaching This Summer (Part 2)
As part of your creative summer series planning, try tying in fun events to complement your teaching. For example, during the God On Film series, we have weekly “play groups” available where people can go see one of the featured movies with others from the church, and then grab dinner to discuss it. This goes hand-in-hand with your creative outreach. People will want to … Read More
How To Be Creative With Your Preaching This Summer (Part 1)
Summer is the time to be extra creative in your message planning. You have the freedom to intentionally teach on topics that will draw a crowd. Around The Journey, we always plan this kind of “attractional series” for the summer, in an effort to reach people who may not otherwise come to church. Each year we do a series called … Read More
How To Get Creative With Outreach This Summer
Summer is one of the best times of the year to reach out to the community around you. The weather and the relaxed mindset open doors that stay closed during other months – literally. Everyone is out and about. Your potential attenders are throwing Frisbees in the park, making small talk at baseball games and mingling on the closest beach. … Read More
Your Church Can Grow This Summer (Really!)
Summer means many things. We get longer days, luminous weather, leisurely vacations…. and lastly church growth. Okay, maybe that last one seems a little out of place. As church leaders, we all know that summer is the worst time of the year for church growth, right? When the temperature rises, we stare down a slump that’s as inevitable as a breaking wave. … Read More
Summer Small Groups – Are They Worth It?
This week, our summer growth groups kick-off at The Journey. So far, over 90% of our adults are in a summer group. We should settle in at around 105% participation this summer – a lot of people will wait until this week to join a group. (Our goal is always 100% of our adults in a small group . . … Read More
June 1 Starts the Summer for Me
Today is June 1, and as for me, summer has started! This weekend our 6 summer interns arrived; the weather outside is very warm and it’s staying daylight way past 8:00pm. I know summer doesn’t ‘officially’ begin until later this month, but June 1 is close enough. Summer is my favorite season. As I look forward to the next few … Read More
Free Report – How to Maximize Summer
A few days ago I wrote about the Myth of the Summer Slump and argued that summer is the perfect time to reach new people and to creatively connect people to your church. I proposed that you have to learn to do one of two things: Plant in the summer or beg in the fall! The response to this post … Read More
The Myth of the Summer Slump
MYTH: Memorial Day is right around the corner. You know what that means… Low attendance. People head for the beach, the lake, or the kiddie pool in the backyard and leave you preaching to empty rows. Oh well, that’s the way the summer goes. Just hold on and count the days until fall. There’s not much you can do. REALITY: … Read More