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Let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds.

Let us not give up meeting together,

as some are in the habit of doing,

but let us encourage one another.

-- Hebrews 10:24-25

For many churches, summer means we shut the doors on all our programs and take a summer break.  So is that a good or bad thing.   We are instructed to spur one another on and not give up the habit of meeting together.  So why do we?

May churches use the time to give their volunteers a break.  Others are afraid of a small turn out during summer months.  And others just don't have the people power to have events all summer long.

For the last couple weeks I've been catching up with a lot of friends in youth ministry and have heard various plans for the summer.   The are several churches that have stopped small group ministry during the summer, but are continuing to have regular youth program time.  Several others are stopping programing and small groups and going the event based summer plans.  Others have some type of program, camp, retreat, or mission opportunity going on all summer every week.   Others are having event based events in place of program and continuing small groups during the summer.  In the past I have tried each one of these a time or too.

For us, we have two mission trips, a beach retreat, Sunday Night events, and small groups meeting every week through the summer.   This is my first summer with this group and we will see if it works.  One important reason we did not stop small groups for the summer is because we just started them in the Spring and things are going great.

I do events, such as pool party, going to the river and lake, bowling, movie nights, and other things to help build our group through fellowship.  I also see it as a great opportunity for students to invite their friends and not feel threatened by the church experience.  Over the years, I have seen many of my strongest leaders come from being invited during the summer. 

No matter which route your youth program goes this summer, take time for your students and remind them of this verse in Hebrews.

Last Stretch

“But this I call to mind, and therefore I have hope: The steadfast love of the Lord never

ceases, his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.

"The Lord is my portion," says my soul, "therefore I will hope in him." Lamentations 3:21-24

It seems like we always have so many plans and so many hopes and aspirations for how things should be or how I want them to be. And yet, as we head into this last stretch before another School year is in the books, we find ourselves already tired.  Not just sleepy, but tired.  At times it is as if we are trying to run the 100 meter dash wearing a pair of concrete shoes.  And yet we are reminded of the fact that perhaps our fatigue lies not so much in our busy-ness, but maybe in our poor focus.  

It is not that our daily activities, sports, hobbies, projects, and hanging out with friends, are trivial or are not worth careful attention.  They are indeed important, I believe, a part of what God has called us to do and be at this point in time.  No, the problem is often that we find ourselves trying to do too much, too perfectly, under our own power instead of trusting in the renewing love of the One who is Perfection and Power.

This time of year...numbers go down

After Spring Break and Easter across the world of Youth Ministry numbers seem to go down.  Why?
Some say its because its the end of the year and students have more homework and projects.  Others say that after Easter everyone just becomes busy.  Others blame it on spring fever.  Others blame it on the warm weather.

Every year I have seen our youth ministry numbers go up in January and February and then in April and May they decline.  I hear every "excuse" from sports to homework to forgetting we had youth.   It amazes me how teens and parents just take a break from God when the weather gets warm.  But without a doubt when we start doing "fun" events in June, the numbers go back.  Is it because they get fired up about Pentecost and are ready for church activities again or is it that they have nothing better to do in the summer and so church is the natural hang out spot?

This is just a question I was wrestling with last week with a friend in ministry and wanted to see everyone else's opinion.

Hebrews 10:25 "Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another--and all the more as you see the Day approaching."

Event Based or Bible Based Summer?

Over the past fourteen summers I have been part of both Even Based Youth Summer Ministry Programs and Bible Based Summer Youth Programs.

Event Based Youth Summer Ministry Programs consists of one retreat after another and having an event every Sunday and Wednesday.  Its all about keeping busy and doing cool things.  I've seen this where this has helped youth groups grow by having more non-threatening events to allow students to bring their friends and become part of the group.

Bible Based Summer Youth Programs consists of one continuing to have Sunday night programing and small groups during the summer.  I have seen groups become very solid during the summer as they got ready to start the new school year.

Both have worked in different seasons at different churches for me and other youth pastor friends.  I have also seen both wear out adult volunteers, youth pastors, and families.

I have also seen where youth programs shut down for the summer and the only events they have are their summer camp and their mission trip.

This summer, my adults and I discerned for our group that on Sunday nights we would have fun activities all around Columbia, SC and on Wednesday nights we would continue small groups during the summer.

So what does your youth group do during the summer months?