Summer is almost here!  The sun stays up longer, the temperature gets unbearable, Sunday attendance is dismal, and giving slumps so much that most church leaders say to themselves, “It’s summer so it’s time for us to take it easy!”

Oh sure, we plan VBS weeks, youth camps, and maybe a mission trip.  Conventional thinking is that the “harvest” at our church outside of these calendared activities simply isn’t possible in the Summer.

However, an increasing number of churches are realizing that refusing to sow seed in the summer leads to a meager harvest in the fall.

When conventional wisdom tells us to simply turn up the AC, hit the golf-course more, and forget doing anything meaningful for the sake of Christ – that sends red flags to me and I hope to you as well!

“The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field.”  

-Jesus in Luke 10:2 NIV

The reality is that churches have seen considerable growth in Summer months – often exceeding their Spring growth.  By realizing Summer ministry is “different” not “impossible” you gain a significant insight into the way our culture operates and the unique openness to the Gospel that does not exist in many of the “school calendar” months.

Summer is for fishing my friends, but not sitting on the lake hoping a lone bass will tag your bait.  Reclaim Summer for Jesus Christ!

 

"Come, follow me," Jesus said, "and I will make you fishers of men."

-Jesus in Matthew 4:19 NIV