The new year may start in January, but our church calendars often follow the schools from August to May.
With many traveling in June and July, the tendency to see a drop in giving and attendance has led the warmer months to be aptly dubbed the Summer Slump.
You’ll still have some in your pews every week regardless of the season, but with so many in and out, launching new ministry opportunities during the hottest part of the year isn’t the best idea.
Your congregation will return to normal once the summer draws close, making the fall the perfect time to introduce new serving opportunities and connect your members with the Body this next season.
Step #1: Find Their Passion
The people in your church have things they are passionate about and areas of missions to which they feel drawn.
Some may be enthusiastic about children’s or youth services, others may feel called to help the homeless population in your area, while yet more eagerly want to meet the needs of single parents.
With 83% of people saying they volunteer specifically to contribute to something they care about, incorporating serving opportunities they are passionate about is the best way to get your congregation involved.
Use their fervor and zeal for specific needs and parts of your community to encourage engagement and connection as they become the hands and feet of Jesus.
Step #2: Pray for Opportunities
Once you know how your congregants long to serve those in your church and your community, pray for God to open doors for them to do just that.
He has placed the passion and desire to serve in the hearts of your congregants, so spend time in prayer asking the Lord to show you how your church can act.
See what paths He makes and follow where He leads. He already knows where and how your members will serve in your community, so take time to ask Him for directions.
Bathe these passions in prayer, seeking guidance to hone your congregants’ skills and callings into tangible projects where your members can show the love of Jesus to your community.
Step #3: Set Up Partnerships
The Bible tells us that two are better than one (Ecclesiastes 4:8-10). Finding new ministry opportunities for your congregation should start with finding local partners.
Reach out to ministries or organizations in your area that are currently working on projects that appeal to your members. Find out how your church can support their efforts or partner with them to reach people for the Gospel.
It’s entirely possible that there aren’t any groups already serving in the areas you’re congregants are passionate about. But if there are, you don’t have to reinvent the wheel.
Unless the organization goes against your mission, vision, or statement of faith, partnering with something established will let you build on the work being done rather than spending the time and resources to get things off the ground.
Take advantage of the chance to help groups already doing good work so your church can make the most of their time and effort through their service.
Step #4: Get Them Involved
As the school year kicks off, your congregants are looking for things to fill their calendars.
They’re looking at sports schedules, extracurricular activities, church events, and things to occupy their time.
It’s important to take this season of change to re-engage your congregation, especially coming out of a time when many disconnect from or drastically reduce their commitment to the church.
You’ve spent time finding out what your members are passionate about, praying for opportunities, and setting up partnerships. Now it’s time to get them involved.
Introduce new serving opportunities to your congregation in a big way. Don’t just make a slide, bury it in your monthly newsletter, or briefly mention it during your Sunday morning announcements.
Find a way to get people excited about this new mission opportunity. Make it a big deal! Your congregation won’t get on board if you aren’t enthusiastic about this endeavor.
Share the details of your new ministry opportunities and remind people that these ways to serve are specifically catered to their passions.
Invite them into service and encourage connection through volunteering together with other believers to share the Gospel.
Fall is the perfect time to kick off new opportunities and get your whole congregation involved in serving others. After the busyness of summer, this next season is ripe with potential.
So take advantage of this time to discover what your members are passionate about, pray for opportunities, set up partnerships, and engage and connect your entire church.
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