Four Keys to Keeping Your Group Energized in the Summer

I love summer, but summer affects our Bible study groups, usually in two ways:

1. Many churches place their groups on hiatus during the summer months. Everything kicks back in when school resumes.
2. Many churches have year-round groups, but they experience a lower attendance during the summer months because of vacations and travel.

Groups can benefit from taking a summer break, and groups can equally benefit from meeting year-round. Personally, I prefer to meet year-round. Discipleship does not take a break, and although not everyone can be present every week in the summer, I can still provide a journey into God’s Word for those who are there.

However, lower attendance (or no attendance for groups on summer break) can negatively impact a group. You can do several things to keep your group energized—even if they don’t see each other at the weekly group meeting.

1. Stay in touch. Use email, text, or an actual phone call. When people are on vacation, you can still reach out. A quick contact simply communicates you value their friendship.
2. Pray. As you reach out, ask if you can pray for them in a specific way. Summer break can have its own challenges: travel hassles, dysfunctional family reunions, kids off to camp, and so on. You may not be meeting regularly, but you can still care for each other through prayer.
3. Encourage discipleship. If your group is reading a Bible book or another book together, encourage them to continue reading. No preaching needed—“YOU BETTER KEEP READING!” The best encouragement can come from a short text or email, sharing an insight you gained in your own reading or personal study.
4. Get together. Plan a cook-out, a pool party, a game night, a movie night, or…well, anything! It doesn’t have to be elaborate; just get together. Some of my favorite events were spontaneous. And don’t look for that “perfect” date when everyone can attend; you’ll rarely find it. Just get in touch with the group and say, “Let’s get together next Friday for __________. Who’s in?” Not everyone will be there, but if your group does this frequently, no one ever feels completely left out. Frequency is the key.

I love summer. I love the less-hectic pace of summer that allows more get-togethers. I love to take advantage of these, because frequent get-togethers have a way of keeping my group energized.

And they keep me energized!

Lynn Pryor is a team leader for adult resources at Lifeway. He and his wife, Mary, lead a Bible study group for young adults and have survived raising two sons to adulthood. A graduate of Southwestern Seminary, Lynn has previously pastored and served churches in Texas. Follow him on his blog at lynnhpryor.com.