This week marks the beginning of summer break for the schools in my county. Summer is a season of transition for most of us; often in our ministries, and sometimes in our personal lives too.
Our family has already felt it. We moved our oldest into her first apartment a few hours from home, and as of last week, she has officially started grad school. Our youngest finished his first year of college and is back home for the summer. Two kids, two chapters — and both happening at once.
If you’re leading or serving in children’s or family ministry, your summer probably includes some combination of the following:
- Pop Up or Move Up Weekend
- VBS
- Kids Camp
- Shifting volunteer schedules
- Adding family events
- Cancelling a family event because… Maycember
- Finishing your seminary degree (cheering for our INCM friends who graduated this past week!)
- Brainstorming for Fall Kick Off
- Leadership changes
- Your own kids walking through some of these same milestones;Â maybe you’re sending someone off or welcoming them back home
There are the natural transitions and then there are the unexpected ones that quietly find their way into our summer plans. Things like: vacations getting canceled due to sickness, volunteers dropping out, or your church flooding. Things change… but what doesn’t change is the impact of children’s ministry.
Recently, I came across data from a Pew Research study indicating that “84% of Americans who were raised in a religion and had a mostly positive childhood experience with it still identify with that faith as adults”.
When I read that, I thought of you. In a season of transition, when I know your plate is incredibly full, I want to remind you of something important: the Lord does not need perfection in order to work. He simply asks for our faithful obedience.
Serving With Obedience This Summer
Every child you help belong, every safe environment you create, volunteer and leader you equip and train, every worship set, small group conversation, craft, and the countless details you pull together…it all matters. It carries weight for this summer and it carries weight for the lifetime of every child you serve.
The experience you are creating, as you disciple the next generation is one of the strongest predictors of whether kids will continue identifying with faith as adults.
There will be children who visit your church this summer and take a next step in their relationship with Jesus. Maybe a child visits VBS for the first time and is so excited that they convince their family to come back with them and when they do, that family encounters Jesus for the first time. This might be the generation that meets Jesus and changes the trajectory of their entire family.
My hope is that you are reminded and encouraged this week that God asks for your faithful obedience, not your perfection.
I am praying that He sustains you through whatever circumstances you find yourself leading in this summer, and that while you do all that you can do, He will do what only He can do.
“Therefore, my dear brothers and sisters, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain.” — 1 Corinthians 15:58 (NIV)
Summer Opportunities
Our team has some great opportunities for you to be encouraged and equipped this summer. We hope that you’ll stay connected through our newsletter, on social media, and through our monthly virtual community conversations found inside INCM membership!
Cheering you on and praying for you as you lead the most futuristic and strategic ministry of the church.
Heather Eichler
INCM Executive DirectorÂ
