Normally, during the summer, attendance at Churches and ministry events go down. Why? It is normally because people are traveling with school being out. Summer is the perfect time for traveling as families go on vacations and kids go to camps. And, considering that families may not have traveled much in the past few years, they may be itching to get away for a few days or weeks.
Despite what the numbers and trends may be, I would argue that summer is actually the perfect time to jumpstart your Church through online ministry. How so? Watch the video, listen to the audio or read the bullet points below to see what you can do.
1. Connect with Summer Travelers. Instead of being disappointed that people in your congregation are traveling a lot and not attending as much throughout the summer, embrace it. Do Facebook ads to reach out to people traveling and still wanting to connect with an online ministry. Just because people are traveling doesn’t mean they don’t want to be connected to a Church or Community. Make sure people know when your services are and how they can be part of it. Not only that, but summer might be the perfect time to mobilize a team of people reach out to others. See who they are and what that looks like in number 2.
Just because people are traveling over the summer doesn't mean they don't want to connect with Church or community. Use online to connect with summer travelers. Click To Tweet2. Start a Digital Missionary Group. Jesus said go and make disciples of all nations (Matthew 28:19-20). We cannot expect people to come to us. We have to go to them. That is where digital missionaries come into play. Gather together people who have a heart to use social media and online tools to reach their friends and others. Do some training where you equip them to effectively minister to others online. Some resources for you to use to get started in raising up and equipping at team of digital missionaries are below:
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- Digital Missionaries can use Twitter. Twitter often gets a bad rap in regards to social media, but that is what makes it the perfect place to meet new people and have spiritual conversations.
- 5 Types of Digital Missionaries. There is not one type of digital missionary. There are many different types. Here are just some of the different kinds of ways people can minister to people digitally.
- 3 Ways You Can Be a Digital Missionary Today. Being a digital missionary is something someone can do every single day. Here are 3 different things digital missionaries can do each and every day.
3. Provide Discipleship Resources. As mentioned above, just because people are traveling over the summer and more busy than during the rest of the year, that doesn’t mean they don’t want to be connected to a Church or be in community. This is why offering online discipleship resources for people to participate in and be encouraged in could be the perfect fit for the summer and jumpstart your Church. For instance, some options are:
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- Provide Children’s Lessons. Adults are not the only ones who can use some encouragment over the summer. Provide some video lessons, downloadable coloring pages or other online actives to encourage children.
- Do Online Bible Studies or Groups. Facebook Groups are great ways for people to connect and discuss life, Church, sermons and Bible studies. One of the reasons why they are great is because so many people have Facebook and Facebook itself loves to promote Groups. The good news is that they are easy to set up. You can also create an Online Group Bible Study with YouVersion. YouVersion Group Bible Studies are great ways to connect and disciple others and they are easy to set up. See how easy it is by clicking the link.
- Twitter Spaces 101 for Ministry. Twitter Spaces is an audio communication that allows you have discussions and Bible studies on Twitter. Anyone with a Twitter account can listen and participate. Lead a Twitter Space as you would an in person gathering around a topic, Bible passage, sermon or something else.
- Text Daily Scripture Readings and Devotionals. Stats show that over 90% of people read a text message. Offer a summer reading plan that people can sign up via text messaging so that they can be encouraged each day. Make each text message simple. Share the reading, a question and a link to the reading. Sometimes people will respond to the questions, sometimes not. Regardless, at least they will be encouraged daily in their relationship with God.
- Do Video Devotionals to share on social media. A way you can encourage others throughout the summer is to do video devotionals. They can be longer form video devotionals on YouTube or shorter, quick devotionals on TikTok, Reels or Twitter. The point is that the more consistent you are, the more people are going to check them out. And, you can use devotionals as ways to draw people to check out your Church. The more you can encourage them in Christ with your devotionals, the more likely they will want to continue to check out your Church and be part of it on a regularly.
Conclusion
People may not come to in person Church as much this summer, but that doesn’t mean they wouldn’t be going to church at all. Utilize your online ministry to connect with summer travelers and mobilize a whole new missionary group to reach people this summer. The more you can take initiative and use your online ministry this summer, the more likely you will be able to jumpstart your Church by keeping your summer travelers connected and hopefully connect new people to your Church or ministry, as well.
ACTION STEPS:
- What do you think? What other ways can online ministry can jumpstart your Church this summer? Share below or on social media.
- Join the Digital Bootcamp Facebook Group to learn how to be more effective using digital tools for your ministry join the group. This is for ALL Ministers, not just Church Communicators or Social Media Managers.
- If you are in Digital Ministry, be part of the Digital Ministry Twitter Community. We share daily encouragement and support to help you do ministry in this online world more effectively. Click here to be part of it.
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Looking for Digital Ministry Coaching? The Church Digital is offering a variety of digital, phygital or metaverse ministry coaching and cohorts. Just click here.
- Sign up for the Sidekick Scoop to get content from all over the ministry world (especially online and student ministry topics).
- SUBSCRIBE: New episodes come out every other Monday. Subscribe on iTunes, on Spotify, or on YouTube to make sure you get these each and every week! And make sure you rate the show, especially if you like it.