Summertime for campus missionaries is a unique time. There are so many options as to what you can do during the summer. Summertime can be a great time to think, reflect, try out some new things, strategize, make disciples, visit students, or just rest. Whatever you do with your summer, make it intentional.
Below is a list of ideas, both for your personal life and your ministry. Every campus is different, and every campus missionary is different, so not all of these will apply to everyone.This list is not exhaustive, but I hope it can spur some ideas to help you make the most of the rest of your summer.
Personal
- Spend time on personal spiritual formation, especially if you are feeling burned out from the school year. Make time to worship Jesus. Spend lengths of time reading Scripture and just praying. Take your time as you spend this time with Jesus. Allow Him to fill you up.
- Purposefully set aside some time to rest. The busyness of the school year does not need to carry into the summer.
- Spend time with your family or friends. Take a vacation together. If you have kids, set up some one-on-one time with them and do some things together that you might not necessarily have time for during the school year. If you are married, plan a getaway with your spouse or find a new hobby to do together. It is important to invest in your relationships outside of your ministry.
- Seek out peers or mentors and invite them to have coffee with you or get a meal together. Spend some time talking about ministry ideas or just life. Encourage and pray for one another.
“Purposefully set aside some time to rest.”
Karin Yarnell
Ministry
- Spend time praying about your ministry. It’s also a great time to evaluate and dream.
- Plan to be on campus or at your ministry building during summer orientation so incoming freshmen and their parents can come talk with you.
- Invest in the students that have stayed in town during the summer. Some of the ways we do this in our ministry is by having a small group Bible study once a week as well as a softball team and volleyball team with the city leagues.
- Plan a few regional get-togethers during the summer that you can invite students to. Some of the things we have done are going to the zoo in Omaha, the Iowa State Fair, and a Kansas City Royals game. This helps students in those areas that are home for the summer have a chance to meet up with their friends for a little community time.
- Examine your upcoming budget and reach out to potential donors. Summer is a great time to travel around to churches or small groups and share how others can partner with you to reach college students for Jesus.
- Take a mission trip with your students.
- Attend a college ministry conference or training session.
- Check in with your student leaders throughout the summer, asking them how they are doing and how you can be praying for them.
- Work on the building if you have one. Summer is a great time to get repairs done, work on landscaping or just do renovations that need to be done.
- Strategize, map out or even write curriculum or teaching outlines for the upcoming year.
- Connect with churches in your area and send them information about your ministry. Summer is the perfect time to connect with students who just graduated high school and will be coming to your school.
- Update your website and social media sites with current calendars and information.
- Connect with faculty and staff on your campus.
- Plan your Welcome Week events and make sure you have everything you need ready to go before the school year starts.
However you use your summer, it will go by quickly, and the school year will be here before you know it! Remember to take some time to just breathe.
