We are right on the verge of summer in Minnesota. As a pastor this time of year can be SO DEPRESSING for us! People are on vacation or at their cabins or just relaxing a little bit more on the weekends, so every summer attendance takes a hit.
Because this is just the reality of the culture of Minnesota, here is what The Crossing does to deal with summertime blues.
- We cut services. We are going from 11 services down to 9 for the summer. Our New Summer Schedule starts this weekend. In Elk River, Saturday 5 & 6:45 (normal times) Sunday 9:30, 11:15, 1pm and 6pm. Zimmerman is now 10 am. Princeton and Big Lake stay the same.
- We take a vacation too. More of our people are gone so our staff strategically make sure they take one to two weeks of vacation during the height of summer slump to rest up for fall.
- We make discipleship our goal. Most of our weekend services in the summer are geared a little bit more towards Christians and spiritual growth than toward seekers and first steps with Christ. Seekers still come to church, but this is the season where we really try to grow up our people's faith so that they can better honor Christ.
- We try to save money. In the summer, giving drops. So we don't advertise, and we keep our costs down as much as possible so we have resources to reach people in the fall. *****If you are a Crossing attender, PLEASE TITHE EVEN IF YOU ARE OUT OF TOWN FOR A WEEKEND. Go online (www.crossing-church.com) and give there! The same is true for your Samurai giving. If you are committed to giving but are out of town, GIVE ONLINE! Your church takes a huge hit in summer financially, due to attendance drop.
- We Retrain Everyone. Summer is the perfect time for our staff and leaders to retrain all our volunteers and develop apprentices.
- We Recruit volunteers like crazy. Summer is recruitment season. With people on vacation we actually have more spots than ever to fill on our ministry teams. So we work hard to find people who have been attending but not volunteering-and give them a chance to serve on the greatest mission on earth.
- We care for people. Summer is the perfect time for backyard bonfires with your volunteer teams, picnics with your small group and just general hanging out and doing life together.
- We Pray. All summer long our leadership and staff pray for what God is going to do in the fall at The Crossing. I am already praying for 5,000 people to attend our fall launch services Sept 10-11 and for 3,500 regularly attending by Christmas. (God is going to do this.)
- We stop resting on August 17. August 17 is the end of summer break rest at The Crossing. From that moment on our staff and leadership start working like mad to get ready for the HUGE CROWDS of people who are far from God who will begin walking in the doors after Labor Day weekend, and hear the message of Christ.
This is how we deal with summertime blues at Crossing Church. Pastors, if it helps, steal whatever you like from us and make it your own. If you have some ideas of your own, message me and let me know so I can steal them!
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