Summer has its own rhythm. And for Worship and Music Leaders, it’s often a weird mix of lower attendance, volunteer travel, and unpredictable energy.
But here’s the truth: Summer isn’t a throwaway season.
It’s a strategic opportunity—to prepare your ministry for the fall, invest in your team, AND refuel your soul.
Here are 10 practical ways to keep your ministry strong while also making space to rest and create memories with your family:
1. Plan with Purpose
Be proactive—not reactive. Sketch out the entire summer now: services, rehearsals, vacations, and team nights.
Block off your own time off, and protect it like you would a Sunday morning. Planning with intention now helps you lead with peace and clarity later.
2. Empower Others to Lead
Don’t shoulder it all yourself. Invite a student, band member, or co-leader to plan or lead a Sunday. Let a volunteer lead a rehearsal.
Not only does this lighten your load, but it builds trust, confidence, and growth in others.
3. Host a Summer Worship Night
Organize a low-pressure gathering like a “Summer Sing” or acoustic worship night. It can be intergenerational, outdoors, or even team-led.
These special moments refresh your congregation and invite new people to participate without the weight of Sunday expectations.
4. Clean Up and Catch Up
Take advantage of the quieter weeks to:
Revisit your time management habits
Find Out your Primal Question
Get your email inbox to zero
Clean up Planning Center, Ableton, or Multitracks
Small systems improvements now can make a big difference later.
A little cleanup = a lot of peace.
5. Gather for Vision and Prayer
Host a laid-back team night. Grill out. Share testimonies. Pray over the next season.
It doesn’t have to be overly structured—just purposeful. Your team needs spiritual connection just as much as musical alignment.
6. Invest in Young Leaders
Let students shadow you. Give them a voice on stage. Invite them to serve in tech.
Even better—bring them to Surge Music Camp, where they’ll grow musically and spiritually alongside other young worship leaders from across Georgia. You’re not just building a team—you’re building a future.
7. Take a True Break (Yes, Really)
Challenge yourself to take two full weeks off, with at least one Sunday completely covered in the middle.
Be truly off—don’t peek at Planning Center, check-in on team chats, or tweak setlists.
Trust your people. Trust the Lord. Your soul and your family will thank you for it.
8. Refuel Your Own Soul
Use summer to grow—not just grind. Here are some recommendations:
📘 Crucial Conversations – Learn how to navigate leadership and relational tension with grace.
📘 The Primal Question by Mike Foster – Discover your core emotional need and how it shapes your leadership.
📘 Song Cycle by Jon Nicol – Create a strong congregational song list that keeps your people engaged.
🎧 The World and Everything In It – A daily podcast with a biblical perspective on current events.
🎧 Becoming Someone by Brian Mills – A great read for young leaders discovering purpose and identity.
And sometimes, you just need to read a Psalm, take a walk, get outside, or find a hobby. Let God minister to you this summer.
9. Preload for the Fall
Start prepping for the next season:
Sketch out sermon series
Identify choir kickoff songs
Dream about Christmas
The more prepared you are, the more present you can be.
10. Prioritize Family and Fun
Go to the pool. Say yes to ice cream. Take the trip. Sleep in. Laugh hard. Worship freely. And here’s the heart of it: Your family will never forget the time you spend with them.
I still remember our family trip in 1976 to California. I was 9 years old, traveling in a pop-up camper with my family. That trip made an impression on my soul—and I still talk about it today.
Create experiences your family will talk about for decades.
Your ministry is important—but your health, soul, and family are sacred.
Final Thought:
Summer isn’t “off-season.”
It’s a formation season—for your ministry, your team, and your family.
Lead it well. Rest fully. And finish strong.
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