Eight Tips to Maintain Meaningful Connections During the Summer

More than a few youth pastors and youth leaders face the challenge of keeping their students engaged and focused on their faith during the summer break. Most schedules change during the summer. The frequency of youth meetings may change, and some might even suspend them for the summer. 

If this is true for you, it is essential to find creative ways to maintain communication and encourage spiritual growth among your students. The following are just a few ideas to help you maintain strong connections with your youth group during the summer months. 

1. Employ Various Communication Technology 

In our digital culture, technology provides many effective opportunities to keep connected with your students. Make use of social media platforms, group chats, and whatever your students are using to communicate and socialize. You can use them to share updates, encouragement, and resources with your youth students. Virtual meetings, such as video calls or online Bible studies may provide a sense of community even when physically apart. 

2. Utilize Outdoor Activities 

Make the most of the summer weather by organizing outdoor activities and events. Plan hikes, picnics, beach outings, or sports activities that provide opportunities for fellowship, fun, and spiritual conversations in a relaxed setting. Outdoor settings can also serve as a backdrop for worship, prayer, and reflection on God’s creation. 

3. Facilitate Community Service Projects 

Encourage your students to serve others. Challenge them to make a difference in their communities. Organize service projects, volunteer opportunities, or mission trips that allow students to put their faith into action. This is one way to demonstrate Christ’s love through tangible acts of service. Serving others not only helps individual spiritual growth, but also strengthens bonds within the youth group as a whole. 

4. Make Use of Summer Camps 

Consider attending a summer retreat or camp with your youth group. Camps have proven to be effective for students to grow spiritually, build relationships, and deepen their faith.  

5. Encourage Personal Spiritual Disciplines 

Suggest and provide relevant devotionals for your students to engage with throughout the summer. Choose resources that are meaningful, engaging, and age appropriate. Enable your students to develop personal spiritual disciplines and practices that they can incorporate into their daily lives. Encourage them to establish habits such as prayer, Bible reading, journaling, and worship that will sustain their faith journey beyond the summer months. Provide resources and guidance to support them in cultivating these practices. 

6. Maintain Regular Communication 

Connect with your students throughout the summer through regular communication channels. Check-in individually with students by phone calls, text messages, or personal meetings to offer support, encouragement, and prayer. Let them know that you are available to listen, answer questions, and provide guidance as they develop their faith. 

7. Celebrate Life’s High Points 

Acknowledge and celebrate life with your students during the summer months. It might be birthdays, graduations, or important personal accomplishments. Plan an opportunity to recognize each student’s growth and contributions within the youth group. Celebrating together advances a sense of camaraderie and strengthens the connections of your group. 

8. Pray for Your Students 

Praying for your students is essential if you are going to have an impactful connection with them. Lift them up in prayer. Ask God to guard, guide, and inspire them in their faith.  

By employing some of these ideas and strategies, you can keep connections solid within your youth group during the summer months. You can empower your students to stay focused on their faith in Jesus Christ. Even when youth groups aren’t meeting regularly, the journey of discipleship continues, and as youth leaders, we have the privilege and responsibility to walk alongside our students every step of the way.