Summer is a season filled with fun and excitement, as people embark on vacations, attend summer camps, and soak up the sun. But for churches, it can also be a challenging time, as attendance, volunteering, and giving may decrease, and the pace of activities may slow down.
Despite these challenges, summer can also present an opportunity for churches to engage their congregations in meaningful and creative ways. One way to do this is through a summer sermon series.
At Igniter, we want to help you prepare gatherings that will strengthen, encourage, and challenge your congregation, so we've provided 5 summer sermon series ideas that we hope will inspire you as you plan for the summer.
BIBLICAL STEWARDSHIP OF TIME & RESOURCES
It’s pretty common for church attendance, giving and volunteering to slow down during the summertime for several reasons. Many families take vacations during this time, which can disrupt regular attendance and giving patterns. Additionally, the nice weather and longer days often lead to more outdoor activities and events that can compete with church activities. However, it’s important to remind your church of the ongoing needs you have such as financial support and the need for volunteers during events and Sunday service.
We know it can be a tough or awkward conversation to have, but there is a way to do that is educating and helping your congregation understand what it means to steward their resources in a biblical way. In the busy (and often expensive for families) time of Summer, this could be an enriching topic to cover throughout the summer season.
Some Scripture to Consider:
Matthew 6:21 - For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.
Matthew 6:33 - But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.
1 Peter 4:10 - Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms.
Psalm 24:1 - The earth is the Lord’s, and everything in it, the world, and all who live in it.
Sermon series ideas:
BEING STILL IN THE BUSY
School is out, camp registration is in full swing, vacations are planned, and lake days are beginning. Summertime is full of events and fun, but it often goes by so fast because we never slow down. Suddenly it’s August and we wonder where time went.
Instead of filling our schedules, there’s a unique opportunity to disconnect from the usual routine, spend time with loved ones, create cherished memories, and reset before the busy days of fall begin. Taking time to slow down this summer can be a powerful way to help each other be present and appreciate the gift and joy of today.
Some Scripture to Consider:
Psalm 46:10 - He says, 'Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.
Psalm 23:2-3 - He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters, he refreshes my soul.
Colossians 3:15 - Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful.
Hebrews 4:9-10 - There remains, then, a Sabbath rest for the people of God; for anyone who enters God’s rest also rests from their works, just as God did from his.
Sermon series ideas:
CHURCH IDENTITY
The world is constantly changing and it can be hard to not let others' views and opinions outside of the church affect us. After Easter, this could be a good segue into summer as an opportunity to remind your congregation of the Identity we now have in Christ, what that means, and how we can stand firm in that truth.
The Church itself—the bride of Christ—is the same as it always has been. The purpose and character of the Church are immovable and they will carry through until Christ returns in glory. Our identity as God's people never changes, and now is a great time to re-up with our people on who we, the Church, are called to be.
Some Scripture to Consider:
Colossians 1:18 - We are not a building, but a body under the headship of Christ.
1 Corinthians 3:16 - We (every believer) are the temple of the Holy Spirit.
Acts 2:42-47 - We are unified, generous, and grateful as we serve God and others; He brings good fruit from our work.
Colossians 3:15-17 - We teach, admonish, and worship together to grow in Christlikeness.
Matthew 28:19-20 - We are ministers of the gospel.
Matthew 5:14 - We are a city on a hill, sent to spread the light of Christ to a dark world.
Sermon series ideas:
SERVING OTHERS
Part of being God's Church is the call to be the hands and feet of Jesus. Our opportunity to be a light by stepping into people's pain is tremendous today. There are needs everywhere, and the more we can meet them, the more we can show a watching world the love of God. If you have already had the chance to comfort and encourage your congregation with hope, now might be the time to challenge them to step out and serve others!
Some Scripture to Consider:
Mark 10:44-45 - We are called to live by Christ's example of servanthood.
1 Peter 4:10-11 - God has given us skills to steward for the sake of others.
Galatians 5:13-14 - The freedom we have in Christ is not to be used for selfish gain, but for selfless service.
Matthew 25:35-40 - We should care for the needs of those around us as if Christ Himself is the one we are serving.
1 John 3:18 - Love does not just speak, it acts; love your "neighbor" with action!
Sermon series ideas:
BEING THE LIGHT
In response to so many tragic events that happen every day, many people's instinct is to become fearful, hopeless, and hard-hearted toward people. Even those who know Christ often fall into anxious thoughts and fear-based living. We are all capable of forgetting the promises and commands of God when we are tested by hardship and the brokenness of this world.
With many people in your congregation going on vacations and being around new people or family members who don’t have faith, it's the perfect time to remind them of the hope and peace that we have in Christ and the opportunity we have been given to be light everywhere we go and living on mission.
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Some Scripture to Consider:
Isaiah 41:10 - There is nothing to fear. God is our strength, our help, and our hope in trouble.
Philippians 4:6-7 - God commands us to seek Him in prayer & gratitude when we are tempted to be anxious.
Joshua 1:9 - Believers should be the most courageous people on earth; we have God's power and presence with us!
Psalm 23 - We have a good Shepherd who is for us; we don't have to fear even in the valley
Sermon series ideas:
BONUS:
SOMETHING A LITTLE LIGHTER
A lot of these are really heavy or specific topics. Maybe you want to tackle them, or maybe you want to take a lighthearted approach this summer. If it's the latter, here are a few more open-ended sermon series that will allow you to frame things however you want. Plus, they're kinda fun.
Sermon series ideas:
Whatever it is you're trying to communicate this summer (or the rest of the year), we have hundreds of sermon series collections and thousands of title graphics designed specifically to support you in it.
Looking for something a little different than these? We probably have something that will fit.
It's easy to get stuck on how to creatively theme your upcoming sermons. Don't worry, Igniter has all the sermon series content to help jump start your preaching calendar. Igniter's has a huge library of sermon series graphics, sermon social graphics, sermon illustration videos, sermon bumper videos or sermon title graphics with the goal of providing variety AND high quality.
Not sure you want to commit to a membership? Start with a 30-day free trial. We offer 3 types of membership PLUS a starter plan for smaller churches that qualify.
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