By Bryan Arnett, Olney Baptist Church Youth and Children’s Pastor
OLNEY, Md.—By now many of you have already enjoyed a family vacation, you’re getting ready to hit the road, or maybe you’re just taking it easy around the house.
I know that I am looking forward to traveling and seeing family. Even though summer is (in theory) is supposed to be a time of relaxation and rest, I’ve found it to be one of the most stressful times of the year. From sports camps to daycare to vacations and church events, many of our summers are absolutely packed!
With that in mind, I wanted to provide you with a few simple, quick, and easy summer church or family worship ideas in hopes that you will find some time to worship with your kids before school gets back in session.
Shadow Stories in the Backyard: On a nice sunny day, go out to the backyard and reenact some of your favorite Bible stories using your shadows. If you have some fun with your positioning, you can make an awesome David & Goliath reenactment where your kid’s shadow is twice as tall as yours!
Pool Connections: The Bible is full of stories that have to do with water: Moses and the Red Sea, Jonah and the Fish, and Jesus Walking on Water, to name a few. Take advantage of being in the water and make connections with your kids to these Bible stories and messages. For example, if your child is nervous about jumping into the water, tell them about how Jesus was there for Peter when he was nervous, and that God will always be there for us.
Campfire Object Lesson: Everyone likes throwing things into fires, so at your next campfire, talk to your kids about how God protected Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego from the evil king’s fire, and how God even sent Jesus to protect and be with them.
Refreshing Popsicle Reminder: After a day of playing outside in the summer heat, why not cool down with a Popsicle (or other frozen treat) and talk about how God can refresh us when we’re tired? You can pull from Psalm 23 or any other passage dealing with refreshment!
Night & Day Sky Takeaways: Whether it’s looking at clouds or stars, the sky is full of images that point to God and His majesty. Take advantage of these opportunities and share verses with your kids that talk about how great God is, such as Psalm 19:1, Ezekiel 1:26, Habakkuk 3:4, and Revelation 19:1
Hopefully these suggestions are helpful as you look to lead your family closer to God and each other throughout this summer.