The Great (11 month) Commission

Don't get me wrong, I believe in rest. I know the ministry staff and leaders in our churches work very hard during the year, and need a good break over summer. Which necessarily means that many of our church ministry programs close down for 6-8 weeks.

But that doesn't mean that ‘vine’ work needs to be completely on hold for all that time. With a bit of creative thinking—admittedly not something that comes easily once we're all tired at the end of Term 4—we can continue the Great Commission work of making and teaching disciples even in January[1. With apologies to overseas readers who have a different ministry calendar. Please just change the dates to suit.].

At the risk of sounding like a marketing guy who works for Matthias Media plugging a new product[2. Oh wait, I am a marketing guy working for Matthias Media and plugging a new product.], let me suggest some options that take advantage of the new GoThereFor.com resources subscription.

I do this in part because anecdotally we have heard that a number of churches are planning to take out a subscription, but are holding off until closer to the time when their small groups start up again in February.[3. By the way, if you are putting off your subscription until February for this reason, just remember that a 12 month subscription means your subscription will be running in January sometime—if not in 2014, then in 2015. So read on to get ideas of how to get good value from it.]

I think that maybe misses an opportunity.

Let me suggest some ways that your church could get value from a GoThereFor.com subscription over the summer break...

1. Daily Reading Bible

There are around 1,200 daily Bible readings to choose from on GoThereFor.com, covering most parts of the Bible. Why not give your church members 20 readings and challenge them to get through all 20 over January? (That's not a bad New Year's Resolution to get a more consistent Bible reading habit going at the start of the year.)

Even better, match up their January readings with your Term 1 preaching program so that their minds are already soaked in the text of that part of the Scriptures as they come to hear the sermons.

2. Short Steps for Long Gains

Short Steps for Long Gains provides excellent Summer Bible reading fare for families and spouses (or friends holidaying together).

Short Steps for Long Gains, Short Steps for Long Gains: Family Edition, and Short Steps for Long Gains: Youth Edition are all available through GoThereFor.com.

Each of these three booklets contain 26 short studies which promote useful discussion on a range of topics for Christian growth. Parents of both younger children (Family Edition) and teenagers (Youth Edition) would find these ideal for doing over the dinner table whilst on holidays. They'll generate some really worthwhile Christian discussion.

3. Pathway Bible Guides

Pathway Bible Guides—our series of shorter, simpler Bible studies—are also useful for families or ad hoc small groups over summer. Maybe your family goes away with another family (or two). Why not kick back and relax over the Word of God rather than just talking about the day's play at the cricket?

4. MiniZines

We've all done it: bought magazines for our holiday reading that we don't read at any other time of the year. Or spent hours flicking through the big pile of old magazines in the holiday house we've rented.

But GoThereFor.com offers you much more edifying magazines to read in the form of our MiniZines series. Not only are these short, easy to read articles, but they have discussion questions you can talk through with others. MiniZine topics include: prayer, contentment, church, reading the Bible, and more.

There are plenty of other Summer possibilities that GoThereFor.com opens up, but hopefully these suggestions help get your thinking started.