George Allen, the Hall of Fame NFL coash who led the Los Angeles Rams (1966-1970) and the Washington Redskins (1971-1977) was obsessive in his need for early preparation. Allen would, in the off-season, regularly work 18 hours a day and sleep on a cot in his office. He was known for drinking liquid meals, a mixture of milk, protein powder, and raw eggs to avoid “wasting time” on chewing or even sitting down for a meal. He required his players to report to training camp weeks earlier than other teams, and once made them run five miles before touching a football on the first day of practice to demonstrate how they prepared in the off-season.
The point is that Coach Allen understood that success in the future requires preparation in the present. And while his methods were extreme, we can’t argue the validity of the principle. Which is why right now, at this point in the calendar, we should already be thinking about the fall in church ministry.
Perhaps it’s the “back-to-school effect,” but fall has become pivotally important in the church year. It’s the time when we are most likely to establish consistent spiritual habits and attendance patterns in the life of the congregation. And, like football season, it’s coming whether we are ready or not.
It is one thing to acknowledge the importance of fall; it’s another thing to demonstrate that importance with our level of attention and planning throughout the spring and summer. If we want to see fall have its most lasting impact, then we must make choices now that pave the way for that impact. How can we do that as church leaders? Here are three suggestions:
1. Treat the summer as a recruiting season.
It’s a good and right thing for church leaders to take a deep breath after Easter. It’s been a busy year with a full calendar of ministry opportunities, after all. Taking that deep breath should not, however, mean an absence of priority and preparation. Rather, that deep breath can be seen as a time of recruiting.
These slower weeks in the calendar year are great opportunities to make phone calls, send emails, and encourage new leaders for the fall. It’s likely there are more potential leaders in our midst than we know; they just need someone to push them over the line.
To treat summer as a recruiting season, take a hard look at your goals for the fall, and then work backwards. How many children would you like to see in the kids’ ministry? How many youth? How many new groups for adults? Some simple math will tell you how many leaders you need to recruit and train over the summer to reach those goals.
2. Provide lower commitment opportunities for spiritual growth.
Because people’s schedules start to free up after Easter, it’s often difficult to find enthusiasm for high-commitment discipleship opportunities, like Rooted, during that season. At the same time, we are convictionally driven to not take the summer off when it comes to spiritual growth. What we need to do, as church leaders, is find the middle ground.
That middle ground can come through shorter resources that allow for less consistent attendance. Consider, for example, the Rooted Rhythms series of resources. Each resource is five weeks long and examines one of the seven rhythms of discipleship foundational for spiritual growth. They’re not as intense as something like Rooted, but at the same time, they still push people forward in discipleship.
3. Equip, equip, equip.
A final proactive step you can take toward the fall is seizing summer as an opportunity to equip your leaders. That equipping can come through a series of trainings, personal mentoring, or many other avenues. The important thing is that people are confident and ready to step into leadership with the calendar turns.
Take, for example, the Rooted Pilot Kit. At Rooted Network, we always advise churches to facilitate a session of Rooted with their key leaders before launching it to the congregation. That way, expectations are set and leaders are trained when it’s time for the whole church to walk through the 10-week experience.
Piloting a resource or experience with your key leaders not only equips them to serve; it also pushes them forward in their own spiritual development. Dual purposes are served—leaders are trained, and discipleship is accomplished.
George Allen was right. Success in the future requires preparation in the present. So now is the time to begin asking yourself: Is your church ready for the fall?
