It’s officially summer – and you and your church staff look forward to a relaxed schedule where you can catch your breath. Using this season of rest and refreshment to reflect on ways to better serve your congregation can help you grow as a team with a renewed sense of purpose.

We at The StudioC have several favorite resources that we’ve found effective for church leadership retreats and workshops. Here are our picks for a productive program:

1. Working Genius

Both a productivity tool and personality assessment, Working Genius helps your team members “discover their natural gifts and thrive in their work and life.” By discovering what types of work best fit their personality, they can bring more energy to their calling and, ultimately, realize a sense of fulfillment in their work.

Knowing which of the six types of work inspires each team member also empowers each person to “tap into the people around them.” This strategy drives more cohesiveness and productivity as team members leverage both their own gifts and those of their teammates.

You have two options to use if you choose to use Working Genius. You can order the personality assessment and work through the program yourself using the companion book. Or, you can schedule a complete workshop and let the Working Genius facilitators do the heavy lifting.

2. Inclusify

The Reverend Martin Luther King once called Sunday morning services “one of the most segregated hours…in Christian America.” Unfortunately, it still tends to be, even in these days.

God calls us to reach everyone for Christ. However, when we view our ministry through the lens of like-minded people, we lose the ability to reach people outside that group.

Jesus, on the other hand, knit the first generation of apostles from a collection of people who ranged from the scholarly Paul to a ragtag bunch He called “the sons of thunder.” We can do no less.

Inclusify is a book that serves as your guide to creating a more diverse leadership team – not only by race but by life experiences as well. Even more importantly, it can help you create an environment that melds all those diverse individuals into a cohesive team.

3. The Power of Moments

In your ministry, there are always memorable moments. Powerful moments.

• Working with another staff member to bring someone to Christ
• Discipling a new member and seeing her faith grow
• Seeing new visitors entering your church doors for the first time

Wouldn’t you like to make even the most mundane moments matter more? In this book, you and your leadership team will learn how to create even more of those memorable moments and turn them into life-changing events.

4. Atomic Habits

When it comes to building habits, it’s the tiniest changes that can yield results, Atomic Habits author James Clear claims. If you’ve ever made a New Year’s resolution that demanded you make a huge change in your diet, you probably know that sudden, massive shifts in habits are the fastest road to failure. At least, that’s been our experience.

However, if you changed your lifestyle one small step at a time – such as taking smaller portions of your favorite foods instead of giving them up altogether, chances are good that you have achieved your goal of losing weight. In Atomic Habits, Clear provides the instructions you and your team need to effect the small changes to your work habits that can lead to achieving great things in the long run.

5. Leading from the Inside Out

Church members have high expectations of their leaders – as well they should. In Leading from the Inside Out, you’ll learn how to turn your leadership skills inward to lead your inner self toward a deeper walk with Christ – and a private life that reflects that walk.

Christ Himself modeled that kind of self-leadership. As the Great Shepherd, He had to turn his staff upon Himself to guide him through a host of challenges, from His temptation in the desert to his journey to the cross.

We can do no less, at least as humanly possible. This book, and its accompanying study guide and self-leadership workshop, can help you and your church leadership teams get there.

6. First Things First

Burnout is an issue that often confronts church leaders. Because our mission is so great, we often revolve our whole lives around our ministry.

But where does that leave your family? What about your personal life – that alone time you need to refresh your soul for the next challenge?

Neglect these areas at your own peril. It’s a sure recipe for burnout and bitterness.

Avoiding burnout is the spiritual version of the speech that the flight attendant gives when you board a plane. Put on your oxygen mask before you help others.

Without the spiritual oxygen that family and me-time give you, your ministry will grow ineffective. If you’re bitter enough, you might even harm the ones you’ve poured your whole life into helping.

In First Things First, Stephen Covey teaches leaders to redirect their priorities into a balanced set of goals that prioritize both their personal and ministry goals. It’s the perfect book to help you and your team make the most of your summer downtime.

One More Resource to Drive More Effective Church Leadership

There’s one more resource that can help you engage your congregation while taking some of the pressure off your leadership team. With The StudioC’s church membership engagement platform, you can deliver personalized messaging that will help your members on their own journeys toward Christ-controlled self-leadership. For your free demo, contact The StudioC team today!