They call it conditioning—this building of strength in mind and body—and it’s essential in sports. The Bible talks about it in 1 Corinthians 9:24-27. But you wonder, Does this apply to my ministry? Absolutely! Summer is upon us, and I know you’re ready for a break, so please don’t look on this as an attempt to pull the beach towel out from under your feet. But before fall rushes in and your programming revs back up, now is the time to initiate your own conditioning routine. It takes a little effort, but fortunately instead of laps you can focus on MEPS: your Mental, Emotional, Physical, and Spiritual self.

Limber up your mental self. As you store your materials for the summer, start making the fall easier by creating a couple of lists before time (and memory) slip away. Make one list of the materials and resources you have, and another of what you’ll need. If you have any money left in your budget, flip through all those catalogs cluttering your desk and decide where you can spend it to do the most good for the year ahead.

But don’t stop there! Use your church’s bulletin to ask people for leftover school materials such as crayons, pencils, and pens (they’re wrapping up a school year too!), or print a wish list for replacement audiovisual equipment.

Revitalize your emotional self. Summer is a perfect opportunity for re-evaluating situations when you’re not in the midst of a conflict and can think more clearly. Could you have handled a situation differently? What did you learn that you could use later?

Also, why not take the time now to be kind to your own emotions. Make time to concentrate on you, your hobbies, and your interests. Most importantly, don’t feel guilty about it!

Exercise your physical self. Let summer entice you to play, enjoy, and rejuvenate your body. The fall can bring physical demands from moving furniture to unpacking textbooks as you shift into overdrive when Labor Day approaches. Take stock of your physical self while time permits, and take care of you.

Pump up your spiritual self. Developing programs and organizing events for the enhancement of the spirituality of others can ultimately allow your own spiritual growth to be swept under the rug. Take inventory of what you’re missing spiritually. Have you kept a dedicated time to meditate and pray? Have you slowed down long enough to really listen to God and hear what he’s saying to you? Never forget you can only give to others what you already have yourself.

Keeping yourself in shape mentally, emotionally, physically, and spiritually is the best gift you can give to yourself, to everyone on your ministry team, and to those who seek your ministry. A person who is upbeat, feels good, and has a vision to share is contagious—in a good way! It’s all in the conditioning.

Molly Wright has served as director of religious education at St. Thomas More Newman Center in Columbia, Missouri, for 10 years.

(An expanded version of this article with more details and tips has been added to Church Volunteer Central’s Idea Depot. Get the whole story here.)

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