Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, we at Preaching Today thought it would be good to get pastors together and talk about their summer sermon series. We had a wonderful chance to chat with a few Preaching Today members about how they have or have not pivoted their summer series.

If you missed the webinar be sure to check out the video! And join Matt Woodley, Lawrence Aker III, and Matt Erickson as they discuss their summer sermon series. We also invited 4 attendees to discuss their series with us live during the webinar. (The series ideas that are discussed live are in bold below.) This video is well worth your time and will hopefully provide you with some creative ideas to help you think about your own summer series.

We liked reading all of the sermon series ideas that were being shared in the chat, so we wanted to make them available to you. Check out the entire list below!

Summer Sermon Series Ideas

Old Testament

Ordinary People, Extraordinary God. A series on Old Testament characters—Todd Weber

“Summer in the Psalms” a 10-week series on various kinds of Psalms: Torah, Wisdom, Lament (individual and communal), Praise, Thanksgiving, etc. As well as Psalms of Trust (individual and communal), Imprecatory, Royal, etc. Also thought about the title “Psalter Summer” or “Summer Psalter.” Jesus quoted the Psalms more than any other OT book. That says a lot! Luther and Bonhoeffer loved them too. Big Idea: Imprecatory psalms are “songs of anger” or “songs of wrath”; they arise from the character and actions of one’s enemies. In this Imprecatory psalm (Psalm 69), David asks the just God to harshly judge - even reign down curses on his enemies. How do these psalms fit with Jesus’ call to love our enemies and pray for them?—Randy Rozelle

I am doing a different Psalm every few weeks inserted between series to keep trying to meet the emotional as well as spiritual needs as we go along. Some are finding this increasingly difficult over time....—Steve Forsey

Summer of Psalms—Faith Bosmans

4-part Jonah for July—Scott McKee

Major Lessons from the Minor Prophets—Mike Sullivan

Is anybody preaching on the exilic or post exilic prophets? I am seeing a lot of crossover with Babylonian Exile to those of us who are under stay at home orders. I am planning to do a first person sermon from the book of Esther for 4th of July on how to approach people in governmental power.—Bill Dodge

New Testament

I'm playing with a series on Matt. 11:28-29 "Come unto me all who are weary and heavy laden and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn of me, for I am gentle and humble of heart and you will find rest for your soul" Sermons on weariness, rest, Jesus' yoke, learning, inclusion ("all who are weary").—David Wright

Series on Sermon on the Mount, called, "Credo Ergo Ago." We have a pair of preachers - moving back and forth between what is Jesus saying (one sermon) and how do we apply what Jesus is saying (next sermon)—Geoff Kohler

Kingdom - Jesus' words on the KOG—Brian Boone

Either a series on the Lord's Prayer or on the 12 steps of discipleship—Bill Dodge

“Just Jesus” Mark 1-8—Steve McMillan

"What Now?" Working through 1 and 2 Peter on living in times of social disruption—Bryan Wilkerson

We're doing a series "Dear Church...", walking through 1 Peter. What things is God saying to a hurting Church?—Jamie Jordan

Either Civil (dis)obedience? Romans 13 or Allegiance: Citizens of the United States or the Kingdom of God which comes first?—Kirt Wiggins

I am tracking with Matt Erickson - We are in 2 Corinthians and we are teaching the church to be the church. We might look at 2 Chronicles 7:14 in the fall. There is a national emphasis by Johnathan Cahn.—David A. Guerrero

We are now starting a series on Philippians: Joy in Every Circumstance.—Ken Shigematsu

Liturgical Calendar

Following the liturgical calendar (unusual for The Salvation Army, at least in the UK) but have been amazed (why?!) just how much each week speaks into our current situation.— Rob Westwood-Payne

Topical

A Faith That Works (When Life Doesn't}. Four themes: Confidence in God; Stronger and Better; Life of Person; Contentment and Joy. Several weeks on each theme based on texts from Paul's letters.—John Sommerville

The Story - God’s Message of Hope—Terri Swan

“Stories of Grace” - My six favorite biblical stories on God’s grace and his power to transform our situation—Robert Wheeler

What the Church Should Always Be Doing—John White

For the series "Hope Has A Name," I searched Preaching Today for the word "hope," then narrowed results to sermons. From there, it's rich & fun to see the scope of passages from Genesis to Revelation that speak to hope, and how a variety of pastors have gone after that.—Kenneth Cavanagh

God on the Mountaintops and in the Valleys— Paul Fredericks

"How to be a good neighbor" - haven't chosen biblical texts yet—Derek Ellens

A series on the Trinity based on Dr. Geordie Ziegler’s book Trinitarian Grace and Participation…and An Entry into the Theology of T.F. Torrance.—Chris Montovino

The “One Anothers” of Scripture and “what might God be saying during these unique times”—Jonathan Gonyou

"New Beginnings" through the month of June (as we re-open public worship). I was at the church 1 Sunday before we had to shelter at home. "New Beginnings" is really a multi-meaning title.—Kendall Franklin

Considering a pivot toward a June / July spiritual disciplines series to help our people find spiritual rhythm in uncertain times.—Jason Bybee

Encountering God in the Everyday. I try and teach in parables. Jesus preached in parables so that everyone could understand the Kingdom of God. I’m also looking at a month long series on Jonah about grace in an unlikely place and running away.—Karen Mitchell

We’re doing a topical sermon series called: “You Asked for It!” It will help our people know how to Biblically respond to tough topics. We will look at subjects like: Suicide, Abortion, Same-Sex Attraction, Money, Politics, and more. We try to write out summer series so it doesn’t build on itself for those who travel. That will be interesting to see how this summer plays out. We will be all over the Scripture for our sermon series. We will look at Matthew, Malachi, Genesis, Ephesians, John, Joshua, and the Psalms—Neal Benson

"Divine Disruption": a look at narrative texts when God used major disruption to his glory and human transformation.—Greg Grant

A series called, "Staycation: Open Your Eyes to What God's Doing around You". I go to different places around our province and shoot a video that reminds me of a Bible passage and opens up a topic, e.g. lighthouses, wind turbines, sheep farms, natural wonders. Here are a couple of Passages I'll be dealing with: John 10:1-16 and Psalm 51. I don't have all the texts set for this summer, but those are a few. That last message I mentioned was a video shoot about removing the smelly seaweed from our beaches, and using that as an illustration of repentance and how God wants to excise sinful thoughts and habits, based on Psalm 51.—Cory Somers

Currently Preaching: Lessons from Quarantine based on Biblical characters who went through exile, prison, waiting. Not sure about after middle of June.—Timothy Brokaw

We just did a series on "Meeting God in Isolation" David meets God in the cave, Jesus meets God in the wilderness, Paul meets God in prison, John meets God on Patmos.—Ken Shigematsu

Pivoted to do a series now called “LIGHT AHEAD: a future as bright as the promises of God” based on Adoniram Judson’s (or William Carey’s quote)—John Houmes

We just finished a series on "Comfort" - God's Care in Crisis—Geoff Kohler

Our summer series is most often about rest and renewal, and I think we will still head there again. Just looking for a point of direction with a focus on the idea of Soul Detox.—Karen Heppner

5 week series on Encounter Jesus Humility / Defense / Compassion / Servant Leadership / Restoration. Following up with a 4 week series "None Greater" using Matthew Barretts book describing the attributes of God.— Lance Ladd