Summer has a way of loosening things.
Schedules relax. Deadlines soften. Rhythms shift. For many college students, summer feels like an exhale. For those who do not take summer courses, it means papers are submitted, exams are done, and the pace slows.
And that is good.
As I’ve said in previous posts, rest is not laziness, it is stewardship.
But summer can quietly become something else if we are not careful.
It can become a drift.
In leadership formation, drift does not happen overnight. You read less. Reflect less. You substitute scrolling for studying. You replace intentional community with isolation. You call it “a break,” but what you are actually doing is losing momentum.
Summer is not a semester. But it is still a season.
And seasons shape us.
If you are a Bible college student, summer is not a gap in formation. It is an opportunity for a different kind of formation, one that is self-directed, creative, and deeply personal.
Here are a few ways to make the most of it.
1. Deepen One Area on Purpose
During the semester, you are required to read broadly. In summer, choose one area and go deep.
Maybe it is a doctrine you want to understand better. Maybe it is church history. Maybe it is apologetics, counseling, spiritual formation, leadership theory, or missions.
Pick one lane. Build a small reading plan. Take notes. Write reflections. Don’t do it for a grade. Do it to sharpen conviction.
A focused 8–10 weeks can elevate your clarity more than an entire semester of scattered attention.
2. Serve Where You Already Are
Summer is not only for intellectual growth. It is for embodied leadership.
Many of our students, faculty, and staff travel internationally for missions during the summer. It may be too late to sign up for a summer trip, but it’s never too late to serve at your church, lead a small group, or help an outreach.
You do not need a platform to practice leadership. You need proximity.
The best leaders I know did not wait for a title to start serving. They practiced faithfulness long before they were recognized for it.
3. Strengthen Your Theology Through Practice
Everything rises and falls on theology.
Summer is an ideal time to audit your own foundation. What do you actually believe? Can you articulate it? Can you defend it graciously? Can you explain it clearly to a new believer?
Try this:
- Write a one-page summary of the gospel.
- Explain the Trinity in plain language.
- Outline a biblical theology of suffering.
- Journal through a book of the Bible without consulting commentaries first.
The goal is not to impress anyone. It is to clarify your own thinking.
Clear theology stabilizes future leadership.
4. Invest in Your Physical and Emotional Health
I get it. For some, summer means late nights, fast food, minimal sleep, and high stress.
However, summer is a chance to recalibrate.
Move your body consistently. Establish a simple health rhythm. Improve your sleep discipline. Reduce digital noise. Schedule silence.
Leadership is holistic. You cannot separate spiritual maturity from physical stewardship. Fatigue distorts discernment. Chronic stress erodes clarity.
Do not wait until burnout to start caring for your health.
5. Have Intentional Conversations
Summer creates space for conversations.
Ask a pastor to coffee. Reach out to a professor. Connect with an older leader in your church. Ask questions about failure, longevity, decision-making, conflict, or calling.
Most experienced leaders are willing to share, if you ask.
Preparation is not only reading books. It is listening to people who have scars and wisdom.
6. Clarify Your Calling Without Forcing It
Summer often triggers anxiety.
“What am I supposed to do after graduation?”
“Am I in the right major?”
“Should I change direction?”
You do not need to solve your entire future in one summer.
Instead, focus on clarity over certainty.
Ask:
What burdens consistently surface in me?
What skills have others affirmed?
Where have I seen fruit?
What environments energize me rather than drain me?
Calling is usually confirmed through faithful action, not abstract speculation.
Keep serving. Keep learning. Keep listening.
Clarity grows through movement.
7. Create a Personal Rule of Life
If you have never done this, summer is a perfect time.
A simple Rule of Life outlines rhythms that keep you anchored. It can include:
- Daily Scripture reading plan
- Weekly Sabbath practice
- Physical training schedule
- Monthly mentoring check-in
- Service commitments
- Digital boundaries
It does not need to be complex, but it does need to be sustainable.
The goal is not productivity.
The goal is intentionality.
Summer can either dilute your formation or deepen it.
The difference is not in the calendar. It is in your posture.
Some students will treat summer as escape. Others will treat it as investment.
Three months may not feel significant, but over four years of study, that is nearly a full academic year of additional growth if stewarded well.
You do not need to overload yourself.
You need to avoid drifting.
Rest. Absolutely.
Travel if you can. Spend time with family. Enjoy slower mornings.
But do not disengage from becoming.
The leaders who endure are not the ones who sprint during semesters and disappear in the off-season. They are the ones who understand that formation is seasonal but continuous.
Don’t waste the summer.
Sharpen quietly.
Serve consistently.
Rest intentionally.
Grow deliberately.
When fall arrives, you will not simply return refreshed.
You will return stronger.
Dr. Carlo A. Serrano, President