{"id":31654,"date":"2022-09-10T15:38:55","date_gmt":"2022-09-10T20:38:55","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/sermons\/5-new-years-resolutions-every-church-leader-should-make-and-keep\/"},"modified":"2022-09-10T15:38:55","modified_gmt":"2022-09-10T20:38:55","slug":"5-new-years-resolutions-every-church-leader-should-make-and-keep","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/sermons\/5-new-years-resolutions-every-church-leader-should-make-and-keep\/","title":{"rendered":"5 New Year’s Resolutions Every Church Leader Should Make\u2014and Keep"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Cristian Escobar photo – Unsplash<\/div>\n

By Derwin L. Gray<\/em><\/p>\n

Most ministry leaders tend to be goal setters, especially during this season. We’re closing out a year and gazing ahead to the possibilities of a blank calendar.<\/p>\n

We\u2019re visionaries, looking to see where God is going to take us individually as people, and corporately in our households and our congregations.<\/p>\n

We make pronouncements of how we\u2019re going to do better\u2014as a spouse, parent, church leader, student, whatever roles we have.<\/p>\n

But most of us don\u2019t follow through on these commitments\u2014often labeled \u201cNew Year\u2019s Resolutions\u201d we make in December. Goal setting is a good thing, but my advice? Stop making resolutions to \u201cbe better.\u201d<\/p>\n

Instead, consider making these resolutions that I think you\u2019ll find are not only more life-giving than any haphazard target to keep aiming at, but also will be beneficial in being who God made you to be.<\/p>\n

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1. Resolve to receive the ministry of Jesus to<\/em> you before the ministry through<\/em> you.<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Resolutions tend to be focused on what we\u2019re<\/em> going to do. And I think we need to focus more on what Christ has done for us.<\/p>\n

As ministry leaders, it\u2019s important that we focus on receiving the ministry of Christ to<\/em> us before performing His ministry through<\/em> us.<\/p>\n

So often we allow working for God to destroy the work of God in us. And it\u2019s a failure for us think what we do is more important who we are in Christ.<\/p>\n

God doesn\u2019t need us. He allows us to participate in His redemptive purposes because He loves us. And the overflow of that love is His ministry through us. And so we want to recapture a focus on the sacred romance of intimacy with Christ into me.<\/p>\n

And so as we see the heart of God for us, that moves us and compels us, but so often we forget about our first love and we go to working for<\/em> God instead of being with<\/em> God.<\/p>\n

When our ministry flows first from working for God this leads to burnout, idolatry, and pride.<\/p>\n

Being with<\/em> God moves us to an act of worship. God wants us to be holding Him because he\u2019s holding us. Let\u2019s strive to have our ministries marked by His presence.<\/p>\n

2. Resolve to focus on your personal discipleship.<\/strong><\/h3>\n

A church leader\u2019s discipleship is crucial to the health of a local church because we can\u2019t give away what we don\u2019t possess.<\/p>\n

Discipleship is partnering with the Holy Spirit through the Word of God and the people of God to be conformed to the image of the Son of God.<\/p>\n

And for us as leaders to image the Son of God is to love Him with all our heart, mind, soul, and strength, and to love our neighbors as ourselves.<\/p>\n

The more we\u2019re discipled, the more we\u2019re growing in love. And love looks like the fruit of the spirit. The fruit of love is patience, kindness, gentleness, self-control, faithfulness\u2014all those beautiful aspects.<\/p>\n

We want to join the Holy Spirit in cultivating that type of life in us. The most important gift I can give my family\u2014and my church\u2014is my holiness, not my gifting.<\/p>\n

3. Resolve to be more concerned with your leadership team\u2019s spiritual intake instead of their work output.<\/strong><\/h3>\n

The church I lead, Transformation Church has existed for 10 years. And every Tuesday since our church began, we have a staff gathering called \u201cTransformation Time\u201d where outside church leaders who\u2019ve been in ministry for decades join us and pour into our leadership team.<\/p>\n

One of the things that has shocked me is that many of our guests for this weekly meeting have said some form of, I\u2019ve never been a part of a church, nor have I heard of a church where you spend the first part of a day discipling your staff.<\/em><\/p>\n

They were just blown away, but nothing about discipling my staff seems particularly revolutionary. Right now we’re reading through the book of Acts together.<\/p>\n

We\u2019ve made a commitment that leadership without discipleship is failure. Discipleship, which is being conformed to the image of Christ, is the ultimate way to produce healthy leadership.<\/p>\n

Oftentimes the church is more concerned about competency than character. We want to develop character that produces competent leaders.<\/p>\n

And so staff and\/or volunteer discipleship and development should be of preeminent importance to any church leader.<\/p>\n

4. Resolve to invest in soul care. <\/strong><\/h3>\n

We become pastors and ministry leaders because we love humanity. We love our congregations.<\/p>\n

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See also  What Sparks Evangelical Generosity? Discipleship<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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But the problem is we\u2019re so busy pumping everybody else\u2019s gas. The danger of doing work for God is when we begin to think we don’t need the same grace we preach and teach.<\/p>\n

Soul care is important to all aspects of our health\u2014mental, spiritual, emotional, and even physical. I have a Sabbath and it\u2019s typically on Friday. That means I go fishing. That means I do things that recharge me\u2014that bring me delight.<\/p>\n

It ultimately means I\u2019m resting.<\/p>\n

Silence is also important in soul care. We live in a day when screens are always on; there\u2019s always noise. We\u2019ve lost the ancient discipline of silence where we\u2019re hearing the heart of God, where we\u2019re not just talking to God\u2014we\u2019re listening.<\/p>\n

Solitude is good as well. I love to go for walks (when my back isn\u2019t hurting). I just want to experience God\u2019s presence.<\/p>\n

Growing in Jesus takes a lifetime. When we\u2019re made new, we\u2019re made new at the core of our being. But we still have the old vestiges\u2014who we used to be that comes back to haunt us. God brings us out of Egypt in a moment, but it takes a lifetime to get Egypt out of us.<\/p>\n

Sometimes that might require speaking with a therapist in order to give ourselves the soul care we need and for those we lead. Sometimes this means we need other leader friends we can pour into and who can pour into us.<\/p>\n

Do you have a church staff or leadership team of volunteers you can confide in? The lead pastor in a church doesn\u2019t have to be the strongest at all times.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s okay to show vulnerability in front of those we lead. Not only is it okay\u2014it\u2019s healthy to do so.<\/p>\n

Here are some questions to consider as you assess your level of soul care:<\/p>\n