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10 Steps to Make 2025 Your Best Ministry Year Ever


2025 is off and running. We are already three weeks in. How is it going for you so far? 

 

I believe 2025 can be your best ministry year ever.  No matter what 2024 looked like...2025 is a great time to push the reset button. 


Let's look at some practical steps we can take to make 2025 a great year. 


Spend time with Jesus every day.


If you want to have a great year, then it is crucial that you spend time with Jesus.

 

Jesus said this in John 15:5.


“Yes, I am the vine; you are the branches. Those who remain in me, and I in them, will produce much fruit. For apart from me you can do nothing."


As you spend time with Jesus, He will fill you with His power and anointing.  As you rely upon Him, He will do great works through you this coming year.


Many years ago, when I first started in ministry, I was invited to speak at a youth service event.  Back then, I kept all my sermon notes in brown notebooks. I had several of them. When it was time to go to speak at the youth service event, I grabbed one of the brown notebooks and drove to the church. 


When I got up to speak, I opened the brown notebook and uh-oh.  I had grabbed the wrong notebook.  The sermon in that notebook had nothing to do with a youth service.  I was in deep trouble. I begin to stutter and stammer.  After about 5 minutes of this...I gave up.  I closed my Bible and explained what had happened. I felt like a failure.  


I had everyone stand for a time of invitation, not expecting anything to happen after the mess these poor people had to listen to. But then something miraculous began to happen.  Teens started leaving their seats and coming forward to accept Jesus.  Tears began to flow.  You could feel the presence of the Holy Spirit and He was moving in a supernatural way.  Teens that the church had been praying for over many years came forward and surrendered to Jesus.  I couldn't believe it.  It was definitely a God thing and had nothing to do with me.  Anyone who listened to my pitiful sermon that night would be in agreement. 


Well, there was another service the next day.  I had enough time to go back and get the correct, brown notebook.  Now I was ready!  Just think what would happen today when I preached my "fancy, polished" sermon out. If the bad sermon could have such a response, just think what the response could be with an actual sermon! 


I preached my "fancy" sermon.  I gave the invitation.  Nothing happened. Not even a hand was raised. No one came forward.  It was dead as a door nail in the room.


As I was driving home, God reminded me of this verse found in Zechariah 4:6.


 'Not by might, nor by power, but by my Spirit, says the Lord Almighty—you will succeed because of my Spirit," 

  

Spending time with Jesus each day will help you remember this and will bring His power into your ministry.


Invite someone to join your volunteer team every week.


If you've read my writings any amount of time, you've probably heard me say this...


"Everything rises and falls on the strength of your volunteer team." 


If you are going to have a great 2025 in children's ministry, you must weekly invest in building your volunteer team. Decide now that you are going to invite people to join your team each week. Don't complain about not having enough volunteers if you are not asking people to volunteer.


The best way to build your team this year will be personal, 1-1 invites. 


That's how Jesus built His team of disciples.  Stay consistent...week in and week out...invite people to serve...one at a time. Do this and you will look up at the end of 2025 and see your volunteer team is stronger.


If you've never read my book "The Formula for Building Great Volunteer Teams," it will be a big help. This book contains the formula I used to build a volunteer team of over 2,000.  You can get your copy at this link.


Set some goals.


What do you want to accomplish in 2025?  Write down some goals.  Write down the steps you are going to take to meet those goals. 


Take care of yourself.


A healthy ministry comes from a healthy leader.  You can't have a great year if you burn out in the process of trying to have a great year.  

Get some rest.  Take your day off.  Use your vacation time.  Spend time with your family.  Have some hobbies that will take your mind off all you are responsible for.  Work out.  Find these and other ways to combat stress.


Write a thank you note to someone every week.


Express your appreciation to others each week.  One of the best and most meaningful ways to do this is to write personal,  handwritten thank you notes.  Write out 3-4 each week.  This may seem like a small thing but it can help you make a huge impact in people's lives.


Surround yourself with positive people.


You will become like the people you surround yourself with.  Love everyone equally...but be very selective with the people you spend a lot of time with.  You do not need any "Negative Nellies" bringing down your spirit and attitude. 


Your 'inner circle" needs to be positive people who are going to build you up instead of people who are intent on tearing you down.

 

This doesn't mean you don't listen to negative feedback.  This doesn't mean you surround yourself with only "yes men."  


But it does mean those closest to you are upbeat, encouraging people.


Spend more time with those you love.


If you want to have a great 2025, then learn to prioritize.  


God 

Family

Ministry 


That is the order that will lead you to a balanced ministry.  Remember your greatest ministry is your family.  Don't give them the leftovers of your time and resources.


Find a mentor.


Most elite athletes have a trainer.  Not matter what level they are at, they realize they can get better with a trainer.  You need a mentor.  Find someone who is older than you.  Someone who has been in ministry for a long time. Someone who has a proven track record.


Ask to meet with them at least once a week.  Come ready with leadership questions to ask them.  Give them permission to ask you the hard questions. 


A mentor can help you get to the next level.  Here is the link for the mentor, coaching program I offer. 


Say no to some things.


If you want to make 2025 your best ministry year ever, you will need to believe and know that less is more. You can do a bunch of things this year mediocre or you can do a few things with excellence. 


What do you need to erase from your calendar?  What are you doing just because it's always been done that way?  What are you doing just because Sister So and So started the program back in 1956?  Honor the past without letting the past dictate how you are going to do ministry now.


What you say "no" to is just as important as what you say "yes" to.  Figure out which parts of the ministry are having a big impact.  Then figure out what is not bearing fruit.  Use discernment to decide what you will continue doing and what you will stop doing. 


By the way...if you have been in ministry very long, you know that people will try to get you to start additional ministries.  Listen to them, weigh out if you want that ministry to be one of the few things you do and then let them know why or why not you will be doing that ministry.  This takes courage at times. But be committed to doing less for more even when you are approached by additional ministry opportunities. 


Just remember this...sometimes something good has to be stopped so something else can become great. 


What do you want to be great in your ministry?  Bring your time, energy, and finances to that item.


Be committed to personal growth.


Have you grown comfortable?  Complacent?  Content?


It's easy to put things in neutral.  But that is not what you want to do if you want to get to the next level in your leadership. 


Personal growth happens when you get outside your comfort zone.  Stretch yourself this year.  Do some things that are challenging to you.  Have a hunger to grow and learn.  


Do these 10 things and I believe with you that 2025 will be your best ministry year ever.

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