Many leaders are exhausted not from lack of faith, but from leading alone. Constant affirmation and constant criticism distort or deny leadership. What leaders need isn’t more noise, but the right voices.
Christian growth is not automatically produced by information, imitation, or religious effort. Drawing on 30 years of church leadership, this guide explores how to grow as a Christian through the rhythm of Knowing, Growing, and Going – shaping faith that is rooted, resilient, and lived out in everyday life.
As the year opens, John 15 reminds us that vines grow through seasons, not constant progress. Pruning can feel brutal, tough soil can feel like the wrong place, and winter can feel empty – but the Father is the vinedresser. Hard ground doesn’t mean you’re misplaced -it may be preparing you for fruit still to come.
If disappointment isn’t dealt with at the end of the year, it doesn’t disappear – it comes with us. Here’s a biblical way to close one chapter before opening the next.
Some say AI will destroy the future of work.
Paul says ministry was never a job to begin with – it was a grace to steward.
AI can do admin.
It can’t administer God’s grace.
That distinction will matter – more than ever.
Something is stirring in our culture for those with eyes to see it. It’s an answer to prayer. It’s not a loud movement or a headline-grabbing revival, but a quiet turning of hearts. We are seeing people who would never call themselves religious asking deeper questions, reading the Bible, and finding themselves drawn toward Jesus. The story of the Magi reminds us that this kind of searching is not new. Long before they were imagined to be riding camels on Christmas cards and in carols, ancient seekers followed a faint light in the darkness, trusting there was more to life than what they could see. Their journey helps us understand why curious moderns today are finding God in remarkably similar ways.
The questions is not, ‘Do we run systems?’ We all will. Even chaos is a system!
The question is ‘Are the systems healthy?’
Delegation and empowering others is a vital aspect of effective leadership that can prevent burnout and promote a thriving ministry.
Leadership development is a journey that requires intention, planning, and a willingness to invest in others.
As I studied John 1 again, I noticed a pattern — a progression, that mirrors how someone comes to know God, grow in His love, and go out to make a difference. And I’m not saying this is like The Bible Code to start some conspiracy, but…
It matches perfectly with Ivy’s Discipleship Pathway!
DISCOVER → DELIVER → DEVOTE → DEVELOP → DEPLOY
Let’s walk through the passage and see how this unfolds.
Plans are better than goals
Pretty much everyone sets goals. We’re fast headed toward New Year’s Resolutions time which are just goals you make with a Christmas paunch or hangover.
But a goal without a plan is just a daydream.
So let me ask you a simple question:
What’s your plan to develop as a leader this coming year?