Looking Ahead
Did you make any New Year’s resolutions? If you did, have you stayed true to them?
I didn’t make any resolutions, but I did set several goals for 2023. These goals help me direct my energy and attention. Without these goals, I leave myself vulnerable to chase after good things while neglecting the best things. Without goals, I lack a clear direction for how I’m growing as a disciple of Jesus and equipping leaders to start new churches.
Goals not only direct us; they motivate us. They guard against complacency and apathy. They instill in us a holy discontent for the status quo.
One goal Passion for Planting has this year is launching a new and improved version of our PlanterPlan software. PlanterPlan helps church planters create relevant goals and guides them in achieving major milestones on their church planting journey. Right now we’re putting the finishing touches on this latest version and look forward to releasing it in March. Stay tuned for that.
What are your goals for 2023? Where are you leading yourself and others this year? Don’t just settle for surviving, thrive with the help of several godly, faith-stretching goals.
One goal you may have this year as a church is to give birth. Could this be the year your church focuses its resources towards starting a new church that will reach more people with the gospel? This won’t happen by accident. It will require an intentional strategy which we can help you develop and implement. If your church is interested in multiplying its impact through church planting, we’d love to support you in that effort.
2023 is still young. Don’t waste it. Make the most of it. Dream big. Set goals. Take risks. Pray hard and take back ground for the Kingdom. You can do it and we can help.
Keep reading to discover tools and ideas to help you lead better and multiply your influence for Christ’s Kingdom. Enjoy!
-Patrick Bradley, Director of Operations
January 2023 – Contents
- What Are You Measuring?
- What Are You Reading?
- Where Are You Going?
- Who Are You Going To Reach?
What Are You Measuring in 2023?
Goals are most effective when you have a way to track your progress towards them. This is true of individuals as well as churches. Think for a second what your measure as a church: Do you measure attendance? Do you measure giving? Most churches do because these measurements are easy to track and offer insight into the health of the church. However, the insight offered through these measurements is very shallow. After all, circuses gauge success by how many people show up and how much money they give. So, what do you need to measure to assess the health of your church?
Can you measure the number of people serving? Can you count the number of people surrendering their lives to Christ and being discipled? Can you calculate how many people are being trained to share their faith and are doing it? Yes! And with the help of tools like Church Metrics, you can track this data and see trends so you can make better decisions as a leader. Church Metrics is free and easy to use. First, determine what you need to measure and then let Church Metrics help you develop a tracking system to measure what matters.
What Are You Reading in 2023?
Do you have any reading goals this year? Do you have a Bible reading plan that will guide your time in God’s word? Do you have a list of books you want to read to inspire and help you grow as a leader? Reading is wonderful exercise for your mind. Just as physical exercise helps our bodies stay healthy, so the exercise of reading helps our minds stay sharp.
If you need a little motivation to jump start your reading regimen this year read 5 Unexpected Reasons Every Leader Should Be A Leader by Joe Terrell. To get you started creating your reading list for the coming year check out these recommendations from Brian Dodd and Chris Abbott. We challenge you to read a different book every month because a leader is a reader.
Where Are You Going in 2023?
Where do you want to be when January 2024 rolls around? Do you have a clear vision for where you’re heading as a spouse, parent, disciple, and church leader? Does your church and its leaders have a clear sense of direction for where you’re heading over the next 12 months?
Determining where you want to be a year from now, will help you figure out what you need to give your time and attention to today, tomorrow and the next because the way you achieve big goals is by taking small steps towards those goals every day. To help you clarify where you’re heading this year and determine the small steps you can take to help you get there, utilize the Horizon Storyline Planning Template created by Will Mancini. It’ll help you move forward with purpose into 2023.
Who Are You Going To Reach in 2023?
Does evangelism ever seem like a lost cause to you? Does it seem like every person you share your faith with is uninterested in the gospel? If so, perhaps you need to reconsider how you can align your evangelistic efforts with the movement of the Holy Spirit to share the greatest news of all time with a world that desperately needs it.
If you’re wrestling with what effective evangelism looks like in our day and age, please consider joining us at Exponential 2023. This year’s conference will gather thousands of church leaders to discuss what it means to reach out to friends, neighbors, colleagues and communities with the grace, peace and love of Jesus. In preparation for the conference Exponential published Revitalizing Evangelism, a free eBook, to help you evaluate your posture towards evangelism and reveal several challenges and opportunities we face as we seek to reach the lost in 2023.