With the new year comes resolutions that we all know will fade. All of the gyms in the country will be empty and barren by January 20th and Starbuck’s won’t have to order extra non-fat milk because everyone will go back to their normal drink. The new year always comes with ideas of new and change in our lives. Same thing with ministry. There are new dreams, prayers, products, games, stuff that are on the cutting edge. Maybe you will try them out and maybe they will help your ministry and maybe you will discover that that thing did not work for your context of ministry. It’s all about trying it out and seeing what works and how God moves through it.

When it comes to ministry, I think new things are great. I love trying new things and re-thinking ways to attempt something. But sometimes “old” still works. Here are some “old” things that have been around for a long, long time I think will never stop being successful with students and us leading them in groups. These are new year resolutions that won’t die out and they will always work.

Leader Spiritual Life – When the leader is spiritually healthy, chances are the ministry is not too far behind. There are so many things we let get in the way of our spiritual growth because it’s “ministry” related. Don’t let business keep you from being spirtually healthy and don’t let business hold you back so you can hold your ministry back. It’s a cliche, but “Speed of the leader speed of the team” and I’ll add “Speed of the ministry”.

Caring Adults – Having a team of caring adults who also pour into your students of your ministry will never go out of style and it will not ever fail. The more Godly voices we have pouring into our students the better. We know this. When a student can come to services or a small group and literally feel the love from many caring adult leaders, it’s a win. Keep building it. Keep adding them.

One-on-One Conversations – Services are great. Sermons are great. Camps are great. Events are great. But what makes them awesome are the opportunities they provide for one-on-one conversations with students. It’s the conversations we have with students that make the difference. That is where the discipleship happens. And just a side note: the more caring adults you have, the more one-on-one conversations you can have more often.

Teaching Jesus – The Gospel will never die out. It never fails. As long as we teach teaching the Good News of Jesus we will keep seeing student’s lives change. I’m addicted to life change, as I’m sure you are as well. Keep it Jesus-centered in teaching and curriculum and I’m sure this year we will see many lives changed by God.