Five Pastoral New Year’s Resolutions that Aren’t About You

Most New Year’s resolutions focus inward on personal growth, habits, and goals. On this episode, Josh and Sam challenge church leaders to flip the script on traditional resolutions by making them about the people you serve, not yourself. Instead of trying to become a better version of you, resolve to make those around you better.

1. 1. Serve First: True leadership begins with serving others. When pastors lead by serving their teams and congregations, they model sacrifice for the mission—not self-interest.
   2. Simplify Work: Complexity drains energy. Great leaders take on extra work themselves to make ministry simpler and clearer for their people.
   3. Release Problems: Not every problem can be solved. Wise leaders discern which issues to release rather than forcing solutions that frustrate followers.
   4. Yield Preferences: Humble leaders don’t confuse personal preferences with vision. They invite others into the process and build collective ownership of direction.
   5. Recognize Pride: Pride is leadership’s silent destroyer. Healthy pastors set up accountability to keep their humility in check and protect the church from ego-driven decisions.

Leadership isn’t about control. It’s about stewardship. This year, make resolutions that elevate those you lead, not just yourself.

Resources:

• “Leadership in a Chaotic World” by Dr. Andrew Walker, Dr. Justin Irving, and Dr. Jeremy Pierre

• Doctor of Ministry, The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary

• Chaney & Associates

• FREE Research Report! New Surprising Insights

• Church Answers Central

• The Hope Initiative

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