New Year Resolutions for the Church and Pastor

By William H. Jones

If churches and ministers take on these resolutions as goals and work hard at achieving them, it will go a long way in bringing much fruit in the coming year.

1. We will keep our church clean. We will check regularly to make sure restrooms, children’s areas, and the kitchen are clean and not cluttered.

2. We will teach the blessing of the tithe. God promised to bless us if we did it. You find this in Malachi! Fear of speaking about tithing and generous giving robs Christ-followers of experiencing God’s promised blessing.

3. We will plug into something in our community to bring Christ’s presence there:
•    Volunteer to read to kids at a local school.
•    Join a Lions or Kiwanis club.
•    Become a volunteer fireman.
•    Volunteer at the local library.
•    Help with Girl Scouts or Boy Scouts.
•    Join a disaster relief committee.
•    Volunteer at the hospital.
•    Give blood regularly.

4. We will offer Financial Peace University or Crown Financial Planning for our community and church.

5. We will provide a quality (no-cringe) worship experience each Sunday.

6. We will not tolerate gossip, un-forgiveness, backbiting, or mean-spiritedness in our church.

7. We will not allow political opinions to be discussed in our worship, Sunday school, or small groups. God is not a Democrat or Republican! Politics divides, while Christ calls us to unity in him!

8. We will communicate with our constituents what is happening in the Church of God both nationally and in our state so that our people will know they are connected to a larger body and take advantage of the opportunities that connection provides.

9. We will do all we can to promote unity and support congregations in our area. (both Church of God and non-Church of God).

10. We will plan ahead and celebrate Pastor’s Appreciation Month in October so that our pastoral staff will know that we care for them and appreciate what they do.

11. We each will find one person that we can love and serve in the name of Christ, praying for their salvation, and for opportunities to share the gospel with them. If each person in our congregations can reach one person for Christ this year, we will double our church size, and because new believers will also share their faith, the kingdom will grow exponentially.

12. We will give up jealousy, envy, and criticism of churches that are growing in our community. Instead we will rejoice with their success, praying for their new believers that they will grow to maturity in Christ and have an effective ministry.

13. If our church is growing rapidly, we will thank God, but not gloat or brag, realizing that the growth is his blessing. Bragging discourages those churches and pastors who are not presently having such success. But we will pray that all churches in our region will experience similar success, and we will be willing to help them do so.

Have a blessed and productive 2014!

Dr. William H. Jones is the state pastor of the General Assembly of the Church of God in Michigan. This article was originally published in the January–March 2014 issue of Action, a publication of the Church of God in Michigan. Used by permission.