New Year, New You

Can you believe that 2025 is upon us? Several of you will be making new goals and resolutions to bring you into the new year. Some of you will lose weight, drink less, and quit smoking. Most of you won't. Those are all noble goals, but I would like to challenge you with some goals related to your soul and local congregation:

1. Bible Reading: Most Christians will pick up their Bible on January 1 and seek to restart their habits of Bible reading. There are several good plans to keep you on track and accountable. Read the Word.
2. Memorizing is good for your brain as well as for your soul. Commit to memorizing the Westminster Shorter Catechism or the Heidelberg Catechism. Both of these are easy to memorize, having been accomplished for hundreds of years, and will provide you with a theological framework to what you believe.
3. Surely you have wanted to visit the elderly, widows, lonely, and needy in your congregation. For this coming year, make a list of those in your congregation that are shut-in, elderly, lonely, or have various needs and put them on a visitation rotation. Depending on the size of your congregation you can invest in their lives, make new friendships, and fulfill the Apostle James's definition of true religion.
4. Why does your church have financial needs? In part it is because most American evangelicals do not tithe. Studies have shown that between 12-15% of American evangelical households tithe. You have meant to start tithing--why don't you see what a difference you can make in your congregation through this small act of faith.
5. Young people today, am I right? Yes, you are right. Our young people are in need of mentorship. Read/study through a Christian classic with a very small group of young people from your church as you talk to them about issues related to their lives. Do it for six weeks. When you are finished, you can begin afresh.
6. Your church directory has a list of names, phone numbers and email addresses. It can also serve as a weekly prayer guide for the whole of your congregation. Prioritizing praying for the people in your church can be as easy as dividing the congregation into a Monday through Saturday list for prayer.
7. Memorize a Psalm a week. They are set to music, which makes memorizing so much easier. When spiritual attacks come--you will have 52 new portions of the Scripture to meditate on and sing.
8. There are 62 volumes in the current Puritan Paperback series by Banner of Truth. Pick twelve that look great to you and read one a month. By the end of 2025 you will have twelve books read. Did you read twelve books last year? I bet you meant to.
9. Pick a pastor in your denomination or closely related fellowship; listen to a sermon of his posted online. Write him a real letter of encouragement (think paper, think stamp) after you listen. Make this a once-a-week commitment throughout the year. You will be a huge blessing to the church.
10. Commit yourself to your deacon board as a volunteer. Tell them you would like a project or assignment which they would normally be doing. Once you complete the assignment or project--ask them for another.

These are just a few ideas for resolutions. Invest in your soul. Invest in your congregation.