Following Through on your Leadership and Ministry Goals

For me, it has come to the time of year where I'm really beginning to prepare for the coming summer that I'm working at CentriKid. During this time, I've begun to think about how I am to cast the vision that I have for how I want to minister. I'll be in a formal leadership position within the team for my first summer, so I find it even more crucial to create a cognitive road map of the goals I have and why I have those goals. I've found that the steps I'm taking to cast that vision for my ministry over the summer is helping a great deal and will keep me much more accountable to follow through on those goals. As a person who has struggled with following through on goals in the past, I've realized the difference it makes in your life when you follow through. Without following through on the ministry goals you set for yourself, those goals become wishes and hopes that "could have been". I've done my best to learn from those shortcomings, and these steps have definitely helped me to be more diligent in achieving my goals.

1. Pray and meditate. Pray and give real thought to what your goals are for your ministry, what you expect of yourself, and what you expect of the people on your team and write them down. Joshua 1:8 tells us to "Keep this Book of the Law always on your lips; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful." Joshua urges us to meditate on Scripture to be prosperous in our lives, and I think it goes the same for our ministry goals and expectations. The more you pray and meditate on what you expect of yourself and how you will glorify God in your ministry, the more likely you are to follow through.

2. Confirm your goals with Scripture. It's much harder to follow through on your goals when you don't have solid evidence for why you believe in those goals. When you confirm your goals through Scripture, you have a great reference point when you pray and meditate on your goals. Let Scripture be your main point of reference when you are determining your leadership and ministry goals.

3. Seek wise counsel. You don't have to be entirely original in your goals, nor do you have to keep them to yourself. Feedback on your goals from peers or mentors always helps. It may help you develop new goals, improve upon your own goals, or even realize where some goals don't match up with the Biblical standard God has set for you.

4. Be serious about your goals. You've set the goals out at this point. Don't compromise on them. Stand firm in following through on your goals and keep your mind focused toward Christ.  1 Peter 1:13 tells us, "Therefore, with your minds ready for action, be serious and set your hope completely on the grace to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ." Prepare your mind to accomplish these goals through prayer and practice and remember that only by the grace of God will you be able to achieve the goals you have set out. Through his strength and power, you can be a powerful leader for the cause of Christ.

In no way is the only way to achieve your goals. These are just some ways that have helped me to recognize and achieve my goals, and if you decide to try it, I hope and pray it works for you, as well.