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“If I’m made to grow in my relationship with Christ, He must also want me to grow in what He has called me to do.”
—Will Chapman, Online Ministry, Cottonwood Creek Church
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The Christmas services are in your rearview mirror. You were exhausted, but now you’ve had time to rest, recoup and recharge. Now what? Unfortunately, many church technical leaders roll into the next event on the calendar.
I ashamedly admit that this mindset of rolling into the next thing on the church calendar was how I approached every January for quite a few years. Usually, by Easter, I would be thinking about how tired I am and why the Lord allows me to experience getting into a rut time and time again. I couldn’t understand why I wasn’t experiencing “life to its fullest” (see John 10:10) as Jesus came to give us. The Lord had my attention. I knew I had to listen for Him. During this time of listening for His still, small voice (1 Kings 19:9-13), I remember Him telling me, “I made you to grow.”
Your personal growth plan should include connecting regularly with a mentor to help you grow spiritually, relationally and as a church technical leader.
That phrase, “I made you to grow,” hit me square in the mouth. I remembered the Great Commission, Philippians 2:12-13, and other passages about growing as believers and not stagnating. I knew I hadn’t been growing spiritually as I should. But then I thought, “If I’m made to grow in my relationship with Christ, He must also want me to grow in what He has called me to do.” That’s when I knew I must commit my life to personal spiritual growth and in my work and service as a church technical leader.
Leadership expert and New York Times bestselling author John Maxwell says he gets asked the same question everywhere he goes. That question is, “What is the difference between people who succeed and people who don’t?” John’s answer is this, “successful people have an intentional plan for growth.” So, do you want to be a better church technical leader in 2024? Then, commit and create a plan for personal growth. This personal growth plan should include three connections: connection with a mentor, resources and a community.
In the book, “The 15 Invaluable Laws of Growth,” John Maxwell discusses the critical role a mentor plays in our personal growth. Your 2024 personal growth plan should include connecting regularly with a mentor to help you grow spiritually, relationally and as a church technical leader. The Bible has excellent examples of the power of mentorship… Moses and Joshua, Elijah and Elisha, Paul and Timothy, and others. Learn about successful mentor/mentee relationships. “The 15 Invaluable Laws of Growth” has an excellent chapter on entering a relationship with a mentor. Find a mentor you trust who you know has a strong walk with the Lord and can challenge you in all aspects of your life.
The second part of your personal growth plan should include connecting with resources. I encourage people often to use the YouVersion Bible app to help them grow in their relationship with Christ through daily Bible reading, meditating on the passage they read, jotting some notes down on what they learn, and then spending time in purposeful prayer. An excellent resource for you to use to grow in your knowledge as a church creative leader is diving deeper into churchproduction.com. Sign up for the email updates. Explore the different sections of the website. There are articles all over the site to help you educate yourself on skills today’s church technical leaders need. The best part about these resources is that they’re free. There is no excuse for you not to start using them regularly as part of your growth plan.
“The opportunity is there for you to climb out of the rut of stagnation and begin to live the life that God created you to live.”
Will Chapman, Online Ministry, Cottonwood Creek Church
The final step in your growth plan for 2024 should be about making purposeful connections with the greater church technical leaders’ community. Join ChurchProduction.com ‘s presence on the Church Creatives Network (see churchcreatives.net). Post, comment, chat, ask questions, ask for prayer, etc. This network is meant for interaction and “iron sharpening iron” moments. Find a conference to go to, like the Capture Summit. Finally, don’t be afraid to reach out and get to know other church creatives at other churches in your city. I can speak from experience that some of the most incredible times I’ve had getting energized and encouraged in the Lord’s work is when I’ve gotten to know other leaders doing the same thing I do in another church.
You can be a better church technical leader in 2024. The opportunity is there for you to climb out of the rut of stagnation and begin to live the life that God created you to live. Commit to personal growth, make a plan to grow, and then give it to the Lord in prayer. Ask Him to help you grow in 2024. My prayer for you is that you’ll be able to look back on 2024 and realize that committing to personal growth is what the Lord used to help you be the best you you’ve ever experienced.
