Appreciation, celebration and thankfulness aren’t optional extras in life and leadership, they are essential! As we’ve wrapped up another great year of reaching our cities and making disciples, I wanted to remind us to pause and be generous in celebration! Celebrating God’s goodness and people’s faithfulness!
“I will extol the Lord at all times; his praise will always be on my lips.” — Psalm 34:1
“Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing.” —1 Thessalonians 5:11
Thankfulness and praise are themes throughout God’s Word and something we’re called upon to make a consistent part of our lives! When considering this as it relates to us as pastors and church leaders, I wanted to encourage us to prioritize celebration in a couple key ways:
Celebrate Personally and With Your Family
In a post like this we can jump right away to how we celebrate our team or what God’s has done in a broad ministry sense, but I’m reminded myself to not be found at the end of this season without massive amounts of thankfulness for all that God has done in and through my life personally. Luke 17, is the story where Jesus heals the 10 lepers, but as the miracle unfolds, only one of them returns to express that thankfulness. Let’s make sure that we find ourselves back at the feet of Jesus as this year ends to be over the top in personally thanking, honoring and celebrating all that God has done this year! Let’s not get familiar with his goodness, let’s pause to celebrate the faithfulness of God with our spouse and kids and in our own personal prayer time. At the end of the Luke 17 story, there’s an extra release of blessing to the one who returns with extravagant thankfulness.
Celebrate with Your Staff & Volunteers
As visionary leaders, before this year has finished we’re already halfway down the track of the new year; dreaming and planning for all that God wants to do! But, make sure you pause as a team and church family to celebrate all that God has done this year! Pause to celebrate and honor those on your staff and teams who gave heart and soul to see your city reached! There’s nothing spiritual about downplaying accomplishment. Like Pastor Jurgen and Leanne often say, the teams that play and have fun together stay together!
When we pause as a team to express thankfulness, it refocuses people’s attention back on Jesus and It reminds us where our strength comes from! When we pause to celebrate and honor the individual that has given so much to see the vision advance we remind people that their sacrifice is worth it, and you reinforce what really matters in your church. Don’t ever feel nervous about too much praise and celebration of your staff and volunteers! I’m highlighting both staff and team because sometimes if we’re not careful we can celebrate our volunteers but the “staff” don’t get celebrated because it’s “their job”, but that mindset will hinder your effectiveness as a team. Honor and celebration will release gifts and capacity in your staff you didn’t even know was there! So, let’s end this year like “The One” who returned to praise God for all that He’s done!
We elevate what we celebrate!
C3 Americas, Regional Manager