The Church Revitalization Podcast – Episode 267
As another year draws to a close, church leaders find themselves in a crucial planning period. While the holiday season brings increased activity and attendance, it’s also the perfect time to lay groundwork for a successful upcoming year. These final weeks of December present a unique opportunity to evaluate, plan, and prepare for the next season of ministry.
Let’s explore three essential tasks that will position churches for growth and impact in the coming year. Whether you’re a small church plant or an established congregation, these end-of-year activities will help create momentum for the next season of ministry.
Creating an Annual Ministry Plan
The foundation of effective church leadership is intentional planning. While many churches operate on different fiscal calendars, the end of the calendar year provides an excellent opportunity to evaluate current initiatives and map out future goals. An annual ministry plan isn’t just about budgets—it’s about aligning your church’s activities with its vision and mission.
Start by reviewing your current year’s objectives. What goals were met? Which initiatives fell short? Understanding these outcomes provides valuable insights for future planning. Your annual ministry plan should connect directly to your church’s discipleship pathway and overall mission, ensuring every program and activity serves a strategic purpose.
When crafting your plan, consider these key elements:
- Clear, measurable goals for the upcoming year
- Specific strategies for achieving those goals
- Resource allocation requirements
- Timeline for implementation
- Success metrics and evaluation methods
Remember that effective planning isn’t done in isolation. Involve key stakeholders, including staff, board members, and ministry leaders in the process. Their input and buy-in are crucial for successful implementation.
Need help creating your annual ministry plan? The Healthy Churches Toolkit offers a comprehensive workshop and planning resources to guide you through this process. Access these tools with a free 7-day trial at malphursgroup.com/toolkit.
End-of-Year Giving Strategy
The approach to year-end giving can make the difference between meeting budget shortfalls and inspiring generosity toward future ministry. Rather than approaching December with hat in hand, churches should lead with vision and specific initiatives that inspire giving.
The key is to shift from deficit-based appeals to vision-driven opportunities. Instead of highlighting budget gaps, focus on sharing specific initiatives and ministry opportunities for the upcoming year. People give more generously when they can envision the impact of their giving.
Consider these approaches:
- Share specific ministry initiatives planned for the coming year
- Highlight tangible ways giving will impact lives
- Create clear giving categories that resonate with different donor interests
- Communicate the kingdom impact of financial partnerships
- Make giving accessible through multiple channels
Remember that people think about their money in different ways. While some respond to general ministry needs, many prefer to give to specific causes or initiatives. By presenting clear, vision-focused opportunities for giving, churches can engage a broader base of supporters and create excitement about the future.
Christmas Guest Follow-Up Plan
Christmas services represent one of the year’s best opportunities to connect with new people in your community. However, without a robust follow-up system in place, these valuable connections can slip away. Now is the time to evaluate and strengthen your guest follow-up process.
Start by assuming there are gaps in your current system. Common challenges include:
- Over-reliance on manual processes that break down during high-volume periods
- Lack of clear next steps for guests
- Insufficient automation in communication
- Missing engagement opportunities beyond Sunday services
Your follow-up plan should include:
- Multiple ways to collect guest information
- Immediate automated responses
- Personal follow-up touchpoints
- Clear invitations to specific next steps or events
- A system for tracking and measuring response rates
Most importantly, remember that the goal isn’t simply to get people to return to church—it’s to help them build a relationship with Christ. Every aspect of your follow-up should point toward this ultimate purpose.
Want to build a more effective guest follow-up system? Join us for our upcoming workshop in the Healthy Churches Toolkit, where we’ll provide detailed strategies and resources for creating an effective Christmas guest follow-up process.
These year-end tasks may seem daunting amid the holiday bustle, but they’re vital investments in your church’s future. By taking time now to plan intentionally, structure your giving appeals around vision, and prepare for guest follow-up, you’ll position your church for greater kingdom impact in the year ahead. The key is starting today—even small steps forward in each of these areas can yield significant results for your ministry.
Watch this episode on YouTube!
A.J. Mathieu is the President of the Malphurs Group. He is passionate about helping churches thrive and travels internationally to teach and train pastors to lead healthy disciple-making churches. A.J. lives in the Ft. Worth, Texas area, enjoys the outdoors, and loves spending time with his wife and two sons. Click here to email A.J.
