It is amazing what the shepherds of the church can inspire brothers and sisters to accomplish for the Lord when they proactively project ideas, goals, and practical steps for the coming year. Recently (January, 2026) I witnessed a group of elders doing this very thing. On the first Sunday of the year, they took both the morning and the evening services to announce and explain their plans as overseers to lead the church. Their approach was so impressive and so outstanding to me that I felt compelled to tell you about it.
This particular church has three overseers (shepherds, pastors, elders) and about 300 in attendance. These leaders called the church together, reviewed the past year, and laid out a blueprint for the next twelve months. The three men were all together in the pulpit area, and they took turns speaking to the church one by one.
Gratitude and Humility
The first shepherd began by saying that the three elders were honored, humbled, and grateful to be able to serve. The church members had received them, helped them, and encouraged them in their tasks (Heb 13:17). He thanked them for their efforts with the children and the youth, and he urged the church to keep seeking to be innocent as children. He emphasized the central focus: serving the Lord Jesus Christ.
Survey and Feedback
The church had received and completed a survey, and the overseers had carefully reviewed every individual response. They appreciated feedback of all kinds. They had learned that a personal approach (shepherding) made them more effective. They asked that brothers and sisters would keep coming to them often.
Specific Opportunities
He mentioned the need for more people to serve in a particular ministry, and he commended by name the coordinator of that ministry. He said that, while they had already scheduled guest speakers for special meetings through 2028, they would also invite preachers suggested by the members to come and preach beyond that period. In other words, they had listened, and they would act on the members’ recommendations.
“Ask an Elder”
Once a quarter, any interested member would be able to attend a scheduled “ask an elder” conversation. All three elders would join, perhaps on a Zoom call or in person, to answer any questions about judgments the elders had made or about biblical doctrine and its application. If the members just wanted to talk or offer suggestions, the elders would welcome such conversations. There would be other opportunities to meet with the elders, but these quarterly events would be scheduled and announced in advance.
Online Resources
Work groups and teacher assignments would be posted to the members-only portion of the church’s website for easy reference. A digital library of the church’s teaching resource materials, would be prepared and posted online. Links to new songs for the church would be included, too, so that the members could learn them.
Commending Good Works and Missions
This first shepherd briefly reviewed the past year, including the baptisms, the new members, the current and new Bible teachers, the youth devotionals, the VBS, small-group studies, and the Bible drills. He commended the church for inviting and welcoming newcomers, with whom further Bible studies had often taken place. He noted that the congregation had given a specific amount, hundreds of thousands of dollars, to support evangelists and missionaries in many countries. He named each of these nations. In addition, several church leaders and members had traveled into other countries, sometimes into dangerous areas, to assist with mission efforts.
He kept saying, “We’re so proud of ...” with a broad smile on his face.
Restoring the Fallen
He acknowledged that several had left the congregation during the past year. He emphasized that the shepherds had done, and would continue to do, all that they could to restore erring disciples and bring them back to a right relationship with the Lord. He urged the church to pray for, and to try to influence, those who had fallen away. They were not to be treated as enemies, but as fallen brothers and sisters. He stressed that church discipline was also intended to win such brothers and sisters back to the Lord.
Training Future Preachers
He commended a second minister that the congregation for mentored and trained for some time. This man and his wife had recently left with the church’s blessing so that he could become the regular, full-time preacher in another state where there was a great need. Meanwhile, the church had taken on a new couple, to train and mentor them for the same purpose. That is, the church was regularly interning ministers so that they could be effective preachers and evangelists.
Annual Themes for Focus
This overseer listed the congregation’s annual themes from the past several years. Then he explained that the elders, with input from the deacons and others, had begun working on the new year’s theme the previous year. They chose the greatest command: to love God with all one’s heart, soul, mind, and strength (Mark 12:30). That theme was to provide a focus to the year while allowing all of God’s Word to be taught.
Exhortation and Expectation
He stated that the elders expected the members to be present for all services and to make themselves available to participate. This was an important expression of one’s commitment to observe and obey the greatest command: to love God. He said, “I need you. You need me. We need each other.” “God expects us to do this together, to be involved in this together.”
Plans in Print
Then, on behalf of all three shepherds, he presented and described a tri-fold brochure that each person had received that morning. One panel featured the theme. A second panel had an invitation, a photo of the building and property, and the scheduled times of study and worship.
Scripture Reading, Listening, and Memorizing
The third panel featured the Bible reading schedule for the entire church to read the whole New Testament together through the year.
In addition to reading through the New Testament, the elder exhorted each person to listen to an audio version of the New Testament twice during the year. He mentioned the various apps that would be helpful. Such would require just 3 to 4 minutes per day.
The church would have a monthly memory verse. He encouraged all who wished to participate to contact the appropriate person.
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In this post I have described just part of the pastors’ (elders’, overseers’, shepherds’) first-of-the-year message to the church. I have shared powerful evidence of what can happen when leaders pray, plan, and present dreams and goals for the next twelve months. Please let your church leaders read this article, to consider what they may choose to do.
To God be the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus forever.
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