The Most Important Trait to Carry Into 2024

2024: it's more than just a new calendar year; it’s a chance to hit the reset button, dream big, and step confidently into the new plans God has for your church (after a few days of post-Christmas rest, I hope!) 

As we step into this exciting new year with plans, resolutions, and a list of fresh goals, there’s one trait I’m certain we, as church leaders, need to carry with us into 2024. It’s a trait that may not get a lot of limelight, but it is absolutely crucial in our current cultural moment. 

That trait is humility.

If there's one thing that I hope defines this year for you and your church, more than launching new outreach programs, expanding your congregation, or ramping up your ministry efforts, it's humility. And here’s why. 

Personal Reflections on Humility 

Like many of you, I spent the final month of 2023 caught up in a Christmas whirlwind. The days were packed with Christmas planning and large productions, a familiar scenario for many church leaders. My team and I were running on fumes and oat milk lattes, but we were the happy kind of tired – the kind of tired that feels completely worth it. 

And amidst this holiday whirlwind, between meetings, lobby decorating, and Christmas Eve services, I had an experience that caught me off guard.

There was an instance over the Christmas weekend in which accolades were being given out to my church staff for all of our hard work over the holidays. I fully expected to get a shoutout – I was even beginning to blush a little thinking about how my name would be called – until I noticed that my name accidentally went unmentioned. 

I was deeply disappointed – even upset – and I immediately began to process. Why did I feel so bothered by this lack of recognition? They couldn’t possibly shout out every name on our large staff, and I knew that all of us had worked together to make December run smoothly. I knew this to be true, and I was happy to celebrate my other friends as they received their shoutouts. But I also felt frustrated. I had worked so hard – and for what? I had done so much behind the scenes, and it looked like it was going to stay there. Maybe I shouldn’t have worked as hard as I did, I thought. 

And then it hit me: buried beneath my seemingly harmless thoughts and questions was something sneaky that had been previously hidden from my attention. 

It was pride. 

What truly surprised me at that moment was not the fact that I wasn't given a shoutout; it was the fact that so much pride was still buried within me. 

And immediately, the Holy Spirit began speaking to me. “You know that story you just shared with your congregation? The one about the birth of Jesus? Yeah, that one. It isn’t the story of a Savior who came as a conquering king. It is the story of humility. It begins with humility in a manger, it continues with humility on the cross, and it is still – even 2,000 years later — all about humility.”

I reflected on this idea. It wasn’t new to me, but it newly pierced my heart. Jesus wasn’t the only person in the Christmas story, I remembered. There was also Herod, a prideful king who found it easier to kill innocents than to accept the entry of another ruler into his kingdom. When we read this story today, it can be easy for us to dismiss Herod’s pride as that of a villain, to brush over the fact that small levels of unchecked pride can grow and fester into something vicious. 

Being disappointed at not receiving recognition is not on the same level as Herod’s tyrannical mania, of course, but I knew at that moment that God was inviting me to check my motivations. I realized the pride I was experiencing was the exact opposite of the true Christmas message, and I knew God was taking the opportunity to lovingly sanctify my heart. I felt peace knowing that God saw me, and His heart for me is much more valuable than being publicly honored (though being publicly honored can be a beautiful experience sometimes).

God’s Heart for Me – for all of us – is to look more like Jesus. 

Why do I share all of this? In full transparency, it is vulnerable as a church leader to share about the pride that I am actively working through. But I know that my continued journey to humility is one of the most important things I can share with both friends and strangers. 

Humility: The Anecdote for a Hurting and Prideful World

Humility is an easy thing to lose sight of in church ministry. We can misplace it as we prepare sermons to preach to large crowds and as we do community outreaches that seek to attract new people to our church. It is easy to want to be liked, recognized, and even flattered. 

But true humility does not need to be exalted in order to thrive. True humility is about becoming lower still. Andrew Murray articulated this idea in his book Humility: The Journey Toward Holiness. He wrote: “Here is the path to the higher life: down, lower down! Just as water always seeks and fills the lowest place, so the moment God finds men abased and empty, His glory and power flow in to exalt and to bless.” 

As we go into 2024, I’m convinced that humility is the number one anecdote we need to serve a hurting and prideful world. This year, I want to be marked by humility. And I want it for your church, too. I hope for you to be guided by humility in every circumstance: when facing criticism or negative reviews, when your acts of service go unnoticed, and even when the world seems indifferent or hostile to your church's efforts. If your hard work isn’t recognized, if you don’t get the stage time, if no one gives you the credit, if you don’t get the opportunity you deserve or the voice at the table… remember Jesus. Embrace humility. 

New Year, New Strategies

I pray that you find rest and peace as you lean into humility this year and trust that God has a plan for your church! As you begin making plans for the new year, make sure to check out Breeze’s list of features that are designed to support you and your team!