Just as the apostle Paul finished the race strong, I want to encourage you to do likewise. As the year winds to a close, I recommend that you hit the pause button and reflect on your growth as an apostle in the last year.
Why bother? Reflecting on and completing the year past clears an open space from which to freely jump into the new year.
At the beginning of this year, I laid out 5 Quantum Leaps of Faith for the New Year. These leaps of faith move you from discipleship to apostleship. Now that we have traveled 12 months together, let’s take stock and celebrate the gains you made. Like a long-jumper, measure even the smallest advances, knowing that incremental growth leads to exponential gains.
I recommend that you document your growth. Creating a visible record of your progress solidifies the gains you made and clarifies gaps you can close in the coming year. Click To Tweet Get creative. Compose a list using expressive fonts or colors, design a collage, pull together digital images, build a PowerPoint or find some other form of creative expression.
Ready? Let’s take a look at the ways that you took leaps of faith in your leadership.   You may also want to acknowledge the ways your people leapt as well.
Leap #1: Be fruitful and multiply like Jesus. There’s more to following Jesus than emulating the spiritual principles he taught.  You are also called to emulate him by multiplying yourself. This comes by passing on your Kingdom vision and values to the people you lead. Consider how you did the following:

• I/we passed delegated in these ways…
• I/we involved these new people…
• I/we shared authority, creative control and/or permission in these ways…

Leap #2: Be empowered like Jesus Christian leaders are not to be hearers of good news only, but doers as well.  Jesus authorized his followers again and again to do the very things he did. What empowered actions did you take?

• I /we said yes to Jesus this year in the following ways…
• I/we accepted the freedom and authority he gives …
• I/we followed the promptings of the Spirit in these situations…

Leap #3: Be accountable like Jesus Jesus was accountable to the one he called Father for fulfilling his call.  He was rewarded mightily. You too are called to live fully into the gifts you have received so that you might bear much fruit!  How did you fulfill your giftedness? In what ways were you accountable for your God-given potential?

• I/we used what I have been taught…
• I/we employed my spiritual gifts …
• I/we maximized the gift of time by saying yes and no to the right things…

Leap #4: Believe like Jesus Jesus’ followers performed miracles just as Jesus did. How?  They not only had faith in Jesus, they developed the faith of Jesus. How did you courageously make the move from simply believing in Jesus to cultivating the faith of Jesus?

• I/we acted on the belief that there is no separation between us and God, between us and the Holy Spirit, or between us and Jesus…
• I/we acted on the belief in our ability to co-create miracles with God…
• I/we acted on the belief that our lives have purpose…

Leap #5: Love like Jesus Jesus practiced the holy trinity of love: love of God, love of neighbor and love of self. The key to loving like Jesus begins with not wasting time or energy indulging in self-hate, self-denigration or self-abasement. How did you grow in self-love this year?

• I/we noticed negative self-talk when it began…
• I/we didn’t let it go unchallenged…
• I/we surrendered negativity to God…

Now that you have documented your growth in apostleship this year, don’t keep this good news to yourself. Do share it with your personnel committee or your supervisor. If you inventoried your congregation’s growth, craft it into a litany of thanksgiving. Or report on it at Church Council. Above all, celebrate with God! Don’t think of this as bragging. Rather, think of it as signs of sanctifying grace—for you and your people.