New year church growth goals rooted in discipleship and generosity

The first few weeks of a new year carry a special significance. Church leaders pause, pray, and plan. Looking for ways to grow people’s faith, strengthen relationships, and guide the church toward lasting impact.

If your team is stepping into this season wondering how to build momentum without burning out, here’s a framework rooted in what matters most: discipleship, generosity, and a unified church community.

A vision centered on Jesus Christ

When churches set goals for the year ahead, the goal isn’t simply attendance or budgets. It’s alignment with Jesus Christ.

As you cast vision, gather your staff and volunteers to ask one question: What would growth look like if our primary goal was deeper discipleship and love for people?

From that place, everything else, Bible study rhythms, giving strategies, digital engagement, even budgets, falls into place.

Discipleship first: Grow people, then numbers

Discipleship is the soil where real church growth takes root. Churches that grow can do so by creating repeatable pathways for believers to take next steps, baptism, Bible study, serving, giving, and leading.

Start simple:

• Map a one-year journey from seeker to servant leader: track milestones and follow-ups in your ChMS workflows.
• Anchor each sermon series with a small group study or reflection guide: publish notes and group guides in your app and gather quick feedback through in-app polls.
• Invite people to identify one act of service each quarter: record volunteer steps and schedule rotations right in your database.

Generosity as a discipleship practice

Generosity is a mirror of spiritual maturity. It’s also one of the clearest ways to gauge whether your church culture is forming disciples who trust God fully.

Plan moments throughout the year to teach, celebrate, and model giving. Integrate generosity into sermons, small group discussions, and even youth programs. Teach giving as a practiced response to God’s work in our lives.

Pushpay Giving make this discipleship practice tangible. With secure options like app, text, web, kiosk, ACH, card, and Apple Pay, people can respond to moments of conviction in real time.

Everygift helps prevent failed gifts, recovers at-risk donations, and nudges recurring giving so ministries can plan with confidence.

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Measurable goals for the coming year

Faith and strategy work best together. Consider setting measurable goals across three categories. Here are some examples:

Discipleship:

• 55% of attendees active in small groups or Bible study by midyear
• 150 new volunteers serving twice per month
• 50 baptisms and 25 new mentors trained for next steps

Generosity:

• 20% increase in recurring givers through Everygift
• 90% participation in pledge campaign by Q4
• 95% of donors accessing digital giving statements by Jan 31

Engagement:

• Monthly active app users (MAU) target: 40%
• In-app poll response rate target: 25%
• Track both metrics in Pushpay Insights to see progress across the year

Pushpay Insights equips leaders with real-time data that helps identify engagement trends and ministry opportunities so leaders can take action before people slip through the cracks.

Volunteers: Your front line of discipleship

Volunteers make ministry personal. But they also need care, clarity, and tools that remove frustration. Create a volunteer pipeline that invites people in, equips them to serve, and celebrates their impact.

A clear scheduling system with automated reminders and leader alerts keeps everything organized inside your ChMS.

When volunteers feel seen, their faith deepens, and your community’s reach expands.

Your church app: The digital front door

The modern church community gathers in more than one space. Your app is often the first place people explore, give, or sign up for a group.

Pushpay’s app functionality make that connection seamless. With a branded app, people can watch sermons, join groups, give, and stay informed all in one place.

This unified digital home supports hybrid ministry. Those at home, traveling, or exploring faith for the first time.

A quarterly rhythm to stay on track

Set quarterly themes that align with your mission and keep your church community focused:

• Q1: Vision series, small group push, recurring giving weekend, distribute giving statements by Jan 31 (electronic or mailed; IRS-compliant).
• Q2: Volunteer appreciation and local serve day.
• Q3: Next-gen focus—student milestones, outreach, family discipleship.
• Q4: Year-end giving celebration and gratitude weekend.

This rhythm makes your annual goals achievable and spiritually grounded.

Simple next steps

You don’t have to overhaul everything this month. Start with three moves that build momentum:

1. Clarify your next steps: join a group, serve regularly, and set up recurring giving.
2. Simplify your giving touchpoints: add a giving link or QR code to sermon notes, lobby screens, and your app home page.
3. Segment communication: send one targeted text or email to new givers, group prospects, and inactive volunteers with a clear invitation.

When technology simplifies connection, people spend more time doing what matters. Serving, discipling, and building community.

Moving into the new year

The year ahead will be full of opportunities. As you set goals for growth, remember that progress isn’t measured by spreadsheets alone—it’s seen in transformed lives, volunteers who find purpose, and believers who practice faith with joy.

Your church’s path to growth begins with discipleship and generosity, guided by Jesus and supported by tools that make ministry simple, measurable, and deeply human.

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Frequently asked questions

How can our church set effective growth goals for the new year?

Start with your mission, not your metrics. Focus your goals around spiritual formation—discipleship, generosity, and engagement—and then build measurable targets under each. For example, track small group participation, volunteer involvement, and recurring giving. Tools like Pushpay Insights make it easy to monitor these milestones throughout the year so your staff can celebrate progress and adjust strategies in real time.

What role does generosity play in church growth?

Generosity fuels ministry, but it also reflects spiritual maturity. When giving is taught as a faith practice, not just a financial one, it deepens discipleship and unites your church community. Encourage recurring giving and communicate impact stories regularly. With features like Everygift™, your team can recover failed gifts and prompt ongoing generosity that supports long-term ministry planning.

How can technology strengthen discipleship in our church?

Technology simplifies the logistics so people can focus on relationships. A connected platform—combining your ChMS, app, and giving tools—helps leaders track next steps, share Bible study materials, and follow up with members consistently. Pushpay’s app, for example, allows people to engage with sermons, join small groups, give, and stay connected to your church community wherever they are.

What are practical ways to engage volunteers in the new year?

Create a clear volunteer pathway: invite, train, schedule, and celebrate. Use your ChMS to send automated reminders and leader alerts, keeping everyone organized and supported. Plan quarterly appreciation events and pair new volunteers with experienced mentors to strengthen both relationships and commitment.

How should our church approach giving statements and tax compliance?

Send annual giving statements by January 31—either electronically or by mail—to meet IRS requirements and build trust with donors. Use your digital giving platform to simplify the process, ensuring each statement is accurate, timely, and accessible. Pair this with a note of gratitude or impact summary to remind givers how their generosity is fueling ministry.

What’s a healthy way to track church growth?

Growth is about people, not just numbers. Measure discipleship milestones (like baptisms, Bible study engagement, and volunteer participation) alongside giving and digital engagement data. Pushpay Insights provides a single view of these metrics, helping pastors and staff understand how people are connecting with Jesus and the church community over time.

How can we keep momentum beyond the first quarter?

Create a quarterly rhythm for your ministry year:

• Q1: Cast vision, promote groups, and celebrate recurring giving.
  
• Q2: Focus on volunteer training and community service.
  
• Q3: Celebrate next-gen milestones and family discipleship.
  
• Q4: End with gratitude weekends and year-end generosity campaigns.
  This rhythm helps your church stay focused on spiritual growth and community connection all year long.
  

How can pastors encourage generosity without creating pressure?

Teach generosity through stories, not sales pitches. Share testimonies of life change, connect giving to mission outcomes, and model openhandedness from the stage. Emphasize heart transformation over obligation, and remind believers that giving is one of the ways we grow in faith and trust in Jesus Christ.

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