Looking to 2026
(This blog is detailed explanation of the things you need to think through and put in place as you plan to pursue sanctifcation with a Spiritual Growth Plan in the coming year.)
The goal of the Christian life is sanctification.
That’s one of the simplest ways to summarize what believers, should be about in the rhythm of daily life. While everyone’s rhythim and routines look different, we do all have the same goal. All of the five commitments we have at Coram Deo are intended to drive us toward the goal of sanctification.
Approaching a new year is always a good time to revisit your spiritual growth and think through how you might best grow spiritually in the coming year (or even beginning today!)
FIRST: You need a Bible Reading Plan.
While the most important bible input you have any given week is the Sunday morning sermon from your pastor, you should also be reading Scripture on your own.
• There are several reading plans on the website. It’s not required to read through the entire Bible in a year. It’s certianly a great idea, but not a requirement. Find a plan that works for you and your schedule.
• The LSB Daily Reading Bible is an excellent option
• Find a journal you like & take notes on what the Lord is teaching you through His Word in the various settings you’re in (church, quiet time, discipleship, family group, etc)
Remember~ that a readin gplan is an important part of the overall discipline of Bible Input, which includes five elements: Hearing, Reading, Studying, Memorizing, & Meditating. They’re sequential. You start with hearing on Sunday morning, and then go from there.
SECOND: Have a prayer plan
• How will you pray? (try the praying Scripture book)
• What and who will you pray for?
• What about prayer requests? When someone ask you to pray for them or for a specific need, how will you follow through?
• How will you keep up with it all? (again: having a journal comes into play)
THIRD: How will you grow theologically?
While you don’t need to set a goal of reading through an entire systematic theology book this year, you should strive to grow in your knowledge of sound doctrine. Check out the reading list on the website and read a few of them. If you haven’t read “A Gospel Primer,” that would be an excellent place to start. If you’re a husband/father who hasn’t yet read Voddie Baucham’s “Family Shepherds,” put that at the top of your list. Check out Recommended Reading on the website for more ideas.
FOURTH: As a husband, father, wife, mother?
There are several good books listed on the website. Ask someone to serve as an accountability partner in any areas you might struggle in. The first step is to be aware of where and how you need to grow, then ask the Lord to give you a desire to grow in this specific area. This area might need its own plan within the overall plan.
FIFTH: Grow in serving your church in 2026
Use your passions, skills, resources, and abilities to serve Christ through His church. Almost everyone at Coram Deo is serving in some capacity. How can you grow in service this year? Do. you need to adjust what your’e doing, serve in a different capacity, or simply serve more consistently and faithfully?
Remember: even before serving, faithful participation and engagement are the startng point. So the first question is: are you faithful in worship service attendance? Are you involved in both Discipleship and a Family Group? That’s the baseline (and only requires a few hours each week), so be sure you’re starting there - then expand from that base.
SIXTH: Read books.
Create a list of books you want to read this year. G3 Ministries has an excellent idea for a reading plan. While the Bible is certainly the most important aspect of your spiritual growth, reading other books is also helpful. But, within that, it’s also important what books you DON’T read. There are some books/authors that could actually be harmful to you spritiually. Remember the very important principle of influence taught in Psalm 1. Walk, stand, sit. The warning is there because this kind of influence sneaks up on you and, usually without realizing it, these negative influences will draw you in and it’s very hard to “get up” once you’ve sat with those that aren’t helpful. So as you think about reading other books, be careful. First, check the list on the “Resources” page of the website & try to read as many of those as you can. Ask the pastor or elders about books you’re unsure of.
SEVENTH: Pursue Spiritual Disciplines.
One of the most practically helpful books I’ve ever read is Donald Whitney’s book “Spiritual Disicplines for the Christian Life.” You will benefit greatly from reading the book, or listening to the Disciplines series on our YouTube page. Whitney’s other books: Ten Questions to Diagnose Your Spiritual Health and Spiritual Disciplines within the Church: Participating Fully in the Body of Christ are also excellent and helpful.
A Plan for a plan:
Re-visit this plan often. Evaluate yourself weekly. Jonathan Edwards wrote all 70 of his resolutions by the time he was 23 and went over them weekly for the rest of his life. Part of any plan of spiriutal success is evaluation and adjustment. Remember the three essentials of planning - specific, measurable, achievable. It’s very possible to set a plan that’s vague, and therefore difficult/impossible to measure. I know from experience that some plans are not achievable, either because of your current schedule, or due to your resources and abilities. The idea is to constantluy pursue sanctification. And remember - sanctification is the long game. There are often spurts and times of great growth, but simplty strive for conintual growth. Salvation is mongergistic (one actor) but sanctification is synergistic. Yes, it requries a work of the Lord, but you are involved.
In 2 Peter 1:5-11, after extolling the gospel, Peter encouraged Christians to make every effort toward their own spiritual growth in several areas. The promise of Scripture is that the pursuit of sanctification this way will lead to being useful and fruitful, not stumbling, and having assurance of your entrance into heaven.
May the Lord work both in and through us as we strive to be:
fired up
faithful followers of Jesus
radically obedient to
a passionate pursuit
of knowing Him and
making Him known.
Grace and Peace
Pastor Rob