The promise of a new year is the promise of a fresh start. Indeed, God is a God of fresh starts! “His steadfast love never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning” (Lam 3:22-23). As the new year dawns, so does another chapter in your faith. Here are twenty-five ways to grow in your faith this coming year. Please note that these are not laws or obligations, but practices and disciplines that help facilitate the strengthening of our faith!

1. Commit to a local church.

It may seem surprising for church to be at the top of the list. But I have placed it here intentionally. The local church is the primary place where we are to grow in our relationship with Jesus. It is the soil where the seed of our faith will be watered, fed, and strengthened through participating in worship, hearing the Word preached, observing the sacraments, and fellowshipping with other believers. Commit to a local church if you want to grow.

2. Expose yourself to the Word consistently.

The goal is not to check off days in a reading plan, but to regularly expose our hearts to God’s Word in various ways. Take seriously the preaching of the Word on Sunday mornings. Find a Bible-reading plan and stick with it. Read a Psalm a day. Listen to the Bible on audio. Find a time and a place every day to read the Word. Find whatever works for you, and stick with it!

3. Memorize scripture.

Don’t just read God’s Word. Memorize it. Memorize specific verses that standout when you’re reading or follow a specific Bible memorization plan (you can find several online). Use note cards or an app on your phone. Start small; something is better than nothing! Memorizing scripture not only exposes you to God’s Word, it writes His Word on your heart.

4. Give attention to your prayer life.

We all know we should pray and most of us want to pray, but we often become overwhelmed by the prospect of prayer that we end up not praying at all. I have found in my own life that when I don’t give attention to my prayer life, I don’t pray nearly as much. Or at least I don’t pray for the things I should.

Sure, some prayer should be spontaneous, but regular, intentional prayer comes though specific attention and planning. Consider praying for your church on Mondays, your family on Tuesdays, your co-workers on Wednesdays, and so on. Find a schedule that works for you. Keep a list ( I do this digitally), and pray through it regularly!

Continue reading “25 Ways to Grow in Your Faith in 2025” →