Spiritual disciplines are essential to the health and growth of every Christian. No matter who you are, the level of influence you hold, or the size of the task God has entrusted to you, you’ll never outgrow your need for spiritual disciplines.

What are spiritual disciplines? They are the habits that draw you closer to God. They are the practices that help you become more like Jesus as you starve your sin nature and feed your spirit nature. And in leadership, spiritual disciplines are imperative.

Why? Because your spirituality — or lack thereof — doesn’t just impact you. It impacts every person you lead. If you ignore the habits that foster spiritual vibrancy, you’ll simultaneously undermine your life and leadership. There will be fallout.

But that doesn’t have to be your story. You can cultivate the habits that breathe life into your leadership. You can develop the practices that help you meet the test of leadership, find ongoing peace, and enjoy intimacy with your Heavenly Father. What are these habits? In this edition of Make It Count, we’ll discuss eight spiritual disciplines:

• Prayer: The Habit of Connection
• Bible Engagement: The Habit of Growth
• Worship: The Habit of Perspective
• Gratitude: The Habit of Thankfulness
• Confession: The Habit of Humility
• Fasting: The Habit of Breakthrough
• Community: The Habit of Relationship
• Stewardship: The Habit of Faithfulness

As you read and discuss each lesson with your team, may these habits be renewed in your life, along with your passion for God. Each spiritual discipline is unique, and each one will deepen the health of your soul and the health of your leadership.

This eight-week study, which appears in the September/October 2020 issue of Influence magazine, is now available online as a free download. Church leaders can print multiple complimentary copies of this resource and use it to promote development, spark discussion and inspire vision among team members.

The online resource also includes a fill-in-the-blank guide for team members to use as they follow along with the studies.

Adapted from the September/October 2020 edition of Influence magazine.