As we turn the calendar toward 2026, I keep returning to a line from Paul’s letter to the Philippians: “I thank my God every time I remember you” (Phil 1:3).
Philippians is written to a real community Paul knows intimately, shaped by shared labor, deep affection, and confidence that God is still at work there. Paul writes with gratitude, clarity, and resolve, convinced that what God has begun is not finished yet (Phil 1:6).
Grateful for What Has Been
The Advent and Christmas season we just shared was rich in ways both seen and unseen. Heaven’s Greatest Gift filled the sanctuary with music and worship. Christmas Eve gathered us around the old, enduring story. There was fellowship too, like the Christmas cookie reception and the Sunday potluck—times that reveal a community at ease with one another. These casual moments are the fruit of people planning and sharing responsibility with care.
Partnership with a Purpose
Paul commends the Philippians’ “partnership in the gospel” (Phil 1:5). Partnership means shared participation in making disciples of Jesus Christ. For Yates, partnership in the gospel means becoming a people transformed by the “yes” we said to Jesus and still willing to be transformed by it. We introduce people to Jesus through the authenticity of our relationship with him and invite others to meet, know, trust, and say “yes” to Jesus too.
One hidden danger in church life is drift. Partnership calls us back to clarity. We must regularly ask: What does it mean to follow Jesus here? How do we help others say yes to him?
Faithfulness Looks Like Follow-Through
Paul urges the church to “live your life in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ” (Phil 1:27). Good administration serves this mission. Clarity creates safety. Coordination builds trust. Follow-through protects people from being overburdened or unnecessarily disappointed.
One outcome of the Deacons’ CET process: the formation of a Church Council. The council brings together leaders to coordinate church-wide concerns so no single committee carries the burden alone. It helps discernment move toward action and conversation toward shared responsibility.
Stewards, Not Owners
Paul’s call to humility reminds the church that its life does not revolve around individual preference. “Let each of you look not to your own interests, but to the interests of others” (Phil 2:4). The church belongs to Christ. We are stewards of his mission for this season.
This Christmas, we released Mackenzie Smith to her new call at Westwood Baptist Church. Letting someone go well is not loss. It is fruit.
Tending the Flame
During Advent, our Kindled series focused on fire as the life God has already lit among us—a flame sparked by hope, made room by peace, sustained by joy, and guarded and enlarged by love.
Paul holds God’s work and our faithfulness together: “Work out your salvation with fear and trembling; for it is God who is at work in you” (Phil 2:12–13). We act because God is already acting. We tend the flame by saying yes to Jesus and helping others do the same.
Some leadership patterns in 2026 will look different. You will see more shared responsibility, clearer coordination, and a steady focus on Christ’s mission to make disciples. These shifts align everything we do with the one thing we’re called to do: witness to Jesus Christ and invite others into life with him.
Grace and peace, Christopher