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Every organization celebrates something. Some celebrations are intentional. We celebrate birthdays and work anniversaries, recognize people who go above and beyond and mark major milestones when we reach a goal or accomplish something meaningful. (We even have a bell we ring in our office. Actually … we have multiple bells!!)

Other celebrations happen more passively. They show up in the behaviors we reward and the habits we tolerate. Sometimes, without even realizing it, we celebrate the wrong things: busyness, negative mindsets, poor leadership or a lack of clarity and direction.

One of our favorite sayings at Fishhook (we call them our Wit and Wisdom phrases) is, “a church will cultivate what it celebrates.” What we mean by this is that what we recognize, reward and make room for will inevitably shape our culture – for better or for worse. This is true for each of us personally, in our homes and relationships, and especially in our churches.

Pause and Reflect

Before you keep reading, take a minute to pause and reflect on your church’s culture.

What are three things your church is celebrating right now? Think about the milestones and moments you intentionally recognize, the attitudes you make room for and the habits that have become part of your culture.

(No really … grab a Post-It note or something and write them down. What is your church celebrating intentionally or unintentionally.)

Maybe a few questions popped into your head as you were doing this activity. Are these the things we want to cultivate as a church? What are we reinforcing through our celebrations? Where could we be more intentional about recognizing the people, practices and values that reflect the kind of church we want to be? (Wow, those are GREAT questions! 🤝)

If you want to get more intentional about what you’re cultivating, the first step is to get intentional about what you’re celebrating. Here are three places to start:

1. Celebrate with Gratitude

Gratitude invites us to look back and recognize the good things God has already done.

What are you thankful for in your role? In your church and ministry? In your family? Think about the people who make your work meaningful, the moments that reminded you why you do what you do and the ways you’ve seen God at work recently.

Celebrating these things does more than give us a reason to feel good about the past. It helps us recognize what is worth nurturing in the future.

2. Celebrate with Possibilities

If gratitude helps us look back … possibility invites us to look forward.

As we look to the year ahead, what do we want to be true? What kind of culture do we want to cultivate? What opportunities could God be opening up for our church, our team and our community?

It’s easy to focus on what hasn’t happened yet or what still needs to be fixed. But what if we also made room to celebrate what’s possible!

3. Celebrate with Presence

Many seasons have a way of filling every available space on the calendar. There are services to plan, events to attend, family moments to be part of and endless to-do lists competing for our attention.

In the middle of all that activity, it can be difficult to be fully present. But presence is a gift and one we can choose to practice.

Start by being present with God. Make space to abide in Him, listen for His voice, and connect with His Spirit before rushing into the demands of the day.

Then, be present with the people around you. Whether you’re spending time with family and friends, working alongside your team or serving, give yourself permission to be where your feet are planted.

When we celebrate what is, we make room to recognize the meaningful work God is doing right here and now.
This is what we want to do at Fishhook too. We want to celebrate the meaningful work God is doing through your churches! And we want to celebrate you and all the work you do to make everything happen.

So, before the Christmas season kicks into high gear, join us for The Table. This FREE lunch and celebration is a gift from our team to you. Step away from the day-to-day demands of ministry, be present with others who understand your work, reflect on what God has done in the past year and imagine what's possible in the year ahead.

Learn more and save your seat here: www.fishhook.us/thetable. Happy celebrating, friends!