by Chris Klausen

The Yearly Review for Ministry Leaders is a reflection tool designed to guide you through a prayerful review of the past year. It serves as a valuable practice for sustaining faithfulness in your life with God and your ministry. It invites you to slow down, be intentional, and notice God’s activity in all of life.

The following guide will support you through this reflective practice. If you are already seeing a spiritual director, consider bringing your insights from this guide to your next session.

Set aside ample time for this exercise, allowing space to engage fully without interruptions. Under each main question, you’ll find sub-questions in italics to help direct your reflection. Feel free to journal your responses in a format that is helpful to you.

Start by quieting in prayer. Invite God to help you remember the situations, moments, and decisions that marked your spiritual journey and ministry over the past year. Take your time, perhaps moving month by month, or simply notice the experiences that come to mind as you reflect. Avoid rushing; instead, prayerfully observe and listen.

Reflecting on the past year, what were the spiritual highlights in your journey with God (non-ministry related)?

• What moments were life-giving? What were you grateful for? What good desires did God cultivate within you? Which spiritual practices were most meaningful?

Reflecting on the past year, what were the highlights in your ministry work?

• What was fruitful? Where did you feel connected with others? How did you grow in service and love?

Spend some time prayerfully reviewing what you just wrote. What did you learn from these highlights?

• What did you discover about God? About yourself? How have these experiences shaped your spiritual formation? Do you sense any clarification of your life direction or calling?

As you look back, what were the low points or difficulties in your spiritual life (non-ministry related)?

• What drained you of life and joy? When did you feel distant from or disappointed in God? Where was there relational conflict? Which spiritual practices felt dry or unhelpful?

Reflecting on the past year, what challenges and disappointments did you face in your ministry?

• What didn’t work well? Where did you experience disconnection or conflict? In what ways did you exhibit pride or selfishness? Where did you fall short in love? Sometimes, in the pursuit of ministry goals, essential things can be overlooked; is there anything that may have been neglected? How might you reintegrate these elements into your ministry?

Spend some time prayerfully reviewing what you just wrote. What did you learn from these low points?

• What did you discover about God? About yourself? Are there areas where forgiveness is needed, or outcomes you may need to release, trusting God’s work? Are there specific ways you need to cooperate more with God’s transforming work?

Looking ahead to the next year, what are your hopes and desires?

• What personal and ministry goals do you hold? Are there spiritual practices you feel drawn to begin? Considering The Yearly Review, do you sense God guiding you toward or away from something specific?

Conclude this time in prayer, recalling that God holds both you and your ministry with care, and give thanks for God’s faithfulness in the past and continued work in the future.

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Perhaps you’d like to consider how a spiritual director might be a trusted guide who could accompany you on your journey of faith. If you’d like to have a conversation with us to explore what this might look like, please contact us and we will follow up with you.