growing down in a new year

... while the world tells you to grow up

Likewise Worship
January 13, 2026

We’ve missed you - but we are glad to be back in our normal rhythm and to tackle a new year with you! Read on…

In Today’s Email

How to Grow Down 🌱
We’re in Your Corner 🤝
Chesterton on a New Year 🙏

How to Grow Down 🌱

Aren’t we all supposed to be learning how to grow up? Well, that depends. What are you growing up into? That’s the better question.

And in the upside down world of the Kingdom of God, the only true way to grow up is to grow down.

We find this especially true in ministry leadership. We’ll bet that instagram and your other media have given you plenty to think about when it comes to your personal growth this year.

There is some really great content out there - we don’t want to add to the noise.

Instead, we wanted to invite you to practice one thing this new year: growing down.

We don’t mean growing down as in going backwards. No! Growing down as in growing deeper into the source, like a strong root system. We mean a way of being that is marked by increasing awareness of your limitations and greater dependence upon God.

We know we are maturing when we are embracing dependence upon the Lord rather than striving for our independence. It’s the not-so-secret secret to right living.

David knew this and expressed it this way:

“Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the wicked, nor stands in the way of sinners, nor sits in the seat of scoffers; but his delight is in the law of the Lord, and on his law he meditates day and night. He is like a tree planted by streams of water that yields its fruit in its season, and its leaf does not wither.” - Psalm 1v1-3

To David, the key to a fruit-bearing life (and ministry) is to meditate on the law of the Lord day and night.

The interesting thing about David’s life is that we never really see him outgrow his dependence on the Lord. He missed the mark. He didn’t always get it right. But he lived this way and understood this.

We know this from Psalm 127. Psalm 127 is “of Solomon.” Scholars are split as to whether Solomon wrote this or David wrote it for Solomon.

“Unless the Lord builds the house, those who build it labor in vain. Unless the Lord watches over the city, the watchman stays awake in vain. It is in vain that you rise up early and go late to rest, eating the bread of anxious toil; for he gives to his beloved sleep.” - Psalm 127v1-2

If David wrote it for Solomon, we need to count this as a precious teaching from a father passed to a son on how to live and work. We could also see this as something David would sing over his son.

If Solomon wrote this, he would have been influenced by growing up watching his father model this.

In any case, there is an invitation to us to begin the new year in humility.

You are not sufficient in yourself for your task. You are not strong enough in yourself to wrestle your enemies. You are not wise enough in yourself for all that lies ahead of you.

But maybe, just maybe, you have a loving Father who wants to give you exactly what you need precisely when you need it.

We’re In Your Corner 🤝

We know what it’s like to be in the trenches… everyone on our Likewise staff has served or is currently serving on staff of a church for at least 10 years!

We see value in having a third-party who “gets it.” If you’re bringing personal or ministry challenges into the new year, we would love to be a listening ear.

We call this “care.” Care ranges anywhere from just needing to process to needing intervention. We’d love to meet you wherever you’re at!

If you’re feeling stuck when it comes to a specific ministry challenge, we would love to coach you through it!

All of our one on ones are always FREE for worship leaders!

Chesterton on a New Year 🙏

“The object of a new year is not that we should have a new year, but rather that we should have a new soul.”

— G.K. Chesterton

Join our community!

Gatherings - Looking to connect with other leaders? Come to our free monthly hangs with local leaders in select US cities or join us quarterly online!
One on One - Looking to process your ministry, your faith, or your challenges with a third-party you can trust? Set up a meeting with a member of our team.
Vocal Coaching - Feeling stuck or discouraged vocally? We offer professional in-house voice coaching specifically to worship leaders. Best part? We raise funds so we can give you a BIG discount. Schedule a consultation with our team!