These seven skills can make you better in 2026

I’m a big fan of developing your skills. Everyone has talents, but skillfulness brings success.

I started pastorsuniversity.org six years ago this month.  It is a four-month course with “50 lessons from 50 years” of pastoring.  Already, almost 500 pastoral leaders have graduated.

This month, we launched Pastors University on an Apple and Android app.  It is available in English and the new Spanish format.  Our next Cohort begins February 1st.

Here are seven of the many skills we spend hours developing in ministry leaders.  They will actually help anyone who applies themselves toward them:

1. The skill of devotional habits.

We believe that prayer, fasting, and Bible study are essential to a successful life and ministry.

Prayer is best done in praying through Scripture and developing “prayer tracks.”  

Fasting is something Christ taught us to hear God's voice and develop spiritual authority.

Bible study is best done with a one-year reading plan.  I recommend the “One Year Bible” plan and have written a devotional on it called “365.”  As a result, I have read the Bible each year since 1989.

2. The skill of hearing the voice of God.

The voice of God is the will of God.  There are seven ways you hear the voice of God.  Three of them are:

• The “inward witness.”  This is a “yes” or “no” the Holy Spirit gives you by inner peace or inner conflict.

• The “inward voice” of the Spirit. 

• “Dreams and visions” from the Spirit that show you a picture of His will.

3.  The skill of learning to communicate.

Writing and public speaking require specific skills.  We teach the pattern of “hook, book, look, and took” (the four learning styles of listeners).  It can be applied to any format where you are trying to communicate a message.

4. The skill of long-term marriage.

This year (2026) marks my 50th wedding anniversary.   I am excited to say the least!

There are specific skills you need to learn to live in harmony with another person for that long.

It centers on a marital “covenant” rather than a “contract.”  It is an approach based on “honor,” not mere attraction.

5. The skill of parenting.

This Christmas, we had all 34 of our family together (six couples and twenty grandchildren).  We had a blast!

Shaping children requires attention, affection, and discipline.  That is a short sentence, but it represents years of skill-building and experience.

6. The skill of margin.

If you wear yourself out in a short period, you will never be successful. Life is a marathon, not a sprint.

How do you balance work and family?  How much do you need in savings?  How many hours should you work?  Do you need a weekly Sabbath?

7. The skill of personal growth.

Reading, studying, and goal-setting drive change.  President George Bush read 100 books a year WHILE IN OFFICE!  

Only 3% of Americans write down their top 10 goals and maintain daily habits to sustain them.

These seven skills, along with many others, form the curriculum of “Pastors University.”  You can apply to join us at pastorsuniversity.org.

If you are not in ministry, find this year something where you can be coached from “talents” to “skills.”

Why not make 2026 your Year of Breakthrough?