By Chad Cronin | Rooted Pastor & Coach
Winter often gets labeled as a “slow season” in church life. The days are shorter, in some areas the weather keeps people indoors, and ministry schedules shift. But when it comes to strategic discipleship, what if we didn’t view winter as a setback but as a significant ministry opportunity?
The Winter Window for Spiritual Formation
Shorter days naturally slow the pace of life. People spend more time inside, more time reflecting, and more time looking for meaningful connections and biblical community. This creates a unique window for spiritual formation to flourish. When evenings are darker and church calendars feel less crowded, gathering in a living room or around a table often feels more appealing than it does in the busy summer months.
Leveraging the New Year Reset
Winter also aligns with a natural season of reset for people. With the beginning of a new year, people are already thinking about growth and change physically, emotionally, mentally, and spiritually—making it the ideal time for a January discipleship launch.
Many are asking questions like:
- What do I want this year to look like?
- Who am I becoming?
- Where do I need to grow?
These questions open the door for intentional discipleship and community engagement.
Creating a Pathway for Growth
Rooted is designed for church leadership moments just like this. It provides a clear and experiential next step for people who are hungry for growth, new to faith, or looking to reconnect spiritually.
For churches, winter can be the perfect time to promote small groups and invite people into a shared discipleship experience that brings warmth, purpose, and connection during a season that can otherwise feel isolating. This is how we turn a seasonal "slowdown" into a season of healthy church growth.
Don’t underestimate winter.
When intentionally leveraged within your ministry planning, it can become one of the most fruitful seasons of the year for building a thriving community and multiplying disciples.
Prepare Your Ministry for the Year Ahead
Gain the peer-driven benchmarks and strategic insights from fellow ministry leaders you need for thriving spiritual formation.
Leverage this winter to evaluate your strategy with the 2026 Discipleship Insights Report.
