One thing is the single most important leadership task. One thing is the most important thing you can do to develop yourself as a leader. One thing is the most important thing your congregation can do to establish itself as a leading organization in your community.

For Bob, the "one thing" was swimming lessons. He was terrified of water. While watching his grandchildren swim in a pool, he realized he could not save them if they got in trouble. He faced his fears, took lessons and in his ’60s learned to swim!

Unexpected changes followed, changes that sustain him even now in his ’70s. Previously, Bob’s hands gripped his car’s steering wheel with such fear-caused tension that his knuckles turned white every time he drove across a bridge. Knowing how to swim relaxed his grip on the wheel when driving over water. Learning to swim also gave him increased confidence in facing everyday obstacles and meeting new challenges.

The one thing you must do to improve as a leader, either personally or organizationally, probably scares you. It requires hard work and sustained effort to learn and do (you’ve already done all the easy things). It is different for every person and congregation, but everyone must face that one thing and do it. Leonard Sweet, in his book "Aqua Church," summed up that risk-taking attitude this way: "You can’t buy a deeper walk with God. But you have to pay for it."

The start of the New Year provides a wonderful opportunity to focus on that one thing. Rather than create a long list of resolutions, decide to do that one most difficult, important thing.

As an individual, you may see a family systems therapist and repair a broken relationship. You might get physically fit and discover a whole new outlook. Perhaps you will sharpen your mind by pursuing courses or a degree in a field that always excited you. Whatever it is, this one thing will lead you into a deeper walk with God.

As a congregation, you may focus in your community on people who were always invisible before. Maybe you will begin a totally different worship service that brings unexpected people to church. Perhaps you will face that internal difficulty everyone knows about, but about which no one speaks. With prayer and courage, do that one thing and see how it leads your congregation ever closer to God.