“Discovering Your S.H.A.P.E. For MINISTRY”

Note: This study is based on a study written by Fellowship Bible Church, Rogers Arkansas. Much of the information in their study was gleaned from “S.H.A.P.E. – Finding and Fulfilling Your Unique Purpose for Life” by Erik Rees.

I believe the greatest driving force of mankind is to find a purpose in life.  If someone can’t find a purpose, they will blindly follow anything or anyone just to have that feeling to belong.

“For it was you who who created my inward parts; you knit me together in my mother’s womb.” Psalm 139:13

God designed each of us so there would be no duplication in the world. The unique combination of your Spiritual gift(s), Heart (passion), Abilities, Personality and Experiences make you “one-of-a-kind” and form your S.H.A.P.E. for ministry. This means that no one else on earth will ever be able to play the role that God has S.H.A.P.E.d you for.

When I thought about this, it was so powerful. Think about it, if you don’t make your unique contribution to the Body of Christ, it won’t be made.  The Bible says, “There are different kinds of spiritual gifts… different ways of serving… [and] different abilities to perform service.”

We all know what it is like to be “out of shape.” We find ourselves out of breath with the least bit of exertion. Usually we resolve to “get back into shape.”  Even more important than our physical shape, is our spiritual shape. This is because What God made me to Be (my shape) determines what God intends me to Do (my ministry)…

“My Ministry is determined by my makeup!!” We are all like living clay to be molded in his image.

Do you want to know what a minister looks like? Go to your room a look in the mirror. Are you Suprised? It may not be what you expected, but God didn’t stutter when he called YOU to be a minister for him.

Let’s read some verses from the Bible  to answer the question “to Whom do we minister?”

• “And while they were ministering to the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, “set apart for Me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.” – (To the Lord) Acts 13:2 (NASB)
• “God is not unjust; He will not forgot your work and the love you have shown Him as you have helped His people and continue to help them.” (To God’s People) Hebrews 6:10 (NIV)
• “You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in Heaven.” (To the World) Matthew 5:14-16 (NIV)

We are asked to minister the needs of others in three areas of their lives: Physical Needs (Matt. 10:42; 25:35,36,40), Emotional Needs (Ro. 12:15; 1 Thess 5:14), and Spiritual Needs (Colossians 1:28,29)

Many People still are asking, “These observations on ministry are interesting, but what do they have to do with me?”

• Ephesians 2:10 tells us that we have been Created for Ministry
• 1 Timothy 1:9 tells us that we have been Saved for Ministry
• 1 Peter 2:9 tells us we have been Chosen for Ministry
• 1 Peter 4:10 tells us we have been Gifted for Ministry
• John 20:21 tells us we been Sent for Ministry
• Romans 14:12 tells us that we will in Account for our Ministry
• Colossians 3:23,23 tells us that we be Rewarded for our Ministry
• Matthew 20:28 tells us that we are an Example of Ministry

Ministry is obviously a big part of God’s plan for the Christian. That is so powerful that we may lose our breathe. But what if you were uniquely designed to play a special and important role in this world that only you could fill. You are that one puzzle piece. Would you be open to discovering your S.H.A.P.E  for ministry?

You are certainly God’s creation. Inside and out you have God’s fingerprints all over you. God has been molding and shaping you for ministry since you were born. In fact, God started uniquely shaping you before you were even born.

No one ever had a more knowledgeable personable trainer to get them in S.H.A.P.E. than you have in God.

“For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.” (Ephesian 2:10)

God Loves Variety. For example, There are more than 350,000 different species of noted beetle, however, scientists estimate the real number is between 4 million and 8 million beetle species. Every person on earth in Unique in there on S.H.A.P.E.

It is time to give some Biblical support for this “S.H.A.P.E” that I have been talking about.  Let’s go over the Following verses:

• Spiritual Gifts – “… Each man has own (spiritual) gift from God; one has this gift, another has that.” (1 Corinthians 7:7b)
• Heart – “The king’s heart is in the hand of the Lord; He directs it like a water course wherever he pleases..” ( Proverbs 21:1)
• “For it is God who it working in you, enabling you both to desire and to work out His good purpose.” (Phil. 2:13)
• Abilities – “There are different abilities to perform service…” (1 Cor. 12:6)
• “I (God) …have given (them) skill, ability, and knowledge in all kinds of crafts…”  (Exodus 31:3)
• “God has given each of us the ability to do certain things well.” (Romans 12:6)
• Personality – “No one can really know what anyone else is thinking or what he is really like, except that person himself.” (1 Corinthians 2:11 LB)
• Experience – “‘Solid food’ is only for the adult, that is, for the man who has developed by experience his power to discriminate between what is good and what is evil.” (Hebrews 5:12,14)

Success is Doing what God Created yourself to do.  It is achieved most effectively and fulfilling when you are using your Gifts and Abilities in the area of your Heart’s  Desire and in a way that best expresses your Personality and Experience. – Rick Warren, Pastor Saddleback Community Church

“Now concerning spiritual gifts, brethren, I do not want you to be unaware.” (1 Corinthians 12:1) NASB

Everyone loves to receive gifts. Now imagining going to Grandma’s house for Christmas and then not unwrapping their gifts to us, receiving them but never opening them!  It would be a major disappointment to our grandparents, wouldn’t it?  Not to mention, we would never get the opportunity to enjoy the gifts.

Unfortunately, that’s exactly what most Christians do with their God-given spiritual gifts.  We receive them, but we never take the time to “open (understand)” and use them.  When we do this, we miss out and so does the Church.

Paul spoke to the Corinthians he needed to make them more knowledgeable about spiritual gifts.  The reason for this was so they could live in unity or as one body of Christ.  He taught them that our Spiritual gifts are for different type of service, but still serve the same Lord. These gifts are not for our benefits, but others.

Paul was speaking these things so the people would not be doing such things as comparison, competition, or judging.  We are loved equally and all are gifts are equally important. No Spiritual Gift is more important or better than another.  They each have a different task or service in mind.

The Holy Spirit blesses us with these gifts to serve others.

The most important part of this lesson is “Do not think God loves someone more or less based on the specific gifts that He gives to that person.”

“Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the Common good.” – 1 Corinthians 12:7

I have just introduced to you the purpose and use of spiritual gifts. Now it’s time to look at the gift themselves.  Before we begin unwrapping the gifts, left’s review.

Only Christians have “Spiritual Gifts.”  Every Christian is given spiritual gifts to be used in ministry.  If you have committed your life to Jesus Christ, the Holy Spirit has “gifted” you.  Specifically, the Bible says that your spiritual gifts are supposed to be used to build up the church. When we use our gifts together, the church grows and we all benefit. It’s important for Christ-followers to discover what their spiritual girts are so they can use them in ministry.

Three specific lists of spiritual gifts occur in the New Testament, all in Paul’s letters:

• Romans 12:6-8 names 7 gifts: prophecy, serving, teaching, exhortation, giving, leadership, and mercy.
• 1 Corinthians 12:8-10, 28 lists 13 gifts: wisdom, knowledge, faith, healing, miracles, prophecy, discernment, speaking in tongues, interpreting tongues, apostleship, teaching, healing, and administration.
• Ephesians 4:11 has 5 gifts: apostleship, prophecy, evangelism, shepherding, and teaching.
• 1 Peter 4:9-10: hospitality

Now, you are asking yourself what are mine.  CLICK HERE for a website, that has a quick survey that helps you determine your Gifts.