Discovering My Shape

For Ministry

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Created By : Don Taft
Serving Christ is about being…..

And building
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lifestyles of ministry and evangelism !
 If this is what Christians are
supposed to be committed to,
then why are there so
many of us committed to so
many other things rather
than the basics of building
lifestyles of ministry and
evangelism? 3
 The answer appears to
be that, as Christians,
we don’t know or we
have forgotten who we
are and what we are to
be about !
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Who are we then and what
have we been called to
be and to do ?

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 Who are We ?
We are _____ !
The ______________.
Believers in God's Son !
and we know that.......

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 All Believers are :

_______II Corinthians 5:17-18

________ Romans 12:6-8
________ Ephesians 4:11-12
________ John 17 : 18-23
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 That's who we are
and what we've been
called to be and to do !

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Any church’s ministry is
determined by _______ purposes
and the ___________________ of its
congregation.
And what is God’s purpose ? The same as it
has always been
__________________________
____________________________with Him
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Your ________ is determined by the way
God has SHAPED you !
Your goal as a Christian is to_______ the
way God has SHAPED you
The two results of discovering the ministry
you’ve been SHAPED for are:
______________ and _______________.
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 What the Bible Says About
Ministry
WHAT IS MINISTRY?
DEFINITION: (Greek “diakonos” =
“to serve”)
“MINISTRY IS USING WHATEVER
GOD HAS GIVEN ME TO ____________
AND TO ____________________ OF
OTHERS.”
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 How To Discover Your Ministry
5 STEPS
STEP 1: DEDICATE ___________
(Pause) (Romans 12 : 1, 2)
STEP 2: ELIMINATE COMPETING
_________________
STEP 3: EVALUATE _________________
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 How To Discover My Ministry

STEP 4: COOPERATE WITH

_____________________
STEP 5: ACTIVATE ___________

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Discovering Your Unique SHAPE

S PIRITUAL GIFTS
H EART
A BILITIES
P ERSONALITY
E XPERIENCES
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 To Identify Your Unique SHAPE
You Need to be About :
 ______________ Your Gift! (~2%)
 ______________Your Heartbeat!
 _________________Your Abilities
 ______________ In Your Personality!
 _________________Your Experiences!

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Discovering My SHAPE

Spiritual Gifts
Heart
Abilities
Personality
Experiences
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 10 Truths about Spiritual Gifts

1. Only _____________ have spiritual

gifts. 1 Cor. 2:14
2. Every Christian has at least one (1)
______________gift. 1 Cor. 7:7
3. No one receives _________ the gifts.
1 Cor. 12:27-30 17
 10 Truths about Spiritual Gifts

4. No single gift is given to

_______________1 Cor. 12:29-30
5. You can’t ____________________
a spiritual gift. Eph. 4:7
6. The _______________ decides
what gifts I get. 1 Cor. 12:11
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 10 Truths about Spiritual Gifts
7. The gifts I’m given are
__________________ Rom. 11:29
8. I am to ______________ the gifts
God gives me. 1 Tim. 4:14
9. It’s a sin to _________ the gifts
God gave me. 1 Cor. 4:1-2
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 10 Truths about Spiritual Gifts
10. Using my gifts ________________
____________God John 15:8
and...
___________me.I Chronicles 4: 10
(Prayer of Jabez)

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 What the Bible Says about Gifts

The Apostle Paul - “Now about spiritual

gifts, I do not want you to be ignorant.”
1 Cor. 12 :1

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 Spiritual Gift : A Definition

A SPIRITUAL GIFT is an ____________ of

________ and _____, given by the Holy
Spirit to every believer, to be used to
________ to others and therefore
_________ the Body of Christ.

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 An Endowment

It is really a ____________ endowment. A

gift that cannot be used up - and it is
beyond my ability to understand or to
explain - it is driven by the Holy Spirit

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 Motivation

An ________________ God in a certain

way. I must...replaces I should…or I ought
to

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 Ability

A ____________________ which originates

with the Holy Spirit

I get the gift, the motivation and the ability

all in the same package.
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The Gifts
Donald C. Taft
fromby
Created : Journey Into
: Donald C.Usefulness
Taft 26
from : Journey Into Usefulness
 Prophecy
Reveal righteous and unrighteous
motives or actions by presenting God’s
truth. To be persuasive in speech. To
reveal the secrets of men’s hearts and
cause them to fall down and worship
God.

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Object : To hear God’s voice
 Your Spiritual Aptitude Test
#1 Prophecy: “Not Fore, but Forth”
 Hebrew havi and the Greek propheter which means to
speak on behalf of another; a prophet speaks for God
 Usually what we have to say is on the basis of what
we have learned of Him in the scriptures
 Some claim a direct ‘hot line’ to heaven
 God can give you specific instruction for yourself or
someone else, but these times are rare and subject to
gross misuse

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 Your Spiritual Aptitude Test
#1 Prophecy: “Not Fore, but Forth”
Test yourself :
 Do you long to tell your story to others ?
 How intense is your motivation to speak for God ? Is
it to be heard or to tell ?
 Are you willing to commit your life to the exercising
of this gift ?
 If you have experienced opportunities to speak for
God, did the results verify your gift ? Did things
happen which took God to explain ? Were lives
transformed ? 29
 Serving
To detect personal needs and
demonstrate love by meeting those needs.
To overlook personal discomfort in order
to meet needs. A server must have genuine
affection for others, demonstrate brotherly
responsibility and be willing to let others
take the credit.

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Object : Meeting needs
 Your Spiritual Aptitude Test

#2 Ministry - “Hooked on Service”

 This gift means to render sacrificial and effective
service to others - a ‘doer’
 God may drive you to have ‘many irons in the fire’ or
you may perform one single task
 The Holy Spirit will open your eyes to practical ways
of meeting human need, like metal to a magnet, where
others pass by unaffected

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 Your Spiritual Aptitude Test
#2 Ministry - “Hooked on Service”
Test yourself :
 When it comes to helping people, are you a doer - do
you have a restless urge to do something about the
needs of our world ?
 Must people coax you into helping or is your response
to tasks spontaneous ?
 Do you accept this gift as your basic service
responsibility ? Do others see it in you ?
 Do you find lasting satisfaction through your service ?
Does God bless through it ?
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 Teaching
Search out and validate truth, God’s
truth. To engage in research and detailed
study in order to validate truth. A teacher
must be diligent in detail, fervent in spirit,
and…. “do her work unto the Lord”.

Object : Changed Lives

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 Your Spiritual Aptitude Test

#3 Teaching - “To Tell the Truth”

 This gift brings special illumination for scripture like
reflectors on a foggy night
 This gift is evidenced by illuminated interpretation,
systematic searching and clear communication
 These people will relish opportunities to teach biblical
truth
 This teaching will be clear, forceful and compelling

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 Your Spiritual Aptitude Test
#3 Teaching - “To Tell the Truth”
Test yourself :
 Do you have a hunger for scripture and insight into its
meaning and are those insights exciting to share ?
 Do you study the bible more than other Christians
around you ? Do you have a number of resource
books which you use regularly ?
 Are others lives affected by your gift and do they
affirm this gift in you ?

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 Exhortation

Stimulate the faith of others.

Personal counseling to encourage
spiritual growth. To call to the side to
encourage a course of action. An exhorter
must rejoice in hope, be patient with slow
progress and be persistent in prayer

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Object : Deepened faith of others
 Your Spiritual Aptitude Test

#4 Exhortation - “A Manner of Speaking”

 From the Greek word parakaleo or to call to one’s side -
‘come sit by my side’
 To exhort is to verbally motivate another person
 If this is your gift you will begin to love enough to be
personally involved in the lives of others
 You will care enough to comfort others in a very
personal manner

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 Your Spiritual Aptitude Test

#4 Exhortation - “A Manner of Speaking”

Test yourself :
 Do you have a deep desire for God to touch the lives
of others through you ?
 Does God seem to give you a 6th. sense of when to act
or to speak or a personal touch with people which
motivates them to action ?
 Do others consistently seek you out for counsel or help
?
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 Giving
Entrust personal assets to others for
the furtherance of their ministry. To
organize personal business in order to
gain assets. An ability to make quick
decisions regarding the immediate needs
of others. The giver must give freely to
the total needs of fellow Christians and
take a genuine interest in the needs of
strangers
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Object : Meeting needs
 Your Spiritual Aptitude Test

#5 Giving - “Beyond the Call of Duty”

 From the Greek word metadidomi which means more
than a mere contribution, but rather a giving or
pouring out of self which sometimes astonishes others
- Phil.2: 17
 An ability to lose yourself in a reckless abandon for
others caused by the Holy Spirit moving in your life
 Heroic type action that goes far ‘above and beyond the
call of duty’

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 Your Spiritual Aptitude Test

#5 Giving - “Beyond the Call of Duty”

Test yourself :
 Do you often find yourself giving more than others -
resources and of yourself ?
 Are others often amazed at the extent of your giving ?
 When involved in Christian service, are you usually
the first to arrive, the last to leave and the least likely
to quit ?
 Does God seem to expect more of you ?
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 Ruling
Coordinate the activities of others
for the common good. To preside over. To
lead, to stand before. To distinguish major
objectives and help others to visualize
them also. The ruler must bless those who
curse him and do whatever he can to
make their life spiritually prosperous

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Object : God’s people moving forward
 Your Spiritual Aptitude Test

#6 Ruling - “God’s Invincibles”

 From the Greek word proistamenos or to stand before,
to preside, to be over
 The one thing which sets the leader apart is a sense of
divine authority for the task

1. If God has chosen you , he will move on the hearts of

others and lead them to you
2. But… He will always validate that selection by issuing
a personal call to you 43
 Your Spiritual Aptitude Test

#6 Ruling - “God’s Invincibles”

Test yourself :
 Have you ever felt a ‘call’ to lead out in some
Christian endeavor? Do others look to you and ask for
your leadership?
 Has God verified His call to you by leading others to
you?
 Are you the kind of person who could organize a
tornado?
 Has Satan ever opposed you in your effort?
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 Showing Mercy
Identify and comfort those who are
in distress. To mentally and emotionally
relate to those who are experiencing
misery or misfortune and give them aid.
The merciful must share the happiness of
those who are happy and enter into the
sorrow of those who are in sorrow

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Object : Offer comfort
 Your Spiritual Aptitude Test

#7 Showing Mercy - “Pity Plus Action”

Test yourself :
 Do you actually feel the pain and need of others and
do you respond?
 Do you seem to care more than others?
 Do others recognize this gift in you?
 Is your first response at an automobile accident scene
to get help or to tend to those who are hurt ? The
merciful are most inclined to do the latter
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 Your Spiritual Aptitude Test

#7Showing Mercy - “Pity Plus Action”

 From the Greek word eleos to feel sympathy with the
misery of another and manifests itself in action - yours
!
 This is caring at a really deep level - beyond being
willing to be inconvenienced, beyond being personally
involved and helping, but seeing others pain as your
pain, their need as your need, their sorrow as your
sorrow - this is not natural for anyone to care like that

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 Key Principles

 These are the seven areas in which God will

supernaturally gift you
 You must be willing to ‘sell out’ to the use of your
gift
 You must consider this gift a pearl of great value
and worth sacrificing all of your natural talents and
abilities in using it
 If the Lord returns tomorrow, will He find you
using your gift ?

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 Why the Confusion ?

Some Christian writers have observed

that the confusion is caused by mixing up
the ______________ (enablements), with the
______ the gifts are used (ministries/roles)
and…..
the _________the gifts have upon others
(manifestations).
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 Enablements
Gifts - Motivations
(Charasmaton)
I Cor. 12 : 4; Rom. 12 : 6-8
Prophesying Serving
Teaching Exhorting
Giving Ruling
Showing Mercy
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 Executions
Ministries
(Diakonion)
I Cor. 12 : 5, 28
Apostle Healing
Prophet Helps
Teacher Government
Evangelist Miracle Worker
Diversity of Tongues
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 Effects
Manifestations
(Energma Phanerosia)
I Cor. 12 : 6, 7-11
A Word of Wisdom A Prophecy
A Word of Knowledge Faith
Diverse Tongues Gift of Healing
Tongues Interpretation A Miracle
A Discerning Spirit
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 Billy Graham Analogy
Enablements Executions Effects
Motivations (Gifts) Ministries (Roles) Manifestations
Romans 12: 6-8 I Cor. 12 : 28 I Cor.12 : 6-8

Billy Graham

__________ _____________
__________________
Or…..
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___________ __________ ______________
 The Purpose of Spiritual Gifts

A. NOT FOR MY BENEFIT, BUT

FOR THE BENEFIT OF OTHERS.

B. TO PRODUCE MATURITY AND

HARMONY IN OUR CHURCH
FAMILY.
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 The Purpose of Spiritual Gifts

C. RECOGNIZE THAT YOU HAVE

BOTH A ________ AND A
____________ MINISTRY IN
YOUR CHURCH:

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 The Purpose of Spiritual Gifts

YourPRIMARY MINISTRY
commitment should be in the area
where you are___________.
Your SECONDARY MINISTRY
includes serving in any other area of the
Body when you are _________.
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 6 Cautions About Spiritual Gifts

1. Don’t confuse gifts with natural

talents
Examples :
Singing is a natural talent or ability, but when another hears
God speaking through your singing, that is a spiritual
gift (i.e. ___________)
Public speaking is a natural talent or ability, but when another is
encouraged through your spoken word, that is a spiritual
gift (i.e. ______________)
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 6 Cautions About Spiritual Gifts

2. Don’t confuse gifts with the Fruit of

the Spirit. Gal.5:22-23
“______” show my Maturity.
“______” show my Ministry.

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 6 Cautions About Spiritual
Gifts
3. Don’t confuse gifts with Christian
Roles.
Examples : Evangelist, Pastor etc.
4. Be aware of the “GIFT
PROJECTION ” tendency.
(Expecting others to serve the way you do and
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have similar results.)
 6 Cautions About Spiritual
Gifts

5. Don’t feel your gift makes you

in any way ________ to others.
1 Cor. 12: 21

6. Realize that using your gifts

without ______ is worthless! 1
Cor. 13: 1-3 (GN)
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How to Discover Your Gifts
Get Started!
STUDY
(Suggested Book List)
Journey Into Usefulness
by James Mahoney
Discovering Your God-Given Gifts
by Don & Katie Fortune
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 How to Discover Your
Gifts
___________________
Experiment with different areas of service.
____________
Use the the Fortune’s Gift Profile Tool.
_____________________________
Ask others what gifts they see in me.

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 How to Discover Your Gifts
IT IS EASIER TO DISCOVER YOUR GIFT
THROUGH MINISTRY THAN TO DISCOVER YOUR
MINISTRY THROUGH YOUR GIFT.
Three Ways God Wants You to
Discover and / Or Use Your Gifts :
1. Through an ___________________
2. Through _______________________
3.Through _________________________
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 How to Discover Your Spiritual
Gifts
Here are 3 Pre-requisites for finding your
spiritual gift :
•________ - Only as I make a conscience decision to
make my life a life of sacrifice to others thereby
centering myself in His will for me and …
•________ - Only as I am involved in meeting the needs
of others and …
•______ - Only as I give up trying to imitate the gifts of
others 64
 Discovering My Ministry

Spiritual Gifts

Gift Profile Sheet from

Don & Katie Fortune’s book
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Discovering My SHAPE

Spiritual Gifts
Heart
Abilities
Personality
Experiences
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 Monitoring My Heartbeat
The Bible defines the “Heart” as:
a. “The organ that pumps your
blood”
b. “Your emotional constitution or
disposition”
c. “The vital force or driving impulse”

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 Monitoring My Heartbeat

My heart determines....
· Why I ______ the things I do
· Why I ______ the way I do
· Why I _____ the way I do

My heart is the REAL me!

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 Monitoring My Heartbeat

Why has God given each person a

________ “heartbeat ?”

Because you can do God’s will and

serve God’s purpose by letting
your heartbeat __________ you
for ministry! 69
Taking a Spiritual EKG :

Finish this sentence :

I Love To...

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Discovering My SHAPE

Spiritual Gifts
Heart
Abilities
Personality
Experiences
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 Applying My Abilities

“There are different abilities to perform

service.” 1 Cor. 12:6

“I (God)...have given him skill, ability, and

knowledge in all kinds of crafts....”
Exodus 31:3
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 5 Misconceptions About Abilities

1. MYTH: People aren’t born with skills. All

skills must be learned by experience. This
simply is not true. There are a number of
talents which seem to be inborn, or are
developed very early in infancy. When
people say “He just seems to have a natural
talent for it” it’s probably true!

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 5 Misconceptions About
Abilities
2. MYTH: Those skills which must be
learned, are learned primarily in the
classroom. Actually, some of your
most basic skills were learned at
home, “in the street”, or somewhere
else outside the classroom.

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 5 Misconceptions About
Abilities
3. MYTH: If you have certain
abilities, you will be very aware
that you have them. Again, this is
not true. You are probably using a
number of talents or skills that you
are not even aware of! You need
some process of skill identification.
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 5 Misconceptions About
Abilities
4. MYTH: Skills that I use at work are
only usable in that environment. I
couldn’t use them in ministry.
Hopefully, by the end of this class,
you’ll see the fallacy of this idea. Be
creative!

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 5 Misconceptions About
Abilities
5. MYTH: Most people only have a
very few abilities. The truth is that
many national studies have proven
that the average person possesses
from five hundred to seven
hundred skills!

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How To Discover Your
Abilities

28 Specialized Abilities I
Have....

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Discovering My SHAPE

Spiritual Gifts
Heart
Abilities
Personality
Experiences
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 Plugging in My Personality

What happens when we try to serve

outside our giftedness - How do we
feel ?
1. WE FEEL __________________
2. IT TAKES _____________________
3. EVEN WITH THE EXTRA EFFORT, WE
FREQUENTLY _________________ 80
 My Personality
1. Extroverted Introverted
Strong Mild Strong

2. Big Picture Only Details

Strong Mild Strong

3.Head (Thinking) Heart (Feeling)
Strong Mild Strong
4. Structured Un s t ruc tured
& Decisive & In de ci sive
Strong Mild Strong 81
Discovering My SHAPE

Spiritual Gifts
Heart
Abilities
Personality
Experiences
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 Examining My Experiences

“And we know that in ALL things God works

for the good of those who love Him, who have
been called according to His purpose.” Romans
8:28
“Now I (Apostle Paul) want you to know, brothers,
that what has happened to me has really served to
advance the gospel.” Phillipians 1:12

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 We Develop Through
Experiences
A. ___________ EXPERIENCES ?
B. ____________ EXPERIENCES?
C. _______________ EXPERIENCES?
D. ________ EXPERIENCES?
E. ____________ EXPERIENCES?
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 Example :

Apostle Paul’s Ministry

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 What About You ?
How Have You Developed ?
WHAT ABOUT YOUR :
A. SPIRITUAL EXPERIENCES ?
B. PAINFUL EXPERIENCES?
C. EDUCATIONAL EXPERIENCES?
D. WORK EXPERIENCES?
E. MINISTRY EXPERIENCES? 86
 Ministry Statement

About Ministry
__________ is the heart of the Christian
life. (Mat. 20:28)
_________ follows form in ministry. How
God made me determines what He
intends for me to do. God has uniquely
shaped each individual for a specific
ministry. 87
 Ministry Statement

About Ministry
God has given all his children gifts that
can be developed and used in ministry.
Everyone is a “10” in some area. Everyone
has something to offer. Developing and
using your gifts is an act of good
____________ and ___________.
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 Ministry Statement

About Ministry

Theevidence of the right match between

my “shape” and my ministry is :
__________ and __________.

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 Ministry Statement

About The Body of Christ!

The church is to operate on the basis of
____________, rather than elected office.
We do not ________ people to ministries.
“A man’s gift makes room for him...”
Proverbs 18 :16

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 Ministry Statement

About The Body of Christ!

The church is a _______ , not a business; an
__________, not an organization.
Therefore we streamline the structure in
order to maximize ministry and minimize
maintenance. We do not bury ministries
under procedures.
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 Ministry Statement

About The Body of Christ!

The greater good of the whole Body must

always take priority over the needs of any
single ministry. There is no place for
“__________” in God’s Family.

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 Ministry Statement

About The Role Of Pastors!

The objective is to __________________ an
army of ministers who are maximizing
their unique gifts, heart, abilities,
personality, and experiences in a
meaningful place of service through our
church.
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 Ministry Statement

About Accountability!

Everything rises or falls on ___________. No

ministry can exceed the _______________
of those leading it.

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 Ministry Statement

About Training!

Every minister is a ___________ . The

moment you stop __________, you stop
leading.

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 Ministry Statement

About Diversity of Ministry!

Ministries have __________. If a ministry

isn’t meeting a need anymore, we will
____________________. There are no
sacred cows!
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 Ministry Statement
About Diversity of Ministry!

Your primary ministry commitment should

be in the area______________
_____________. Your secondary ministry
includes serving in any other area of the
Body ______________________.
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 Ministry Statement

About Performance!

We expect excellence in ministry, not

___________. Excellence is ___________
____________. God deserves _________.

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 Discovering My Ministry

Congratulations!
You Are Now a SHAPE Graduate!!

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