Discipleship Class 301

A MOVING EXPERIENCE TOWARDS MINISTRY

You are moving forward in your commitment. You have made commitment
to practice the six habits that will bring about Christian Growth. You are on your
way as a maturing Christian. Are you now perfectly mature? Not of course, but
you can already move on to this third track. God is calling you over to serve.

Ephesians 2:10 For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to good
works, which God has before ordained that we should walk in them.

EVERY BELIEVER IS DESIGNED BY GOD TO SERVE

There are 4 Bible truths that teach that every believer is designed by God to serve.
1. Every believer is a minister. Every believer is not a pastor, but every believer
is called to minister to the church and the world.
Ephesians 4:11-12 He also gave apostles, prophets, missionaries, as well as
pastors and teachers as gifts to his church. 12 Their purpose is to prepare
God's people, to serve, and to build up the body of Christ.

2. Every ministry is important. There are no little people in the church, and there
is no insignificant ministry in the body. Some ministries are visible, some are
behind the scenes, but all are important.
1 Corinthians 12:18-22 So God put each and every part of the body together as
he wanted it. 19 How could it be a body if it only had one part? 20 So
there are many parts but one body. 21 An eye can't say to a hand, "I don't
need you!" Or again, the head can't say to the feet, "I don't need you!" 22
The opposite is true. The parts of the body that we think are weaker are the
ones we really need.

3. We are dependent on each other. No one can do it all, every ministry is

connected with the others.
1Co 12:7 The evidence of the Spirit's presence is given to each person for the
common good of everyone.

4. Ministry is the expression of our SHAPE. This refers to the five elements that
determine what a person’s ministry should be. Each of us was uniquely
designed or shaped by God to do certain things. What God made you to be
determines what He intends for you to do.
UNDERSTANDING S.H.A.P.E.

1. Spiritual gifts. These are God-given abilities to be used in ministry (1Cor. 12;
Rom. 8; Eph.4). As you begin to be involved in a certain ministry, you will
discover that God gives you the needed gift to do that ministry effectively. As
a believer matures, he is more likely to manifest a mixture of gifts.
2. Heart. The heart represents the center of your motivation, desires, interests,
inclinations, what brings you most satisfaction and fulfillment. It motivates
you to pursue certain activities, subjects and environments. Do not ignore
your natural interests. People rarely excel at tasks they don’t enjoy doing.

3. Abilities. Are the natural talents you were born with; such as the natural
ability in talking, athletics, arts, music, etc. Everyone has some kind of
abilities. Many surveys have proven that an average person has 500-700
natural skills. However, many of these they have not identified, not put to use
or had no opportunity to de identified and used. The list of natural talents
cannot be exhausted: writing, recruiting, researching, promoting, decorating,
entertaining, cooking, drawing, repairing, name it!
4. Personality. God is a God of variety, He created us with different
temperaments. Some are thinkers, others are feelers. Some love to work
individually, some with a team. There is no right or wrong temperament for
ministry. We need all kinds to balance the church. If you minister in a manner
that is consistent with the personality God gave you, you will be fulfilled and
fruitful.
5. Experience. God never wastes an experience. There are five areas of
experience that influence one’s ministry: Educational, vocational, spiritual,
ministry and painful experiences.