What SHAPE are you? No, I am not asking if you have been exercising regularly, or if you are fit as a fiddle. Nor am I asking if you see yourself as a circle, or a square, or a triangle. What is your ministry SHAPE? In the book The Purpose Driven Life by Rick Warren, he gives this simple acrostic as a way for followers of Jesus to discover how God has gifted and called them to serve Jesus in the church and the world.
You see, God has called every one of His children to an area of ministry. Most of the time, when we think about ministry, the idea of a pastor or youth minister comes to mind. We think of people who are willing to get up in front of a group of people and share God’s Word. While this is an important ministry, it’s not the only one. In fact, God has a ministry for every follower of Jesus. He has gifted you and given you special abilities to serve Him for the purpose of building up His church and reaching a lost world.
In this passage, God tells Moses that He has called out two men for a special task, that of building the Tabernacle, and preparing all of the pieces for worship. These men would lead a team of people who would take care of the artistic design for the place of worship. These men were obviously gifted as artists and architects. But, on top of this, they were called by God for this task. He had put these men in the nation for this very purpose.
God has a purpose for you, and has gifted you for that purpose. He wants you to find an area of ministry and serve Him. This is where the SHAPE comes in. God has given you a SHAPE that should lead you to your area of ministry. SHAPE stands for different aspects that you need to consider when trying to seek God’s direction for your ministry.
S – Spiritual gift – God has given Spiritual gifts to every believer. These gifts are special abilities God gives to accomplish the ministry He has given.
H – Heart – What do you really like to do. Some really enjoy teaching, while others might like to draw and paint. God uses your passions in life.
A – Abilities – What special talents do you possess? As you consider your ministry, you should think about these abilities. One man in our church is especially gifted in carpentry work, and he spends many hours at the church doing maintanence and repair work.
P – Personality – Are you a leader? A person who is full of compassion? Maybe you are outgoing and willing to meet people? You should consider your personality when considering areas of ministry.
E – Experiences – Maybe you have some experiences that God can use to make a difference. Someone whose parents have been divorced may have a greater ability to minister to someone going through that situation. Your experiences can help you in your ministry.
For Bazalel and Aholiab, their SHAPE took them to this ministry of doing the artwork and design for the Tabernacle. Aaron and Moses were not gifted or equipped for this ministry, but they were. And God was calling them to this ministry. In the same way, God has saved you and placed you in the community of faith with gifts and abilities that no one else has. So pray about your ministry. First, ask God to show you your SHAPE, then ask God to call you to your area of ministry.
