Please identify yourself to begin or continue your workbook.
Your progress is saved on this device and browser. Use the same email and password to pick up where you left off.
Discovering My S.H.A.P.E. for Ministry
“Each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others, faithfully administering God's grace in its various forms.” 1 Peter 4:10
This is a digital version of the S.H.A.P.E. Discovery Workbook. It walks you through the same teaching, scriptures, and self-assessments as the printed booklet, so you can discover how God has uniquely SHAPED you to serve Him. You don't need to fill in an answer sheet by hand. Your answers are tallied for you, and a complete S.H.A.P.E. Profile is put together at the end.
Adapted with permission from the S.H.A.P.E. Discovery Workbook. Quoted passages marked (The Purpose Driven Life, By Rick Warren) are from that book.
Please complete your profile details before you continue. This information helps us support your unique ministry path. Items marked * are required to submit your profile.
Welcome! An exciting opportunity awaits you as you discover more about how God has specifically SHAPED you for serving Him in ministry! God has a place of service here at New Hope Christian Church that fits the unique way He has created and designed you. God didn’t design church ministry for a select few with Bible College degrees. Every member is a minister! Your S.H.A.P.E. (Spiritual Gifts, Heart, Abilities, Personality, and Experience) determines your ministry. Our prayer is that as you journey through this booklet you will discover your SHAPE for serving God, and will soon experience great joy, fulfillment, and fruitfulness as you serve Jesus in His ministry at New Hope Christian Church.
*The Key to your Discovery is to pray and expect God to grant you wisdom, discernment, and understanding. Remember that there are no wrong answers because this is your unique S.H.A.P.E! Expect exciting results!
”Your hands shaped me and made me...” Job 10:8
God has been molding and shaping you for ministry since you were born!
“For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother's womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well. My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place. When I was woven together in the depths of the earth, your eyes saw my unformed body. All the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be." Psalm 139:13-16
God formed every creature on this planet with a special area of expertise. Some animals run, some hop, some swim, some burrow, and some fly. Each has a particular role to play, based on the way it was shaped by God. The same is true with humans. Each of us was uniquely designed, or “shaped,” to do certain things.
Before architects design any new building they first ask, “What will be its purpose? How will it be used?” The intended function always determines the form of the building. Before God created you, He decided what role He wanted you to play on earth. He planned exactly how He wanted you to serve Him, and then He shaped you for those tasks. You are the way you are because you were made for a specific ministry.
Not only did God shape you before your birth, He planned every day of your life to support His shaping process. David continues, “Every day of my life was recorded in your book. Every moment was laid out before a single day had passed.” (Psalm 139:16) This means that nothing that happens in your life is insignificant. God uses all of it to mold you for your ministry to others and shape you for your service to Him.
(The Purpose Driven Life, By Rick Warren)
God never wastes anything. The Bible says you are “Wonderfully Made!” You are a combination of many different factors: S.H.A.P.E. By identifying and understanding these factors, you can discover God’s will for your life.
Whenever God gives an assignment, He always equips us with what we need to accomplish it. This custom combination of capabilities is called your SHAPE:
“Each man has his own gift from God; one has this gift, another has that.” 1 Corinthians 7:7
“For it is God who works in you to will and to act according to his good purpose.” Philippians 2:13
“I (God) have filled him with the Spirit of God, with skill, ability and knowledge...” Exodus 31:3
”The God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God.” 2 Corinthians 1:4
”Hold on to instruction, do not let it go; guard it well, for it is your life.” Proverbs 4:13
“Because of the service by which you have proved yourselves, men will praise God for the obedience that accompanies your confession of the gospel...” 2 Corinthians 9:13
Ministry is using what God has uniquely given you to uniquely serve Him and the needs of others. The above five factors will help you determine where you can best serve Him with joy, fulfillment, and fruitfulness. Discovering your set of spiritual gift(s), heartfelt passions, abilities, personality, and life experiences will help you understand how God has designed you to uniquely serve.
Your ministry will be most effective and fulfilling when you are using your GIFTS and ABILITIES in the area of your HEART'S DESIRE in a way that best expresses your PERSONALITY and EXPERIENCE!
“And of this gospel I was appointed a herald and an apostle and a teacher.” 2 Timothy 1:11
“It has always been my ambition to preach the gospel where Christ was not known, so that I would not be building on someone else's foundation.” Romans 15:20
“For God, who was at work in the ministry of Peter as an apostle to the Jews, was also at work in my ministry as an apostle to the Gentiles.” Galatians 2:8
“Paul went to see them, and because he was a tentmaker as they were, he stayed and worked with them....” Acts 18:2-3
“For you have heard of my previous way of life in Judaism, how intensely I persecuted the church of God and tried to destroy it. I was advancing in Judaism beyond many Jews of my own age and was extremely zealous for the traditions of my fathers.” Galatians 1:13-14
Spiritual Experiences
Painful Experiences
“I have… been in prison more frequently, been flogged more severely, and been exposed to death again and again. Five times I received from the Jews the forty lashes minus one. Three times I was beaten with rods, once I was stoned, three times I was shipwrecked, I spent a night and a day in the open sea…I have been in danger from rivers, in danger from bandits… countrymen… Gentiles; in danger in the city…country…sea; and in danger from false brothers. I have labored and toiled and have often gone without sleep; I have known hunger and thirst and have often gone without food; I have been cold and naked.” 2 Corinthians 11:23-27
Educational Experiences
“Under Gamaliel I was thoroughly trained in the law of our fathers and was just as zealous for God as any of you are today.” Acts 22:3
Work Experiences
Ministry Experiences
Read the Book of Acts!
Now about spiritual gifts I do not want you to be ignorant. 1 Corinthians 12:1
Many of us have heard of spiritual gifts, but we are not quite sure we understand them. A spiritual gift is a special ability, given by the Holy Spirit to every believer at their conversion, to be used to minister to others and therefore build up the Body of Christ. Although spiritual gifts are given when the Holy Spirit enters new believers, their use and purpose need to be understood and developed as we grow spiritually. A spiritual gift is much like a muscle; the more you use it, the stronger it becomes.
Our people must learn to help all who need their assistance that their lives would be fruitful. Titus 3:14
God desires you to know the spiritual gift(s) He has chosen for you. “Ask, and it shall be given to you; seek, and you shall find; knock, and it shall be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it shall be opened.” (Matt. 7:7-8) Learning more about His gift(s) to us, and the many ways we can use those gifts within the church is a life-long process.
The Bible does not lock us into tight restrictions as to the number of spiritual gifts or even their definitions. The four major lists of gifts are found in: Romans 12:6-8, 1 Corinthians 12:1-11, 27-31, Ephesians 4:11-12, 1 Peter 4:9-11. There are also other passages that mention or illustrate gifts not included in these lists.
Following is a list of spiritual gifts that can serve as a helpful guideline, giving us ideas about the kinds of gifts God gives… The key is to find the areas in which the Holy Spirit seems to supernaturally empower your service to others.
There are several ways to discover your gift(s). Today we want to give you two ways:
As you read through the list, prayerfully consider if the biblical definition for each of the gifts describes you. Remember, you can have more than one gift, but everyone has at least one.
Cindy has the gift of service and expresses this gift in the Children’s Ministry. She helps secure the textbooks, prepares the handouts, and helps with registration. Cindy is willing to serve in any way possible to take the load off the teacher so she can focus on using her speaking gift more effectively. The gift of service edifies the gifts of others, freeing them from temporal tasks to focus on their spiritual gifts. People with the gift of service often like to work behind the scenes.
Spiritual gifts include:
Note: The gifts of healing, miracles, tongues and interpretation are omitted from the following descriptions because it is clear when these gifts are manifested.
Read each description in full, then mark your initial impression of whether you have the gift.
Based on your answers above, these are the gifts you marked “I’m pretty sure I have this gift.” Aim for 3–5. If you need to adjust, change your choices above.
Answer the following questions according to what is presently true for you. Do not answer according to who you would like to be or think you should be. Answer according to the following scale:
These statements are true of me:
Your responses have been placed on the answer sheet and each row has been totaled for you. Each gift has four statements, so the highest possible score is 16.
1. Compare the results of your assessment with the Gifts you felt you most likely had. How close are the results? (Gifts you marked in the Gift Overview are highlighted in green above.)
Note: The gifts of healing, miracles, tongues and interpretation are omitted from the assessment because it is obvious when these gifts are manifested.
“Delight yourself in the Lord and he will give you the desires of your heart” Psalm 37:4
The Bible uses the term “heart” to describe the bundle of desires, hopes, interests, ambitions, dreams, and affections you have. Your heart represents the source of all your motivations—what you love to do and what you care about most. Even today we still use the word in this way when we say, “I love you with all my heart.”
The Bible says, “As a face is reflected in water, so the heart reflects the person.” Your heart reveals the real you—what you truly are, not what others think you are or what circumstances force you to be. Your heart determines why you say the things you do, why you feel the way you do, and why you act the way you do.
In the same way, God has given each of us a unique emotional “heartbeat” that races when we think about the subjects, activities, or circumstances that interest us. We instinctively care about some things and not about others. These are clues as to where you should be serving.
Another word for heart is passion. Passions are desires or purposes that bring us joy. There are certain subjects you feel passionate about and others you couldn’t care less about. Some experiences turn you on and capture your attention while others turn you off or bore you to tears. These reveal the nature of your heart. Passion is your source for motivation and inspiration. Webster’s Dictionary defines passion as an intense driving devotion to a particular activity or concept.
Passion is likened to one or more of the following:
To determine your passion, ask yourself:
See if you are motivated by some of the heartbeats listed below. The basic motivations are ALL God-given. They are only sinful when used selfishly. Every one of these can be used in effective ministry. Don't be embarrassed to identify a basic heartbeat that doesn't seem spiritual! You can see most of these in the twelve apostles!
Let's consider the three ways in which your heart or passion is directed:
Instructions: Check the items that best describe you. If none of the words on the list fit you, feel free to add your own on the “other” line.
Check the Roles you enjoy fulfilling.
Check the People on whom you feel you can make the greatest impact.
Check the Causes you feel led to champion!
There are different abilities to perform service. 1 Corinthians 12:6
I (God)... have given him skill, ability, and knowledge in all kinds of crafts... Exodus 31:3
Your abilities are the natural talents with which you were born. All of our abilities come from God. The Bible says, “God has given each of us the ability to do certain things well.” Since your natural abilities are from God, they are just as important as your spiritual gifts. The only difference is that you were given them at birth.
One of the most common excuses people give for not serving is “I just don’t have any abilities to offer.” This is ludicrous. You have dozens, probably hundreds, of untapped, unrecognized, and unused abilities that are lying dormant inside you. Many studies have revealed that the average person possesses from 500 to 700 different skills and abilities—far more than you realize.
Every ability can be used for God’s glory. Paul said, “Whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.” The Bible is filled with examples of different abilities that God uses for his glory. The Bible says, “There are different abilities to perform service, but the same God gives ability to all for their particular service.” God has a place in His church where your specialties can shine and you can make a difference. It’s up to you to find that place.
What I’m able to do, God wants me to do. You are the only person on earth who can use your abilities. No one else can play your role, because they don’t have the unique shape that God has given you. The Bible says that God equips you “with all you need for doing His will.” To discover God’s will for your life, you should seriously examine what you are good at doing and what you’re not good at doing.
Two Extremes to be careful of:
Instructions: Check the abilities that best describe you. If none of the words on the list fits you, feel free to add your own on the “other” line. Your profile asks for your top six abilities, so try to identify at least six.
Your personality will affect how and where you use your spiritual gifts and abilities. For instance, two people may have the same gift of evangelism, but if one is introverted and the other is extroverted, that gift will be expressed in different ways.
Woodworkers know that it’s easier to work with the grain rather than against it. In the same way, when you are forced to minister in a manner that is “out of character” for your temperament, it creates tension and discomfort, requires extra effort and energy, and produces less than the best results. This is why mimicking someone else’s ministry never works. You don’t have their personality. Besides, God made you to be you! You can learn from the examples of others, but you must filter what you learn through your own shape.
Like stained glass, our different personalities reflect God’s light in many colors and patterns. This blesses the family of God with depth and variety. It also blesses us personally. It feels good to do what God made you to do. When you minister in a manner consistent with the personality God gave you, you experience fulfillment, satisfaction, and fruitfulness.
It’s obvious that God has not used a cookie cutter to stamp out people in a process of uniformity. He loves variety; just look around. And there is not a “right” or “wrong” temperament. We need opposites to balance the church. The personality traits listed below are grouped in four couplets each with two opposing tendencies.
Instructions: Choose one or the other. “I tend to...”
“And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.” Romans 8:28
You have been shaped by your experiences in life, most of which were beyond your control. God allowed them for His purpose of molding you. In determining your shape for serving God, you should examine at least five kinds of experiences from your past.
In the painful experiences category, God often uses these the most to prepare you for ministry. God never wastes a hurt! In fact, your greatest ministry will most likely come out of your greatest hurt. Who could better minister to the parents of a Down syndrome child than another couple who have a child afflicted in the same way? Who could better help an alcoholic recover than someone who fought that demon and found freedom? Who could better comfort a wife whose husband has left her for an affair than a woman who went through that agony herself?
God allows you to go through painful experiences to equip you for ministry to others. The Bible says, “He comforts us in all our troubles so that we can comfort others. When others are troubled, we will be able to give them the same comfort God has given us.” 2 Cor. 1:4
If you really desire to be used by God, you must understand a powerful truth: The very experiences that you have resented or regretted most in life—the ones you’ve wanted to hide and forget—are the experiences God wants to use to help others. They are your ministry!
Instructions: As you look over the “experience” word list for each of these areas, ask God to help you identify which ones describe you and your experiences. Check all the areas that apply to your life in each of the 5 areas. If necessary, use the “other” line at the end of each area to write in your unique personal experience.
I can relate to someone who is/or has gone through... These are the kinds of trials or problems you could relate to and use to encourage a fellow Christian who is going through them. Your answers are shared only with church leadership when you submit your profile.
Check each field you have worked in, then open it to check specific areas.
Check 1 to 3 of your ministry experiences in each list.
Thinking about the New Hope Service Opportunity Survey and everything you've discovered, list the top 3 areas you feel you might be best “shaped” for. (Your profile also suggests areas based on your top gifts.)
When you're happy with your answers, send your profile to the church. A Serve Team Leader will review it with you and help you find a place to serve that fits your S.H.A.P.E.