To start off your small group, briefly share your response to the following question:

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2 Start With An ICEBREAKER QUESTION (5 mins) To start off your small group, briefly share your response to the following question: How competitive are you? Do you handle losing well or are you a sore loser? Share with your group. Please Read WHAT TO EXPECT (2 mins) Let s get a big picture of what we ll be learning today Success can be a good thing, but when that drive to succeed consumes you, it can wreck your life. In this session, we ll learn how we can only find hope for a fulfilling and enriching life beyond worldly success! Please press play on the DVD to begin the video teaching 40

3 VIDEO NOTES 1.) LIE: MY DEFINES MY IDENTITY. a. You ll be consumed by. b. You ll get caught in the trap. c. You ll your character. 2.) TRUTH: MY DETERMINES MY SUCCESS. Answers: 1.) SUCCESS a.) winning b.) comparison c.) compromise 2.) IDENTITY 41

4 DISCUSSION QUESTIONS At this time, please break into smaller groups of 2-4 for the discussion question section. Have a great discussion! 1.) Read the scripture below: What do people get for all the toil and anxious striving with which they labor under the sun? All their days their work is grief and pain; even at night their minds do not rest. This too is meaningless. (Ecclesiastes 2:22-23) When writing the book of Ecclesiastes in his old age, King Solomon came to the realization that there are things much more important than being successful in this life. Why do you think the drive to succeed is so strong? Do you agree with the idea that success will not ultimately satisfy? 2.) In the video message, we learned that many of us begin to believe the lie that our success defines our identity. Pastor Gene taught that if you believe this lie, three things will happen. Read them below: i. You ll be consumed by winning (Thinking: If I could just be successful at, then I ll be seen as.) ii. You ll get caught in the comparison trap (Always comparing yourself to others) iii. You ll compromise your character. (You ll do whatever it takes to get ahead, even cut corners) Have you ever caught yourself doing any of these things? How did it ultimately effect you? Share with your group. (i.e. Never feeling adequate until you hit a certain goal, always trying to outdo what your neighbor does, cheat on a test for the sake of getting a better grade, etc.) 3.) The truth is that our identity is what determines our success. The key to living according to this truth is knowing our identity. Our identity, worth, and value is rooted in two things. The first is that we are created in God s image. Our very existence is a reflection of the glory and wonder of God. The second is that Jesus loved us enough to come to earth and die for our sins so that we could have an eternal relationship with God. When we truly internalize this truth, we will no longer feel the need to be successful in order to have value. In a practical sense, how would your life look different if you internalized the truth of your identity in God? Share with your group. (i.e. I would no longer pressure myself to look a certain way because I d know how God sees me, I would not beat myself to the bone for not achieving a work goal because I know that I gave my best effort, etc.) 42

5 WHAT WILL YOU DO? (5 mins) This week, commit to doing the following: Find ONE practical way you can prioritize the things that are most important - family, friends, and a relationship with God - over worldly success this week. (i.e. I will wake up half an hour earlier to read my Bible and journal before opening up my laptop to work) At the end of the week, spend five minutes reflecting and journaling on how this felt. Did it feel good? Was it a painful challenge to say reprioritize the success you ve been striving for? CLOSE IN PRAYER (3 mins) Take a few minutes to close your time together with prayer and to pray for each other s prayer requests. Below is a sample prayer to read if you choose to. You can also choose to write down each other s prayer requests to remember throughout the week. Sample Prayer: God, thank You for the necessary reminder that nothing that this world has to offer us can compare to all that You have in store. Father, help us to keep our priorities in line. Although we may desire to be successful, remind us that any true measure of success comes from You and no thing that we could ever do. Protect us from being blinded by ambition and help us to keep our eyes on the most important thing in life - You. We love You and give You praise. In Jesus name, Amen. Group Prayer Requests: Name Request 43

6 DAILY DEVOTIONS: DAY 1 S C R I P T U R E Read These Scriptures: But the plans of the Lord stand firm forever, the purposes of his heart through all generations. (Psalm 33:11) O B S E R V A T I O N A P P L I C A T I O N P R A Y E R DAILY DEVOTIONS: DAY 2 S C R I P T U R E Read These Scriptures: What do people get for all the toil and anxious striving with which they labor under the sun? All their days their work is grief and pain; even at night their minds do not rest. This too is meaningless. (Ecclesiastes 2:22-23) O B S E R V A T I O N A P P L I C A T I O N P R A Y E R 44

7 DAILY DEVOTIONS: DAY 3 S C R I P T U R E Read These Scriptures: And I saw that all toil and all achievement spring from one person s envy of another. This too is meaningless, a chasing after the wind. (Ecclesiastes 4:4) O B S E R V A T I O N A P P L I C A T I O N P R A Y E R DAILY DEVOTIONS: DAY 4 S C R I P T U R E Read These Scriptures: Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect. (Romans 12:2) O B S E R V A T I O N A P P L I C A T I O N P R A Y E R 45

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9 NAME: s.h.a.p.e. DISCOVERING GOD S PLANS FOR YOUR LIFE WORKBOOK

10 INSTRUCTIONS Please complete the assessments in this workbook: 1. SPIRITUAL GIFTS: Take the Spiritual Gifts Assessment online at: OR by use the assessment on pages HEART (PASSIONS): Use the Heart Assessment on page 5. Although there are many topics listed, you can add as many other topics as you d like to! 3. ABILITIES: Use the Abilities Assessment on pages PERSONALITY: Use the Personality Assessment on page 8. (Optional) You can complete an additional, in depth assessment at: 5. EXPERIENCE: See page 9 for instructions. Please list your experiences on the back of the Personal Profile sheet. Once you have completed your assessments, you can now fill out the Personal Profile sheet. If you d like to, you can make an appointment to review it with your Ministry Leader or S.H.A.P.E. Guide. Ephesians 2:10 For we are God s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so that we can do the good things that he planned for us long ago. What God made you to BE determined what He intended for you to DO. You will understand the PURPOSE you were created for when you understand that kind of PERSON you are. This is the secret of knowing God s will for your life! Romans 9:20-21 What right do you, a mere human being, have to cross examine God? The pot has no right to say to the potter why did you make me this shape? The potter can do what he likes with the clay. 1

11 WHAT DOES S.H.A.P.E. STAND FOR? Spiritual gifts WHAT AM I GIFTED TO DO?... each man has his own gift from God; one has this gift, another has that. 1 Corinthians 7:7b Heart WHAT DO I LOVE TO DO? God has put it into their hearts to accomplish his purpose... Revelations 17:17 For it is God who works in you, inspiring both the will and the deed, for his own chosen purpose! Philippians 2:13 (NEB) Abilities WHAT NATURAL TALENTS AND SKILLS DO I HAVE? 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 Personality WHERE DOES MY PERSONALITY BEST SUIT ME TO SERVE? 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) Experiences WHAT EXPERIENCES HAVE YOU HAD THAT COULD HELP OTHERS? God helps us in our troubles, so we are able to help others who have all kinds of troubles, using the same help that we ourselves have received from God. 2 Corinthians 1:4 (GN) Your mission will be most effective and fulfilling when: you are using your GIFTS and ABILITIES in the area of HEART S DESIRE in a way that best expresses your PERSONALITY and EXPERIENCE! 2

12 SPIRITUAL GIFTS ASS SS TS A SHORT LIST OF SPIRITUAL GIFTS (From I Cor. 12, Eph. 4, Rom. 12) I m pretty sure I have this gift I may have this gift I don t think I have this gift ADMINISTRATION I Cor. 12 (This is sometimes called Organization ) The ability to recognize the gifts of others and recruit them to a ministry. The ability to organize and manage people, resources, and time for effective ministry. APOSTLE I Cor. 12 The ability to start new churches/ventures and oversee their development. DISCERNMENT 1 Cor. 12 The ability to distinguish between the spirit of truth and the spirit of error. The ability to detect inconsistencies in another s life and confront in love. ENCOURAGEMENT Rom. 12 (This is sometimes called Exhortation ) The ability to motivate God s people to apply and act on biblical principles, especially when they are discouraged or wavering in their faith. The ability to bring out the best in others and challenge them to develop their potential. EVANGELISM Eph. 4 The ability to communicate the Good News of Jesus Christ to unbelievers in a positive, non-threatening way. The ability to sense opportunities to share Christ and lead people to respond with faith. FAITH I Cor. 12 The ability to trust God for what cannot be seen and to act on God s promise, regardless of what the circumstances indicate. The willingness to risk failure in pursuit of a God-given vision, expecting God to handle the obstacles. GIVING Rom. 12 The ability to generously contribute material resources and/or money beyond the 10% tithe so that the Body may grow and be strengthened. The ability to manage money so it may be given to support the ministry of others. HEALING I Cor. 12 The ability to pray, in faith, specifically for people who need physical, emotional, or spiritual healing and see God answer. The ability to sense when God is prompting you to pray this kind of prayer. HOSPITALITY P T T

13 SPIRITUAL GIFTS ASS SS TS I m pretty sure I have this gift I may have this gift I don t think I have this gift LEADERSHIP Rom. 12 The ability to clarify and communicate the purpose and direction ( vision ) of a ministry in a way that attracts others to get involved. The ability to motivate others, by example, to work together in accomplishing a ministry goal. MERCY Rom. 12 The ability to manifest practical, compassionate, cheerful love toward suffering members of the Body of Christ. MIRACLES I Cor. 12 The ability to pray, in faith, specifically for God s supernatural intervention into an impossible situation and see God answer. The ability to sense when God is prompting you to pray this kind of prayer. PASTORING Eph. 4 (This is sometimes called Shepherding ) The ability to care for the spiritual needs of a group of believers and equip them for ministry. The ability to nurture a small group in spiritual growth and assume responsibility for their welfare. PRAYING WITH MY SPIRIT I Cor. 12 (This is sometimes called Tongues/Interpretation ) The ability to pray in a language understood only by God or one who is given the gift of interpretation at that time. PREACHING Rom. 12 (This is sometimes called Prophecy ) The ability to publicly communicate God s Word in an inspired way that convinces unbelievers and both challenges and comforts believers. The ability to persuasively declare God s will. SERVICE Rom. 12 The ability to recognize unmet needs in the church family, and take the initiative to provide practical assistance quickly, cheerfully, and without a need for recognition. TEACHING Eph. 4 The ability to educate God s people by clearly explaining and applying the Bible in a way that causes them to learn. The ability to equip and train other believers for ministry. WISDOM 1 Cor. 12 The ability to understand God s perspective on life situations and share those insights in a simple, understandable way. The ability to explain what to do and how to do it.

14 HEART ASS SS T An important part of discovering your ministry is understanding your heart or passion. When you have a Passion for an area of ministry, you are more enthusiastic and motivated to serve. DIRECTIONS: 1. Prayerfully consider your answers to the questions. 2. Complete the assignment on your own. 3. There are no right or wrong responses. 4. Don't be concerned about "whether" you can do it or "how" it can be done. 5. Complete the assessment as if you have no obstacles to fulfilling your heart's desire. QUESTIONS: If I could snap my fingers and know that I couldn't fail, what would I do? Also, what I would most like to do for God and others? 2 At the end of my life, I'd love to be able to look back and know that I'd done something about: The people I would like to help most are: Infants Children Youth Teen moms Single parents College students Divorced Widowed Singles Career women Young marrieds Parents Empty nesters Homeless Unemployed Elderly Disabled Prisoners Poor Hospitalized Others: 4. The issues or causes I feel strongly about are: Environment Discipleship Violence Education Economic Health Care Abortion Church Child Care Homosexuality Politics Injustice Racism Addictions International Reaching the lost Technology Poverty Family Hunger Literacy Others:

15 ABILITIES ASS SS T "There are different abilities to perform service" 1 Corinthians 12:6 FIVE MISCONCEPTIONS ABOUT ABILITIES (Skills and Talents) 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 skills 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! 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. 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. 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! 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! HOW TO DISCOVER YOUR MOTIVATED ABILITIES Look over your list of accomplishments again. Circle all verbs that denote actions performed while you were doing each achievement. Now compare those verbs to the list below and check those abilities you feel you have. 26 SPECIALIZED ABILITIES! Entertaining Ability: to perform, act, dance, and/or speak! Recruiting Ability: to enlist and motivate people to get involved! Interviewing Ability: to discover what others are really like! Researching Ability: to read, gather information, collect data! Artistic Ability: to conceptualize, picture, draw, paint, photograph, or make renderings! Graphics Ability: to lay out, design, create visual displays or banners! Evaluating Ability: to analyze data and draw conclusions

16 ! Planning Ability: to strategize, design and organize programs and events! Managing Ability: to supervise people to accomplish a task or event and coordinate the details involved! Counseling Ability: to listen, encourage and guide with sensitivity! Teaching Ability: to explain, train, demonstrate, tutor! Writing Ability: to write articles, letters, books! Editing Ability: to proofread or rewrite! Promoting Ability: to advertise or promote events and activities! Repairing Ability: to fix, restore, maintain! Feeding Ability: to create meals for large or small groups! Recall Ability: to remember or recall names and faces! Mechanical Operating Ability: to operate equipment, tools or machinery! Resourceful Ability: to search out and find inexpensive materials or resources needed! Counting Ability: to work with numbers, data or money! Classifying Ability: to systemize and file books, data, records and material so they can be retrieved easily! Public Relations Ability: to handle complaints and unhappy customers with care and courtesy! Welcoming Ability: to convey warmth, develop rapport, making others feel comfortable! Composing Ability: to write music for others! Landscaping Ability: to do gardening and work with plants! Decorating Ability: to beautify a setting for a special event Other :

17 P RS ALIT ASS SS T Below are ten horizontal lines with four words on each line, one in each column. In each line, put the number 4 next to the word that best describes you in that line; a 3 next to the word that describes you next best; a 2 to the next best word, and a 1 by the word that least describes you. On each horizontal line of words, you will then have one 4, one 3, one 2, and one 1. For example: One choice for the first line of words would be as follows: 3 Likes Authority 4 Enthusiastic 2 Sensitive Feelings 1 Likes Instructions L O G B 1. Likes Authority Enthusiastic Sensitive Feelings Likes Instructions 2. Takes Charge Takes Risks Loyal Accurate 3. Determined Visionary Calm, Even Keel Consistent 4. Enterprising Very Verbal Enjoys Routine Predictable 5. Competitive Promoter Dislikes Change Practical 6. Problem Solver Enjoys Popularity Gives In To Others Factual 7. Productive Fun-Loving Avoids Confrontations Conscientious 8. Bold Likes Variety Sympathetic Perfectionist 9. Decision Maker Spontaneous Nurturing Detail-Oriented 10. Persistent Inspirational Peacemaker Analytical TOTAL L TOTAL O TOTAL G TOTAL B Total up the numbers for each vertical column (L, O, G, B)

18 P RI S ASS SS T Discovering where you have been 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 Life can only be understood backwards, but it must be lived forward. Soren Kierkegaard As God slowly crafts the masterpiece of our lives, he uses all of our experiences the painful as well as the enjoyable to flesh out the finished product. Think back over all the key experiences of your life that have shaped who you are today: childhood joys and sorrows, the pain and thrill of adolescence, the struggles and accomplishments of adulthood. Do some brainstorming, thinking of your past achievements/experiences in these five areas: PERSONALLY - You may have received an award that is especially meaningful to you. VOCATIONALLY - Perhaps you have a pattern of achievement when it comes to productivity, sales or leadership. RELATIONALLY - Think about those relationships that have brought you comfort in difficult times or challenged you to strive for excellence. U ATI ALL SPIRITUALL

19 S.H.A.P.E. Personal Profile SPIRITUAL GIFTS: List your top Spiritual Gifts Date Print Name HEART: List the top types/groups of people you would like to serve most & the issues/causes you feel most strongly about ABILITIES: List some of your top abilities that could be possibly used for ministry PERSONALITY: Please enter the number scored for each personality type and CIRCLE the "animal" with the highest score: LION (Fast-paced, Task-oriented): OTTER (Fast-paced, People-oriented): GOLDEN RETRIEVER (Slow-paced, People-oriented): BEAVER (Slow-paced, Task-oriented): Personality from : EXPERIENCE: Highlight your most important experiences on the back page of this page Current Occupation: Things you LIKE about your current job: Things you DISLIKE about your current job: Hobbies & Other Information:

20 E Next, using brief phrases, identify significant achievements in each area of your life: Personal Achievements: Vocational Achievements: Relational Achievements: Educational Achievements: Spiritual Achievements: THE SECTION BELOW IS TO BE COMPLETED WITH A S.H.A.P.E. GUIDE OR MINISTRY LEADER: Any issues that may hinder you from volunteering at New Hope Windward? (i.e. Waking up early, family problems) Suggested Ministries or Next Steps to take:

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