By Michelle Doerr
Only you can be you
The message of Pastor Erik Rees’ book, S.H.A.P.E. – Finding and Fulfilling Your Unique Purpose for Life, can best be described by the beginning chapter’s title: “Only You Can be You.” Erik believes this fact is central to our acceptance of ourselves and how God has created us, and it is our passion as the 301 team at Saddleback to make sure that message is spoken and received. Not simply received, but fully embraced by the members of your church. As a church leader, you have the privilege of helping your church body discover their uniqueness and use it for God’s glory.
In Ephesians 4, we learn that church leaders are meant to be administrators while the members are to be the ministers. You can have a powerful, positive influence over your members becoming the ministers of your church by giving them the courage, support, and empowerment to put their S.H.A.P.E. into action. There are three steps that can help you to do this for yourself, as well as for your members. Erik teaches the following principles during the Only You Can be You seminars:
- Surrender you life to God.
- Seize your S.H.A.P.E. from God.
- Share your purpose for God.
- Strengthen your life with God.
Recently in New Mexico, Erik saw hundreds of lives surrendered to God while he was teaching an Only You Can be You seminar. Church leaders had the opportunity to write down on note cards the very thing that was distracting them and hindering them from being exactly who God made them to be. Those attending the seminar then took their note cards and nailed them to a wooden cross, indicating their desire to surrender and allow God to truly use them as he intends. It was a powerful image and even more powerful message of the freedom that comes with surrendering to God.
If you, as a church leader, would like to have a similar experience and if you’d like to give the other leaders at your church the chance to learn about empowering your members to become ministers, you can find out more information about hosting an Only You Can be You seminar taught by Erik Rees. You can e-mail us at seminars@shapediscovery.com. We would love to answer any questions you may have. We hope you are encouraged and excited to see your members formed into ministers!