Personalization

“Remember, ministry is about people, not programs.” Rick Warren, The Purpose Driven Church

Being right in the midst of all things S.H.A.P.E. related, we on the ministry team have a tendency to jokingly use the sarcastic “I’m-not-shaped-for-that” excuse when presented with a less than desirable task! Knowing that joke can get old pretty quickly, it’s laid aside for the responsibility at hand or until it’s deemed appropriate again. We, of course, know that there is both a primary and a secondary ministry for each person in any situation at every church, and we hope that this message is received by Saddleback Church’s members who hear it in each C.L.A.S.S. 301. It is just a fact that there are certain jobs and tasks that may be out of our comfort zones or that cause us to rethink why we came on board with the whole serving thing in the first place. But remembering the philosophy of “show up, palms up,” these secondary ministries, as opposed to a person’s primary ministry of which they are specifically shaped for, can quickly become teaching tools as they stretch one’s character.

At Saddleback, we like to say that we have a ministry opportunity, not a ministry need. And as important as it is to be willing to offer yourself to be used in whatever situation is in front of you at the moment, ministry placement should always be done with a personal touch, not with an indifferent shove into any ministry position. You want your members to be ministering in a fulfilling way, not just serving as fillers where needed. It is a joy to see a member experiencing such a personal attachment to the ministry they are serving in. This loyalty to one’s ministry expands their desire to obey and delight in the Lord.

Directing an individual’s S.H.A.P.E., then, becomes the necessary first step before simply jumping into ministry with eyes closed. Below are just three examples of how we at Saddleback place members into ministry.

• Staff: Make contact, preferably in person or over the phone, with a member to really discover the right fit.
• Small group: Because they know their group members intimately, have small group leaders place those in the group into ministries.
• S.H.A.P.E. guides: Train members to voluntarily conduct one-on-one S.H.A.P.E. Discovery sessions with members in which the S.H.A.P.E. guide helps lead the member to the ministry that best utilizes all aspects of his or her S.H.A.P.E. (For more information on C.L.A.S.S. 310 - New S.H.A.P.E. Guide Training, visit Pastors.com to read about the training kit.)

Whatever your church comes up with as a ministry placement plan, try to put the emphasis on making it personal for each individual’s S.H.A.P.E. You will have joyful members who are devoted to their specific ministry and who will want to take ownership of their area of service because they are confident that they were created to carry out the particular ministry or ministries that God created them for.

Just remember: Having a primary ministry does not give you license to tell your spouse that you simply weren’t “shaped” for organizing that mess of a garage.