Why Serve?

 Thank you for taking time to consider  serving in a place of ministry at the Zillah Church of the Nazarene.  Really it is about serving Jesus in a world that tends to look out for number one.  Jesus did not come to “be served, but to serve...”  (Matthew 20:28), and He also said, “Many who are first will be last, and the last first" (Mark 10:31).  A lifestyle  which includes loving your enemy and washing people’s feet does not square well with a culture and world where greed and violence share the headlines.  And yet… a people who out of the overflow of their love for Jesus live a life of service, are exactly what is needed!

 We invite you to find a place to serve that is a perfect fit for you, and discover the great joy God has for you as you serve Jesus within the Body of Christ with others.  As we serve Jesus we will have a life-changing impact on our families, neighbors, and world.

To download the "Connecting to Ministry" booklet click here.  It includes the information below as well as a list of possible ministries to be involved in.

How to Get Involved in a Ministry

That Fits...

 What ministry should I be involved in?

 Is it time to move into a different area of ministry?

 Where can God best use me at this time in my life?

Pastor Rick Warren of Saddleback Church put together an easy-to-remember acrostic called S.H.A.P.E. to help people discover the God-ordained work for each person to do.

Spiritual gifts

 Heart

Abilities

Personality

Experience

 Use the following evaluation to help you discover an area of ministry that fits.

S piritual Gifts

A spiritual gift is a special ability, given by the Holy Spirit to every believer, to be used to minister to others and therefore build up the Body of Christ. We may have more than one spiritual gift, and they are different from natural talents. They are always used for the benefit of others to build the kingdom of God.

 Gifts I believe I have:

 1.  _________________________________________

 2.  _________________________________________

 3. _________________________________________

 I feel that I have these gifts because:

 1.  _________________________________________

 2.  _________________________________________

 3. _________________________________________

H eart

Your heart is the real you, what you love to do, your passion. Your heart determines why you say, feel and act the way you do. Our unique emotional heartbeat races when it encounters activities, subjects or circumstances that interest us. We can choose to use this internal guidance system as a tool for ministry. Effective and enthusiastic people work in their passion area and have discovered the joy of being fulfilled. Look at your past accomplishments in order to identify those things in which you did well and enjoyed.

  List some things you are good at and love doing:

 1.  _________________________________________

 2.  _________________________________________

 3. _________________________________________

 People compliment me when:

A bilities

These are the abilities and knowledge we all have, but may not be aware of. We were born with some natural abilities that can be discovered by looking at our past accomplishments. The vocational skills we have are also usable in God's work for the benefit of the body. When God gives us a divine assignment, he equips us with his Spirit and abilities to carry it out. God places people with abilities he wants to minister in a church.

 The following are my strongest abilities:

 1.  _________________________________________

 2.  _________________________________________

 3. _________________________________________

 Other skills and/or abilities I’m learning and/or working on:

 1.  _________________________________________

 2.  _________________________________________

 3. _________________________________________

P ersonality

God has wired each of our temperaments in a unique way. Our personality can indicate the type of job and ministry God wants me to have. God also wants us to appreciate other people's personality differences; he seems to like variety!

 This is how I see myself:  (circle one of the two words for each comment)

 1. Around others I am more:   RESERVED  or OUTGOING

 2. My decisions are based more on:   FACTS/THINKING or FEELINGS

 3. in my relationships I tend to be more:   DEPENDENT ON OTHERS or  INDEPENDENT

 4. My use of time is more:   DETERMINED or  SPONTANEOUS

One example of why I circled each of the above is…

 1.  _________________________________________

 2.  _________________________________________

 3. _________________________________________

 4. __________________________________________

E xperience

God uses our experiences to teach us to trust him, to build our character, and to accomplish his purposes as we allow him to use our experiences to minister to others. Since our greatest life message comes out of our weakness, not our strengths, we need to take a good look at our painful experiences and what our trials have taught us. God never wastes a hurt or bad experience. Along with these tough times are other experiences to draw on: spiritual experiences (meaningful times with God), educational experiences, and ways we have ministered in the past.

 My spiritual experience is (how I became a follower of Jesus):

Some painful experiences that I’ve had:

A past experience I’ve learned from is:

 S.H.A.P.E.

Consider the answers you have given in the survey.  Consider your SHAPE and answer the following question:

 If I could design a specific way to serve God around my personal SHAPE, and I knew I couldn’t fail, it might be...

If you would like more information about an area of ministry or to create a new area of ministry please contact Eric Stilwell, Sarah Friedrich, or the church office: office@zillahnazarene.org or 509-829-5338.