This past Sunday we began our new sermon series, Gifted and Called, by exploring what it means to be One Body with Many Gifts (1 Corinthians 12; Romans 12). We learned that every believer is uniquely designed by God – on purpose for a purpose. God has given each of us spiritual gifts to build up the church and bless the world in Jesus’ name. Every part of the body matters. Every gift counts. And that includes you! 

During the message, I introduced a simple yet powerful tool called S.H.A.P.E. It’s designed to help you discover how God has uniquely wired you for ministry. SHAPE stands for: 

• S – Spiritual Gifts: What spiritual gifts has God given you to serve others? 

• H – Heart: What do you love to do? Who or what are you passionate about? 

• A – Abilities: What talents and skills has God given you? 

• P – Personality: How has God uniquely wired you to relate to people and tasks? 

• E – Experiences: What life experiences – both the joys and the challenges – has God used to shape you for service? 

To make this easy for everyone, we have created an online SHAPE tool that you can complete at your own pace. You can find it at right here. 

As part of discovering your SHAPE, you can find our free Spiritual Gifts Assessment here, or by visiting the Serve section of our church website. This assessment helps you identify the specific gifts God has entrusted to you for building up the Body of Christ. 

If you are not comfortable using online tools or email, please don’t let that stop you! Contact Teresa in our church office | 804.272.2072 and she will gladly assist you in getting started. 

As we said Sunday, the church is not a stage for a few performers with everyone else in the audience. It’s a body – every part vital, every gift needed, every person called. God has placed you in His church for such a time as this. The Spirit has already equipped you. Now is the time to discover, develop, and use your gifts for God’s glory. 

Let’s not be content to sit on the sidelines. Let’s stand together as the body of Christ, fully engaged, fully alive, and fully committed to the mission God has given us! 

In Christ’s Service,