Understanding SHAPE

OK, it’s time for another confession. I often watch movies that would not be on the Christian Approved list. Last weekend was one of those times. You see, I had been intrigued by the dating rituals of a certain young man I was counseling. Frankly, it was very foreign to me. I’m pretty old school. If I want to communicate something, I just say it. But not so with this young guy, and apparently not so with his generation. How do I know? Well, the culture produced the movie, “He’s Just Not That Into You.”

Please don’t think I’m recommending this movie. I’m not. But it was about the culture and about how relationships form, and those types of movies draw my attention. And of course I found lots of poor communication and over-reliance upon nonverbal communication in this story. But the plot of the movie was built around our basic need to connect to others in meaningful community. And what was painfully obvious to me was the pervasive spirit of discontentment running through most of the characters.

My fear is that our study of SHAPE will result in the same spirit of discontent. Frankly, that is one reason that we are asking all of our CONNECT groups to go through both the SHAPE study and the Serving Together study. Together they form a full picture of how God intends to use serving to develop you while bringing glory to Himself. For those who are not serving anywhere, the solution is simple: take an educated guess at your SHAPE, pick a place to serve, and take a ministry on a test drive. But for those who are already serving somewhere at Grace Church and have done the SHAPE study and felt that maybe they are plugged in at a place where they don’t fit well, those are the people who concern me most.

It’s like in the movie, when the young husband, Ben is struggling to figure out who he is as a newly-married man. Along comes the flirtatious, knock-out, single gal, Anna. Although he knows that he has committed himself to his wife, Janine, he deceives himself into thinking that he’s really meant for Anna.

Some people might have the idea that God doesn’t want them serving in the ministry they are in. That is unlikely. The Serving Together study helps you understand how God uses whatever your present circumstances in order to work in and through your life. If you have a heart for Missions, you don’t have to start by making travel arrangement to the CAR. Rather, look around you for ways to use your SHAPE to reach people, especially those very different than you. If you’re in Children’s Ministry and feel that God really SHAPE’d you more for Adult Ministry, ask your ministry supervisor if help is needed in building up the volunteers in Children & Youth, training and encouraging them, or connecting with the parents who are entrusting their precious treasures to the ministry.

I guess the point I’m trying to get across is that SHAPE is a tool to help you figure out how God wants to use you exactly where He has planted you. Yes, sometimes that will lead to a radical change. But, more times than not, it starts with small changes right where you are. Remember, we are all on a journey as we learn to walk faithfully with our God. Resist the American cultural leanings toward instant gratification, easy, quick solutions, and discontentment. It’s a process. Enjoy the ride. He prepared it for you before you drew your first breath.

He’s really just that into His people!