This document discusses discerning one's calling in ministry. It emphasizes the importance of understanding one's personality, passions, spiritual gifts, and weaknesses in crafting a personal purpose statement. This purpose statement, along with feedback from community, can help one serve according to their giftedness and find roles that are a good fit. The document provides questions to help reflect on these areas and determine if one senses an open door to a new opportunity aligned with their calling.

1. LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT @ IMPACTProbing further into: Discerning and Pursuing Our CallingMarch 23, 2010Wilson, Michael Todd and Hoffmann, Brad; Preventing Ministry Failure; Intervarsity Press; copyright 2007; pp. 82-96.

2. Digging deeper…Accurately discerning our calling is critical for:Clear direction in ministryOur spiritual growth and developmentThe fruitfulness of our corporate ministryToday we will dig deeper into this topic by:Laying the foundation of our “true north” (personal purpose statement)Using our “true north” to better serve our team and pursue future ministry opportunities.

3. Embracing our ministry callingWith the continual ministry challenges we sometimes face, it may seem easier to give up. We may try to resign the call, but the call never resigns us.A man or woman truly called of God into the ministry won’t be at peace pursuing anything other than what God has called them to do.

4. Our personal calling is uniqueGod beckons us to live out: What we were meant to be Our purpose Our passion.Whether we’re working on MPD or facing several big challenges at once, we must continually reference our calling for affirmation, strength, and perseverance.

5. Expectations vs. GiftednessSome leaders live out their ministry roles according to their expectations or assumptions, rather than their true giftedness. This leads to stress, disillusionment, and burnout. Others are negatively impacted, too.When our spiritual giftedness complements our work-related responsibilities, ministry is so much more enjoyable, fulfilling, and fruitful.

6. Two crucial “hallmarks”…in discovering our calling.If we are consumed with Christ, He will plant the desires He wants for us in our heart (Psalm 37:4).As we walk in the light with other believers, we’ll be in a position to hear wise, loving counsel from others, who God will use to confirm our calling.

7. Finding our “true north”Crafting a personal purpose statement should be derived from your:Unique personality (i.e., INFJ)Passion (i.e., caring for the hearts of leaders)Giftedness for ministry (i.e., exhortation, helps)Consider it a working definition to be refined over time as God gives more clarity—often through community with Him and others.

8. Reflection Questions – Set #1Take a moment to recall your personality type (i.e., Myers-Briggs).What are your greatest passions, wherever God places you?Which spiritual gifts have been entrusted to you?Spend a few moments to consider key words that fit into your personal purpose statement.Shareyour personal purpose statementwith your team.

9. Complementary callingsIf God has called us to serve with Impact, we can trust that the Lord will surround us with others who have complementary gifts to ours.Once we understand each others’ gifting and calling, we can more effectively partner together in ministry.Honestly sharing our weaknesses builds trust and invites others’ help who are gifted in those areas. As fellow members of Christ’s body, we truly need each other (I Corinthians 12, 14).

10. Reflection Questions – Set #2Here are two probing questions:What is an overall weakness for you, regardless of which role you have (i.e., timeliness, orderliness, procrastination, too quick to speak, etc.)?What is a challenge for you in your current role? Please share these thoughts with your team.Thank you for trusting each other enough to take this big step! 

11. Bridging the GapAs you consider your personality, passion, spiritual giftedness, and areas of weaknesses, it may be unclear on how to connect the dots between who you are and your current role.Discerning your best fit requires: Knowing yourself well enough.Communicating these insights to your leadership.Seeking out feedback from your closest relationships.

12. The following four questions can help us discover whether God is directing us toward our new place or role in ministry.If God is clear in answering these, it’s a good sign He’s preparing us for this transition.If God is silent, we might want to delay or reconsider our decision.

13. 1/4 Are we spiritually discontent?We can be in the very center of God’s geographical and occupational calling and yet experience a powerful sense of discontent.During a season of spiritual discontent, God may place expectations, relationships, and vision on hold, engaging our heart to contemplate future potential. He may be preparing us to embrace something new.

14. 2/4 What has God been speaking to us about?Scripture plays a prominent role in the discernment of God’s calling.Keeping and reviewing a spiritual journal and paying attention to our circumstance as it relates to what God has been teaching us can be greatly insightful.

15. 3/4 Do we possess a consuming new passion?The Lord might place an unusual and even unexplainable passion in our heart: a new geographical area, culture, or type of ministry.He may be creating a new vision that cannot be accomplished where we currently serve.Consider sharing this new passion with your team leader. The Lord might be leading your team in this new direction through you. Leaders celebrate seeing their teams passionately engage in the overall mission.

16. Reflection Questions – Set #3As you consider your passion, in what ways can you express it through your current involvement with Impact?Through which other platforms are you able to express this passion (i.e., in your church, family, community, etc.)?What other passions reside in your heart that we may not typically see here at Impact?

17. 4/4 Is there an open door?Just because a door has opened doesn’t mean that God opened it.Such an opening can be a matter for significant prayer and even fasting.Can we live out our unique passion in this new opportunity?Create honest dialogue with our closest relationships, inviting them to seek God’s face with us. We need their objectivity, too!

18. ApplicationAs you complete our Fall 2010 Placement Form in the near future, for preparation please take time to consider:Your “true north”How your current role complements this.As you receive feedbackviayour 360 and Position Focus Review:Consider how to refine your “true north”Reflect on our your “true north” can further empower your Personal Development Plan (PDP) process.