Spiritual Gifts Inventory - Maple Springs Baptist Church

What's your S.H.A.P.E.?

God never wastes anything. The Bible says you are “wonderfully complex.” You are a combination of many different factors. By identifying and understanding these factors you can discover God’s will for your life. To help you remember five of these factors, we have created a simple acrostic: S.H.A.P.E. In this discovery book we will look at these five factors and explain how to discover and use your shape for Ministry.

Whenever God gives us an assignment, He always equips us with what we need to accomplish it. This
custom combination of capabilities is called your SHAPE:

Spiritual Gifts
Hearts
Abilities
Personality
Experience

Ministry is using what God has uniquely given you to uniquely serve Him and the needs of others. The above five factors will help you determine where you can best serve Him with joy, fulfillment, and fruitfulness. Discovering your set of spiritual gift(s), heartfelt passions, abilities, personality, and life experiences will help you understand how God has designed you to uniquely serve.

God takes ordinary people and accomplishes extraordinary things through them!

Please take a couple of moments to fill out the S.H.A.P.E. Test to discover what God has gifted and shaped you to be. You will need to enter your individual e-mail address and name at the end of this to have this sent to us. You will also be sent a copy of your results to your e-mail address.

You Were Shaped to Serve God!

God formed every creature on this planet with a special area of expertise. Some animals run, some hop, some swim, some burrow, and some fly. Each has a particular role to play, based on the way it was shaped by God. The same is true with humans. Each of us was uniquely designed, or “shaped,” to do certain things.

Before architects design any new building they first ask, “What will be its purpose? How will it be used?” The intended function always determines the form of the building. Before God created you, He decided what role He wanted you to play on earth. He planned exactly how He wanted you to serve Him, and then He shaped you for those tasks. You are the way you are because you were made for a specific ministry.

Not only did God shape you before your birth, He planned every day of your life to support His shaping process. David continues, “Every day of my life was recorded in your book. Every moment was laid out before a single day had passed.” (Psalm 139:16) This means that nothing that happens in your life is insignificant. God uses all of it to mold you for your ministry to others and shape you for your service to Him.

(The Purpose Driven Life, By Rick Warren)

S.H.A.P.E. Test

[S]piritual Gifts

Rate how often each statement is reflected in your life:

1. I am willing and able to learn executive skills such as planning, organizing, and delegating.

2. I do well in evaluating results from studies on the effectiveness of a major church program.

3. I am able to organize ideas, people, things and time for more effective ministry.

4. I am able to lead a committee or group in making decisions together.

5. I am able to recruit Christians to express their strengths or fits in service.

8. I can win wide acceptance from church members for major changes involving effective procedures.

9. I am warm towards and cooperate in my church’s foreign missions emphasis.

10. I am frustrated when there is little opportunity to minister to those of different customs or language.

11. I am concerned to take part in starting a new local church.

13. I enjoy soul winning or witnessing in an unfamiliar setting.

14. I adapt well in a different culture in order to evangelize, to minister the Word, or to be a support person to such ministers.

15. I have or could learn another language well enough to help start a church.

16. I am able to help in starting new churches in a different language and culture.

17. There are times I sense that a particular teaching is unbiblical.

18. I receive affirmation from mature Christians that I am able to distinguish spiritual untruth from supernatural insights.

19. I am able to differentiate between demonic influence and mental illness.

21. I judge well between the inadequate and the acceptable, or between evil and good.

22. I have insights that help me discern any errors in a Biblical interpretation given by another.

23. I am able to identify that which is false to Christ’s teachings.

24. I can see through phonies before their falseness is clearly evident to others.

25. I enjoy sharing the message of the Gospel as I understand it.

26. I wish to relate to non-Christians so I can share my faith.

27. I am at ease in sharing how Christ is my Savior and Lord.

28. I am concerned to communicate my personal relationship with Christ to others.

29. I enjoy being an instrument of God in ‘drawing the net’ so that unbelievers receive Christ as Savior.

31. Unbelievers understand when I explain what it means that Jesus is the Christ.

32. I would remain spiritually strong in the company of unbelievers and would use every opportunity to win some to Christ.

34. I am sensitive and sympathetic to persons who seem to be suffering or mentally ill.

35. I am willing to be called alongside another person seeking my encouragement, challenge, or advice.

36. I have compassion towards those who are broken hearted, addicted or oppressed.

39. I would feel comfortable being an instrument for dislodging the complacent and redirecting the wayward in face-to-face encounters.

40. I am able to counsel effectively the perplexed, guilty or addicted.

43. I depend upon God’s resources and guidance to an unusual degree.

44. I am comfortable around people who pray a lot for others.

45. I trust in the presence and power of God for the apparently impossible.

46. I have a conviction that God is active in my daily affairs.

47. I believe God will keep his promises in spite of circumstances.

48. I have received from God an unusual assurance that he would fulfill some purpose.

49. I feel deeply moved when confronted with the urgent financial needs of others.

50. I am willing to maintain a lower standard of living to benefit God’s Word.

51. I consider all that I own or am as resources for stewardship to God.

52. I am concerned that the money I give be used as efficiently as possible for God.

53. I give cheerfully that God’s work be extended and helped.

54. I give things freely and with delight because I love God.

55. I am able to earn much money for giving to the Lord’s work.

56. I manage money well in order to give liberally to God’s work.

57. I get much satisfaction from hosting persons who need ministry at my home.

58. I am comfortable with opening my home to others regardless of how neat or clean it is.

59. I am willing to use my home furnishings and personal belongings to serve others outside my immediate family.

60. I take pleasure with an open heart in using our home to serve people in need of shelter or healing.

61. I am happy to add someone to our family temporarily in order to provide a helping or healing ministry.

63. I am comfortable with graciously providing food and lodging to those in need.

64. I show a genuine graciousness towards and appreciation of each guest at my/our home.

66. Paul’s concern (Col. 1:10) that I be ‘increasing in the knowledge of God’ is something I take seriously.

67. I am moved to study Scriptures so as to be unashamed in accurately handling it.

68. I long to share with others the Biblical insights I discover.

70. I readily acquire and master facts and principles of Biblical truths.

71. I have the ability to discover Biblical principles for myself.

72. I have insights into Biblical truths that bring conviction to my mind and heart.

73. I find it easy to motivate others to follow through on a ministry project.

74. I would enjoy guiding a group of people to achieve their desired ends.

75. I often assume responsibility when no official leaders are designated.

76. I am willing to persuade others to move towards Biblical objectives.

77. I usually know where I am going and can influence other Christians in that direction.

78. Normally my Christian character, lifestyle and behavior seem to motivate others to follow me.

79. Others follow me because I have knowledge or skills effectively used in serving my church.

80. I am able to adjust my leadership style so it is appropriate for the maturity of those working with me.

81. I hurt for others who are poverty-stricken, physically sick, a stranger, or imprisoned.

82. I desire to do acts of love and kindness for those who cannot or will not return them.

84. I am cheerful, available and involved in hospital, prison, or similar visitation.

86. I would enjoy visiting in hospitals or elderly homes and being an agent of blessing to others.

87. I have the ability to spare other persons from punishment or penalties they justly deserve.

88. I am able to talk cheerfully with prisoners, or lonely shut-ins.

89. I am concerned to verbalize Biblical truths which build, encourage, and comforts groups of believers.

90. I enjoy sharing a hymn, lesson or Bible interpretation so that all believers present may learn.

91. I prefer congregational preaching which explains and applies Biblical truths.

92. I am not afraid to speak boldly about evil in worldly systems, such as government.

93. ‘Telling forth’ for God by instructing and warning large numbers of His people is my style.

94. I communicate truths of God in a clear compelling fashion to large audiences.

95. I proclaim God’s truth in an inspiring and enthusiastic way.

96. I have been able to reveal God’s future events in general terms through Bible teaching.

97. I am ready to commit myself to care for the spiritual welfare of a group of young Christians.

98. I sense a need to select disciples and equip them to serve one another.

99. I enjoy having responsibility for the growth of a group of Christians.

100. I am concerned to guard my group of Christian followers from those who name themselves as enemies of Christians.

101. It is important to me to know and be well-known by followers I serve and guide.

102. I sacrificially give of myself for young or straying Christians.

103. I am able to feed followers in Christ by guiding them through selected Bible passages.

104. I am able to restore persons who have wandered away from Christian community.

106. I would rather be a supportive background person than a ‘performer.’

107. I am satisfied to express my skills by helping others in charge.

108. I am content to perform menial jobs or jobs considered unimportant by other people.

109. I enjoy typing, filing, recording minutes, or similar church-related tasks.

110. Ushering, cleaning , or supporting tasks in a church-related facility suits me well.

111. I am able to be a teacher’s aide in a class, or to do a similar helping task.

112. I can assist key leaders who ‘pray and minister the word’ (Acts 5) by taking some of their other responsibilities.

113. I have a strong conviction that Biblical truths should be understood accurately and be applied to current living.

115. I believe that the teaching-learning process is vital to local church growth.

116. I have a strong concern to relate Biblical truths to life.

117. I have the ability to concisely instruct listeners in the precise meaning of words and passages in Scripture.

119. When I communicate Biblical truths to others, it affects changes in knowledge, attitudes, values or conduct.

120. I can make difficult Biblical truths understandable to others.

124. I am concerned that interpersonal relationships be peaceable, reasonable, and without partiality of hypocrisy.

126. I make what appears to be correct decisions for my life.

127. The choices I make for activities in Christian service usually work well.

128. My nominations for church positions often prove to be good selections.

[H]eart

Three things I love to do:

Who I love to work with most, and the age or type of people:

Church issues, ministries, or possible needs that excite or concern me the most:

If I knew I couldn’t fail, this is what I would attempt to do for God with my life:

[A]bilities

My current vocation: Other jobs I have experience in: Special talents/skills that I have: I have taught a class or seminar on: I feel my most valuable personal asset is:

[P]ersonality

Select where you lean in these differing personality traits:

Extroverted

Introverted

Thinker

Feeler

Routine

Variety

Reserved

Expressive

Cooperative

Competitive

[E]xperience

My Testimony of how I became a Christian Other significant spiritual experiences that stand out in my life are: These are the kinds of trials or problems I could relate to and encourage a fellow Christian in: Ministry Experience (Where I have served in the past, if applicable, including Church Name, City/State, Position, Years Involved)

Submit Information

Thank you for taking the time to fill out this survey. A copy will be sent to you as well as a staff member who will be able to help you find your place of service with us and/or in the community.

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