What S.H.A.P.E. are you?
In my first pastorate there was a need to find teachers for our children. We had a growing Bus Ministry and finding Sunday School teachers was a challenge. One of the men that we corralled to teach 5th &6th grade boys was Mr. Jennings. He was a great Christian man that was very dedicated to Christ and the Church. After 3 months, he was frustrated. We had tried to put a square peg into a round hole. He basically read the quarterly. The boys were falling a sleep and acting up. He said, “If God wanted me to be a teacher then he would have gifted me with the abilities to teach.” He said all I am doing is just reading the lesson. He was right. It was then I led the church into a study of Spiritual Gifts. Mr. Jennings found that his gifts were encouragement, administration and serving others. Our church helped in sponsoring a Recuse Mission (Search for Truth Gospel Rescue Mission) . He found his niche there and someday would become the Director of that Ministry. He was liberated and full of joy because he found where he could use his gifts. I left that church in 1980. In 1995 I was in Corpus Christi on a Youth Mission Trip. I took our youth and sponsors to the Search for Truth Rescue Mission and saw for myself on how God had blessed that work through the leadership of Bro. Jennings.
God has created you and shaped your life in unique and wonderful ways so that you can experience the joy of helping the Kingdom of God “to come on earth as it is in heaven” (Matthew 6:10). We do different things to make a living, but we all have the same vocation, or calling, which is to use our talents, abilities, interests, personality, and experience to follow Jesus, to strengthen His Body, the Church, and to enlarge God’s Kingdom on earth. When we use our abilities for God’s glory, we come to know God more fully as we obey Him and He accomplishes His work through our lives.
Rick Warren of Saddleback Church in California developed the S.H.A.P.E. acronym several years ago, and it has become widely used to help Christians discover their unique “SHAPE for ministry.” I want us to use this acronym. I want to use it for template for helping the Country Church Fellowship Family so they can know how to deploy their skills and gifts most effectively.
Spiritual-Gifts-Heart-Abilities-Personality-Experience
Each Wednesday Evening (6:00 p.m.), I would like to visit one hour with two people that are interested in discovering their Spiritual Gifts through a Spiritual Gifts Assessment. We will meet at the Office Suites @6.
This afternoon some of us will leave to go to Waco to attend the Annual Gathering of Texas Baptist. Ross Hooks will bring the Evening Worship Message and the Carter Creek Pickers will lead us in worship.
This next weekend is a great opportunity for us to reach out into our community and invite people to Harvest Sunday, November 24th. Deborah Kelpac is our Hospitality Leader. She will need all of our help for the luncheon next Sunday. There has been a list that has been circulated on what to bring. If you have not signed up to bring something then see Deborah. Please take at least five invitation cards and hand them out this week. Branded will bless your hearts and also will be used in touching the hearts of the unsaved and unchurched.
When God closes one door He always opens up another door. Do you believe that? I do. Between now and the end of December HE will guide us to another location. Pray! We are thankful for Anne Leonard who is leading this effort to help find us a place to meet.
I Hope You are in good S.H.A.P.E.
Pastor Charles // 979-229-9342
Loads of Love! Help Outsiders to “Lighten the Load!” See Bill Broome and Wayne Ridiker about helping out.
Laundry Mat Location Times and Places- Saturday-November 23, 2019
- 509 W. 28th in Bryan 7:30 a.m. 9:30 a.m. – Outreach Leader: Wayne Rediker
- 500 N Texas Avenue -Bryan 9:00 a.m. to 11:00 – -Outreach Leader: Bill Broome
Sunday, November 24th Schedule
9:00 a.m. Bible Study
10:00 a.m. . Branded in Concert
11:00 a.m. Meal
No Evening Service –
Get your prayer list from Jan Higgins. If you have a prayer request, then give her a call @ 979-279-6988