I love design. Ok I said it, it’s out in the open now. When it comes to the things we use, the things we experience and the way we operate, design is everywhere. I was able to finish out last month at a leadership conference in Idaho where we were encouraged to see our specific Gifting, and to BE that kind of leader. In other words, God has designed each of us with beauty, purpose and care, so let’s be who God has designed us to be. I easily fall into the trap of seeing successful ministries or methods and figure that if it worked there, then it must work here. I start to chase a gifting that I may or may not have, which leads me to more defeats than victories. I am seeing now that God has wired me certain way to be good at some things, and not so good at others.
Design, Direction, Development
Design, Direction and Development should be our process for how we do things, in that order. So many times I have removed the first D (my favorite D) because there is a need, or because that is “what needs to be done” without first seeing if that is what I’m designed to do. Not everyone is wired to be a Pastor, not everyone is wired to be a song leader, not everyone is wired to work in the nursery and that is fine. God has taken the time and care to design us uniquely. The beauty of the church is it is mixed with different gifts and talents that work together to accomplish ministry in a way that could never be done by a single pastor.
I think we have all come across the situation where we are trying to fix something in our house and realize that we don’t have the tool made for the job, so we pull out the closest thing to it, and end up striping the screw, or breaking the project to the point of professional help. God has a specific design and purpose for each of us to accomplish amazing things.
Take time to pray about God’s design for you and your family. How has God gifted and trained you up? Where can you get better with training to be more effective for the Kingdom? Where does this point our church? Spend time praying over these questions.
God has a high calling for His church, and I believe the stakes are high. We have some amazingly gifted people within our church family that are going to reach people for Jesus through God’s specific purpose and design for our lives. We also have so much room to grow and be trained to be accomplish more and reach further. If we can move in the direction that those giftings provide, imagine what we could do. Imagine the impact we could make!
Blessings,
- Chris