What

S.H.A.P.E.
are
you?
Spiritual Gifts
Heart
Abilities
Personality
Experience

Original concept from Saddleback Church, Lake Forest, California

Used by permission.
 What S.H.A.P.E. are you?
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.”
This acronym has been adopted by ACS, the company that makes our church management software,
as a template church members can use to let church leaders know how to deploy their skills most
effectively.

As you know, we reorganized our church structure last year in order to make it possible for our
members to use their abilities in ways that are more tangible, time-limited, and fun! This project-
oriented approach is much more flexible and responsive than was our previous committee-focused
approach, and it also allows many more opportunities for service to persons who are not yet members
of our congregation.

In order for this new approach to work well, though, the leaders of our WORSHIP, MEMBERSHIP,
DISCIPLESHIP, MINISTRY, and MISSION TEAMS need to know what “SHAPE” you’re in!
Our MINISTRY Team is asking every member and regular attender to complete a Personal Profile,
either online at www.fbcbristol.org or by completing this form and returning it to the church office.

You certainly don’t have to put down anything you don’t wish to put down, but this information
will help us to help you as you seek to become all God made you to be. Thanks in advance for your help!

Please begin by letting us know how you want church leaders to contact you . . . .

Name: ____________________________________________________

Mailing Address: ____________________________________________________________________________

City/State/Zip: _______________________________________________________

Home Phone: _______________________________________

Work Phone: _______________________________________

Mobile Phone: ______________________________________

Email Address: ______________________________________________________________________________

S.H.A.P.E. = Spiritual Gifts; Heart; Abilities; Personality; Experience

Original Concept from Saddleback Church, Lake Forest, California. Used by Permission. 2
SPIRITUAL GIFTS
On the day of Pentecost, the Holy Spirit was given to all believers (Acts 2:3-4), and the Spirit
continues to be given to every person who believes in Jesus (Acts 2:38; Romans 8:9). At the same
time, that is, at conversion, God gives at least one spiritual gift to every believer (1 Corinthians 12:7,
11; Ephesians 4:4-7). These gifts can be, and often are, strongly related to our pre-conversion talents
and abilities, but they don’t have to be. Three good tests for the presence of a spiritual gift are:
(1) you will enjoy using this ability; (2) you will be effective in using this ability; and (3) other people
will confirm that God is using you in this way.

No believer has every spiritual gift, and no single gift is given to everyone (1 Corinthians 12:27-31).
Our different sets of spiritual gifts complement each other to accomplish God’s purposes through the
church (Romans 12:4-6; 1 Corinthians 3:6-9, 12:4-7).

While knowing your spiritual gifts is helpful, this is not as important as making sure that your life
is a blessing to others. Love is the most important factor in spiritual gifts (1 Corinthians 12:31-13:13;
Matthew 22:39-40), and the work of the Holy Spirit in our lives turns our-lives-as-a-whole into gifts!

After reading the descriptions of the gifts that follow, please put a mark in the box to the left of those
gifts you believe are active in your life. This list is not exhaustive, so please feel free to list others
at the end. The following Internet links provide online gift assessments that may be helpful as you
consider your gifts, particularly if this is a new concept for you.

www.umc.org/site/c.lwL4KnN1LtH/b.1355371/k.9501/Spiritual_Gifts.htm (21 questions)

http://mintools.com/spiritual-gifts-test.htm (35 questions)
www.elmertowns.com/spiritual_gifts_test/ (90 questions)
www.spiritualgiftstest.com/ (96 questions)
www.churchgrowth.org/cgi-cg/gifts.cgi?intro=1 (108 questions)

Gift Description
Apostleship This gift enables Christians to be recognized as spiritual leaders by a variety
of churches.
Artistic Creativity This gift enables Christians to use artistic expression for the edification of others.
Counseling This gift enables Christians to serve others through comfort, admonition,
and encouragement, so that they experience help and healing.
Craftsmanship This gift enables Christians to use a trade or craft for the good of the Body
of Christ.
Deliverance This gift enables Christians to help people suffering from demonic oppression
experience deliverance.
Discernment This gift enables Christians to know for sure whether a given behavior originates
from a divine, human, or satanic source.
Evangelism This gift enables Christians to communicate the gospel to non-Christians
in a manner conducive to leading them to faith.

S.H.A.P.E. = Spiritual Gifts; Heart; Abilities; Personality; Experience

Original Concept from Saddleback Church, Lake Forest, California. Used by Permission. 3
 Faith This gift enables Christians to discern, with an unusual degree of confidence,
the will of God for the future development of ministry.
Giving This gift enables Christians to give material things cheerfully and generously
to others.
Healing This gift enables Christians to serve as God’s instruments for restoring the health
of others without the aid of medical tools.
Helps This gift enables Christians to place their own gifts at the disposal of other
Christians, thus releasing them to concentrate more on their ministry.
Hospitality This gift enables Christians to maintain an open home, offering food and lodging
to guests.
Interpretation This gift enables Christians to make known in a commonly understood language
a message originally communicated in tongues.
Knowledge This gift enables Christians to generate, collect, and analyze ideas that are
important for the health of the church.
Leadership This gift enables Christians to set goals for the church and to communicate them
in such a way that others volunteer to achieve them.
Mercy This gift enables Christians to demonstrate empathy through practical deeds
toward those who are troubled in mind, body, or spirit.
Miracles This gift enables Christians to serve as human instruments through whom God
performs powerful acts that surpass natural laws in order to communicate
a specific message to God’s people.
Missionary This gift enables Christians to utilize their other gifts in a second culture.
Music This gift enables Christians to play a musical instrument or to use their voice
in singing for the glory of God and the edification of others.
Organization This gift enables Christians to understand goals for specific areas of ministry
and to draft effective plans toward reaching these goals.
Prayer This gift enables Christians to pray for concrete requests over long periods of time,
and to receive visible answers far more frequently than most Christians.
Prophecy This gift enables Christians to receive a message from God by the Holy Spirit
and to communicate it to other people.
Service This gift enables Christians to recognize where their participation is needed
and to make sure that the most urgent jobs get done.
Shepherding This gift enables Christians to assume long-term personal responsibility for
the spiritual well-being of a group of believers.
Singleness This gift enables Christians to live happily as singles while contributing
more effectively to the kingdom of God.
Suffering This gift enables Christians to suffer for their faith while at the same time
maintaining a joyful, victorious spirit.
Teaching This gift enables Christians to communicate truth in a manner that enables others
to learn and contributes to the health of the church.
Tongues This gift enables Christians to use a language they have never learned,
either in their personal prayer times or for a public message.
Voluntary Poverty This gift enables Christians to deny themselves material well being so that they
can maintain a standard of living that parallels the poor.
Wisdom This gift enables Christians to help others apply existing knowledge to specific
situations.

Other Gifts: _______________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________________

S.H.A.P.E. = Spiritual Gifts; Heart; Abilities; Personality; Experience

Original Concept from Saddleback Church, Lake Forest, California. Used by Permission. 4
HEART
When we speak of someone’s passion, of what he or she is really motivated to do, we sometimes say
that “she/he has a heart for that ministry/age group.” Even as we have differing gifts, so we have
differing interests and passions as well. Some of us “have a heart” for athletics, some for aesthetics,
some for outreach, some for youth, etc. How would you complete the following sentence?

 I love to __________________________________________________________________________
 I love to __________________________________________________________________________
 I love to __________________________________________________________________________

With what age group or type of people do you love to work most?

What church ministries, issues, or possible needs excite or concern you the most?

Is there a ministry or mission that keeps coming to your mind again and again?

A number of possible ministries are listed on the next page. If you have a heart for any of these
ministries, please put an “X” in the box beside that ministry.

If you are submitting only pages 5-8, please let us know how you want church leaders to contact you:

Name: ____________________________________________________

Mailing Address: ____________________________________________________________________________

City/State/Zip: _______________________________________________________

Home Phone: _______________________________________

Work Phone: _______________________________________

Mobile Phone: ______________________________________

Email Address: ______________________________________________________________________________

S.H.A.P.E. = Spiritual Gifts; Heart; Abilities; Personality; Experience

Original Concept from Saddleback Church, Lake Forest, California. Used by Permission. 5
 Abuse/Family Violence Homeless Repair

Addiction Recovery Hospitality Sanctity of Life

At-Risk Children Hospitalized Senior Adults

Benevolence/
Mercy Ministries Infants Serving/Helping

Bereavement Library/Media Center Shut-Ins

Children Memorials Special Olympics

College Middle School Teaching

Community Issues Missions: International Tellers

Crisis Counseling Missions: Local Toddlers

Designing/Developing Missions: Stateside Ushers

Disaster Relief Mobilizing for Ministry Visitation

Discipleship Music: Choral Wedding Coordinator

Education Music: Instrumental Women’s Ministry

Elementary Organization Worship

Environment Outreach Young Couples

Financial Management Picnics/Social Events Youth

Greeting/Welcoming Political Issues

Health/Fitness Preschool

High School Prison Ministry

History Publicity

Do you have a heart for a ministry that you don’t see listed? If so, please list that here:

S.H.A.P.E. = Spiritual Gifts; Heart; Abilities; Personality; Experience

Original Concept from Saddleback Church, Lake Forest, California. Used by Permission. 6
ABILITIES
My current vocation is:

Other jobs or skills in which I have experience:

I have taught classes or seminars in:

I believe my most valuable personal assets are:

A number of skills are listed on the next page. If you have skill in any of those areas,
please put an “X” in the box beside that area.

S.H.A.P.E. = Spiritual Gifts; Heart; Abilities; Personality; Experience

Original Concept from Saddleback Church, Lake Forest, California. Used by Permission. 7
 Administration Floral Arranging Programming

Arts/Crafts Food Preparation Public Speaking

Athletics/Sports Graphic Design Puppets

Audio/Visual Insurance Scenery Production

Cake Decorating Landscaping Secretary/Office Support

Catering Library Science Set-up/Tear-down

Computers Maintenance/Repairs Sewing

Computers/Technology Microsoft Access Sound System

Cooking Musical: Vocal Strategic Planning

Data Entry Musician: Instrumental Van/Bus Driver

Decorating Painting Vehicle Maintenance

Desktop Publishing Performing Arts/Drama Videography

Drawing Personnel Management Volunteers

Electrical Work Photography Web Design

Electronics Planning Trips or Events Word Processing

Facilities Management Plumbing Writing

Finance PowerPoint

Do you have a skill or skills that you don’t see listed? If so, please list those here:

S.H.A.P.E. = Spiritual Gifts; Heart; Abilities; Personality; Experience

Original Concept from Saddleback Church, Lake Forest, California. Used by Permission. 8
PERSONALITY
One common way of describing personality is to plot ourselves on four scales.
Please read the short descriptions that follow and then mark where you see yourself on these scales:

Introverted 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Extraverted

Controlled 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Spontaneous

Intuitive 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Sensing

Thinking 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Feeling

How we relate to others:

Introverted: Persons who are introverted enjoy being with other people, but they find that being with
others drains emotional energy from them, and they have to have a certain amount of
solitude to “recharge.”
Extraverted: Persons who are extraverted receive emotional energy from being with other people, and
they find that solitude drains energy from them. Extraverts can enjoy solitude, but they
have to have time with other people to “recharge.”

How we structure our lives:

Controlled: “Controlled” persons tend to prefer outcomes to processes. They’re interested in
structure, in meeting deadlines, in closure, in moving on to the next thing. Controlled
persons tend to like checklists and plans.
Spontaneous: “Spontaneous” persons tend to prefer processes to outcomes. They’re more interested in
“going with the flow” and “seeing what happens” than in making schedules and meeting
deadlines. Spontaneous persons tend to lose their checklists and plans, but this doesn’t
bother them!

How we take in information:

Intuitive: Persons whose preference is for intuition often describe themselves as “innovative.”
Intuitive persons like metaphor and imagery, and often understand complex ideas rather
suddenly, “as a whole,” without knowing exactly how they know. Intuitive persons tend
to be more interested in what “might be” than in what “is.”
Sensing: Persons whose preference is for sensing often describe themselves as “practical.” Sensing
persons gather information bit by bit, and they focus on facts, data, and experience.
Sensing persons tend to be more interested in what “is” than in what “might be.”

How we make decisions:

Thinking: Persons who make decisions based on “thinking” focus more on facts, data, rules,
and procedures than on how decisions will affect people.
Feeling: Persons who make decisions based on “feeling” focus more on how a decision will affect
other people than on facts, data, rules, and procedures.

S.H.A.P.E. = Spiritual Gifts; Heart; Abilities; Personality; Experience

Original Concept from Saddleback Church, Lake Forest, California. Used by Permission. 9
EXPERIENCES
This is how and when I became a Christian and something of what my relationship with Jesus means
and has meant to me over the years:

Some of my most meaningful spiritual experiences have included:

Because of some of my own experiences, I believe I could relate to and encourage someone
who is going through . . . .

My formal education has been as follows:

My favorite subjects in school have been:

Some of the seminars and special training I’ve had include:

In the past, I’ve served in churches in these ways:

Church/location Position(s) of Service Years Involved

S.H.A.P.E. = Spiritual Gifts; Heart; Abilities; Personality; Experience

Original Concept from Saddleback Church, Lake Forest, California. Used by Permission. 10
SPECIAL QUALIFICATIONS
If you have any of the following special qualifications, please mark the appropriate boxes:

Certified Teacher (please specify)

Commercial Driver’s License (please specify)

Construction Professional (please specify)

Law Enforcement Professional (please specify)

Legal Professional (please specify)

Medical Professional (please specify)

Ministry Professional (please specify)

Passed Background Check for Working with Children

Passed Van Driver Course
Other (please specify)

THANKS FOR YOUR HELP!

(The only thing left to do is to be sure this gets back to the church office!)

S.H.A.P.E. = Spiritual Gifts; Heart; Abilities; Personality; Experience

Original Concept from Saddleback Church, Lake Forest, California. Used by Permission. 11
S.H.A.P.E. = Spiritual Gifts; Heart; Abilities; Personality; Experience
Original Concept from Saddleback Church, Lake Forest, California. Used by Permission. 12