5 Myths about Serving | S.H.A.P.E.| Drop of A Hat | How Can I Participate? | The E-Scale
How Can I Participate?
“…to
prepare God's people for works of
service, so that the body of Christ may
be built up…” (Ephesians 4:12)
The ministry placement office exists to
engage people into the life of First Presbyterian
Church in ways that encourage their own
spiritual growth and that also give them
opportunities to have a positive impact
on the spiritual growth of others.
This could be referred to as “Fill
and Spill.” First Presbyterian offers
many opportunities to be “filled,”
and in cooperation with the Christian Education
Department, we can help you determine what
classes and sessions may have a great impact
on you.
The majority of our focus is to help you
find ways to “spill” out your
love, skills, and gifts within various ministries
at the church and in the community. We offer
a variety of formats to help you investigate
your spiritual gifts, skills, passions,
and personality—to appreciate how
God has designed you and help you find avenues
to enthusiastically share that with others!
Opportunities include small group sessions,
classes such as SHAPE, book studies, and
individual consultations. Watch church publications,
click the equipping Christians for service
link on the home page, or contact Beth Beutler,
Ministry Placement Director at 672-1753, bbeutler@firstpresgreenville.org for more
information.
“The point is not to get people to
work, but to help them connect to the story
of Jesus. Our job is to develop a system
of meaning and recognition that leads to
a personal legacy.” – Michael
Foss
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5 Myths about Serving
Serving is a common theme in churches, yet we can often become misled by what we
think are truths about service. Consider the following myths:
“God and the church need my help.” God will accomplish His purposes as He
wills, whether or not we willingly participate. However, He wants to involve us in His
work! Yes, the church often needs volunteers, but if you are serving only to fill a gap and
not so much out of love and gratefulness, you are missing a great blessing (and the point!)
“I owe God.” God's love and extravagant grace do not require performance on
our part. However, our love and gratefulness for this grace often prompt us to give of
ourselves.
“God uses people to get tasks done.” While that may be partially true, it is
more accurate to consider that God actually uses service to get His people done! Serving
molds us into the image of Jesus, the greatest Servant of all. (Matthew 20:28)
“I'd better do it or no one else will.” Instead of serving out of guilt or pressure,
prayerfully consider what God is calling you to do. He has tasks specifi cally designed for
you! (Ephesians 2:10) If everyone were to do this, there would be no gaps of service
in the church. Have you considered that if you add another responsibility to your plate
without a true “okay” from God, you may creating an obstacle for someone else who
could have served?
“I'm already busy, what's another task?” This myth is for the over-achievers
out there. God never intended for us to get exhausted by serving. Consider these words
from Matthew 11:28 (the Message): Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion?
Come to me. Get away with me and you'll recover your life. I'll show you how to take a real
rest. Walk with me and work with me—watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of
grace. I won't lay anything heavy or ill-fi tting on you. Keep company with me and you'll
learn to live freely and lightly.
So, why not start now? Contact Beth for an informal meeting today at 672-
1753 or bbeutler@fi rstpresgreenville.org, and visit our website to get on the Drop of a Hat list!
“…to
prepare God's people for works of
service, so that the body of Christ may
be built up…” (Ephesians 4:12)
The ministry placement office exists to
engage people into the life of First Presbyterian
Church in ways that encourage their own
spiritual growth and that also give them
opportunities to have a positive impact
on the spiritual growth of others.
This could be referred to as “Fill
and Spill.” First Presbyterian offers
many opportunities to be “filled,”
and in cooperation with the Christian
Education Department, we can help you
determine what classes and sessions may
have a great impact on you.
The majority of our focus is to help you
find ways to “spill” out your
love, skills, and gifts within various
ministries at the church and in the community.
We offer a variety of formats to help
you investigate your spiritual gifts,
skills, passions, and personality—to
appreciate how God has designed you and
help you find avenues to enthusiastically
share that with others!
Opportunities include small group sessions,
classes such as SHAPE, book studies, and
individual consultations. Watch church
publications, click the equipping
christians for service link on the home page, or contact Beth
Beutler, Ministry Placement Director at
672-1753, bbeutler@firstpresgreenville.org for more information.
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S.H.A.P.E.
| One of the classes we regularly
offer is SHAPE: Discovering My Unique Design
and Purpose. SHAPE stands for Spiritual
Gifts, Heart, Abilities, Personality and
Experiences.
The following exercises are from our
SHAPE Curriculum.
Downloadable material:
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Drop of a Hat
Members of this special group have helped with all sorts of interesting projects at the "Drop of a Hat" New Members are now being included on this list to help you
see all the opportunities there are to use your time and talents, but we'd like to see it grow to include Sunday School classes and long-time members.
What's great about the Drop of a Hat membership
SIGN UP FOR THE DROP OF THE HAT CLUB HERE.
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The E-Scale
As you consider your journey as a growing, faithful Christian,
the E-scale can also be a template for your experience here at First Presbyterian
and in our community.
E-0 (Jerusalem) refers to the evangelism of people who are already a
part of a Christian church. There are many ways to ignite, or re-ignite,
your spiritual passion. This happens partly with regular corporate worship,
study, and fellowship. For example, in addition to faithful attendance at
worship services on Sunday, why not consider getting involved in a smaller
class or Bible study? Opportunities such as Cursillo weekends are also a
great way to focus on the important aspects of life.
E-1 (Judea) refers to evangelism of people outside the church but
within one's culture. Our First Look class attracts those who have a
common interest in perhaps joining the membership here but may come
from a variety of backgrounds. During the three First Look sessions,
basic principles of faith, Presbyterian practices, and what it means to be
a “growing, faithful Christian” are explored. First Look is offered several
times per year.
Another example (which also fits E-0) is the Refresh study for women. It
gives opportunities to members and non-members, many of whom work
in the downtown district, to get together to study God's word. We meet
every other Thursday over lunch for one hour. ALPHA is another type of
class experience that can attract those with questions about Christianity,
and meets on Wednesday evenings.
E-2 (Samaria) requires evangelism of people of different but similar
cultures. Think about those around you who may have a different life
philosophy, cultural heritage, or faith background even though they share
common “living in the South, USA” experiences. Gracious, open dialog,
involving asking questions and generating discussions, can be a way to
share faith with these people.
E-3 (the ends of the earth) is evangelism of people of radically
different cultures. Likely, you won't experience this directly on a daily
basis, unless someone from a far away tribe happens to come to Greenville
for a visit. One example is the opportunity to provide housing for
Sudanese pastors who came for a conference here in August. You can also
use your opportunity to give to missions as a way to be part of this effort.
The E-scale is a helpful way to consider Jesus' command to share the kingdom
with others—you don't have to travel far away to do this! You each have gifts and
passions that will spur you toward any of these forms of evangelism and personal
spiritual growth. To explore these ideas further, contact Beth Beutler for an appointment. |
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Take a Tour!
We now have certifed tour
guides who would love to lead
you through a tour of First
Pres. If you are interested in
a formal tour, please contact
Beth Beutler at
672-1753 to
make arrangements.
Getting Your Group in SHAPE
Would your circle, Sunday School class, or other group enjoy a presentation of SHAPE? For opportunities to learn more about your spiritual gifts, heart, abilities, personality, and experiences with customized versions of SHAPE for your group, contact Beth Beutler at 672-1753 or bbeutler@firstpresgreenville.org.
Recommended Resources
The following links provide resources for assessing more about how God has designed you.
Refresh
Do you know a woman who
lives or works near First Pres
during the week? Could she
use some encouragement
in God's word? Invite her
to check out Refresh, our
"come-when-you-can" Bible
and book study, meeting
bi-weekly on Thursdays
during lunch hour (and
monthly in the summer.)
There's an "email only"
option as well. Sign up by
contacting Beth Beutler at
bbeutler@frstpresgreenville.org.
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