Last week we began a new series on Wednesday nights called Fake I.D. This series focuses on the identity we have in Christ and the different ways we are called AND equipped to express that identity. Robert and I felt led to run this series parallel to our Sunday morning focus on S.H.A.P.E. as a means of reinforcing our teaching to students and encourage discovery of who God has shaped them to be.
Yesterday was our second week of the S.H.A.P.E. discussion and focused on spiritual gifts. Students walked through a list of spiritual gifts with their peers and adult leaders and shared with the group what they thought their spiritual gifts might be. I asked them to receive affirmation and/or alternate suggestions about their gifts from their peers. We ended the day by encouraging students to step into service in some fashion without waiting for a message written in the clouds about what their S.H.A.P.E. might be. By stepping into service, students will be able to figure out if they are serving within their gift sets by how they experience serving.
My prayer is that at this critical point in your student's life he or she will discover how God has uniquely gifted him or her. Knowing their S.H.A.P.E. before they graduate high school can (and will) help students make critical choices about their future in a season where "right" choices can give them a "head start" on a life-long journey of using their gifts to honor and expand God's Kingdom.
A great way for you to discuss this with your students would be to take a list of spiritual gifts (there was an insert in the bulletin yesterday with a list of spiritual gifts) and ask them what they believe your gift is. Talk about that for a bit, and then ask your students what they think their gift is. Ask them what areas they think you might be able to serve in that would best utilize your gifts. Ask your students what area they could serve in that might maximize their gifts.
Let me know what I can pray about for you.
-Michael
