Here is a written statement of my sense of calling in ministry, my primary spiritual gifts, and my three highest values in ministry.
I. My calling in ministry came about two years after I was transferred into God’s kingdom from the kingdom of darkness. Details are included in a copy of my personal testimony which is attached to this email along with this document.
I was in college working on a mental health counseling degree and realized that the people I was working with needed to be made whole not just made to believe they could survive. They needed what I had been given. The Sodzo life, a life which saves, redeems and mends. While praying about how to proceed with my second chance at life, God led me to Eph 4:11-14. From that point God led me to prepare for ministry and I went on to Bible College. God began to unfold His plan for me as an equipper of God’s people to act as a catalyst in bringing them and others into fulfilling God’s plan for them.
II. My primary spiritual gifts are a mix. My motivational gifts are primarily Pastor, Teacher, Prophet, Encourager and Administrator. These four vary in their primacy based on what God is doing. This mix allows me to strategically develop, relationally motivate and encourage God’s people to become all that He has designed them to be, thus allowing them to come into the fullness and maturity of Jesus.
III. My highest values in ministry start with every believer being equipped to have a life of Passionate Participation in God. To live in a passionate pursuit of knowing, experiencing and enjoying God and in bringing others along on the adventure.
A. This can be accomplished when our goal is to have the heart of the Father, the mind of Christ and the empowerment of the Holy Spirit.
The heart of the Father: Learning to know Him relationally and then being a source of building up and encouraging others to have the same type of relationship. In equipping, mending, nurturing, challenging, releasing, mentoring, inspiring, motivating and encouraging the people around me.
The mind of Christ: Knowing the Word both written and living so that we can lay down our lives and do the will of the Father. In servant leaders who will be responsible and accountable to the team they are a part of. In dreaming and praying big while being faithful with those who are around you. In allowing, encouraging and supporting others to follow the calling and dreams in their life. In working hard to do my part and allowing God to do His.
The empowerment of the Holy Spirit: Learning to live and breathe and flow in the Spirit. Allowing Him to manifest God’s character, gifts and power through the creative unfolding of God’s direction on a continual basis. In the unfolding, creative, and fresh work of God for every group of people. In the wonder of God's endless, creative and unique style of accomplishing His will among people.
B. The second value is to encourage, seek, teach and be available to the fresh move of God in our day. To allow and encourage freedom of expression and interaction with God. To provide guidance and instruction where valuable to the individual and the group in which God is working to encourage an atmosphere of community in which a believer may grow and experience God interacting with them without fear.
C. The third value is to provide a culture in which each person may come into the fullness of Christ through mending, equipping and being released into the work of the kingdom and the building up of each other in every dimension and aspect of our society.
Most of all: That we might all one day hear Him say, well done, you who have been a good and a faithful servant.
