Our congregation just kicked off the 40 Days of Purpose Campaign. It's based on The Purpose Drive Life, a book by Rick Warren, and though my initial (and periodic) response was to write off what seems to obviously be a money-making business, I have to say I am impressed. Rick Warren's message on the video tonight was direct, strictly scriptural and held nothing back.

As a very brief re-cap, our 5 purposes in life are:

We were planned for God's pleasure - WORSHIP
We were formed for God's family - FELLOWSHIP
We were created to become like Christ - DISCIPLESHIP
We were shaped for serving God - MINISTRY
We were made for a mission - EVANGELISM

Sounds like stuff many of us have heard before? Yup - me too. And yet tonight as I was listening to this video, I have realized (as I have been realizing for the last few weeks as God opens my eyes) that I am not living up to my full purpose.

The ministry part of it hit me quite strongly tonight - shaped for serving God. In the acronym "SHAPE", our Spiritual Gifts, Heart (passions), Abilities (natural skills), Personality and Experiences all shape what our ministries will (or should) be. It was very enlightening, and makes me ask myself whether all those things in my life are still aligned with the ministries in which I am involved. Or rather whether the ministries in which I am involved are still aligned with the aformentioned list. Or have I instead become involved in many things simply because I am able to "fill the gap." The more I think about ministry for that reason, the more I think it is dangerous. Working for too long outside the passions, gifts and abilities that God gives us is a recipe for burnout and disillusionment. And I think, too, it keeps others within the church, who have the gifts and passions for those things, idle and frustrated with their lack of opportunity to worship God in the way they were created.

It was good stuff. Hard stuff to process in some ways, but good stuff. I will likely be blogging more about 40 Days of Purpose as we continue through the program - I pray this program will not be just another "thing" that we do in the church, but rather a life-changing and congregation-changing experience that brings more glory to the name of our great God.

Praise the Lord!


PS - Just in case he's reading this - HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO MY BROTHER, GREG!!