Nov. 16, 2025

Series: Living on Purpose   11-16-25

MINISTRY:

The Good, the Bad & the Ugly

GOD’S FIVE PURPOSES FOR YOUR LIFE:

• WORSHIP (loving God back)
• COMMUNITY (loving God family)
• MATURITY (becoming like Christ)
• MINISTRY (serving God by serving others)
• MISSION (next week…)

How God has Shaped me for Ministry:

                                                S piritual Gifts

                                                H eart (passions)

                                                A bilities (talents & skills)

                                                P ersonality Type

                                    E XPERIENCES

The Secret To Success:

Your ministry will be most Effective & Fulfilling when you’re using your GIFTS & ABILITIES in the area of your HEART'S DESIRE in a way that best expresses your PERSONALITY & EXPERIENCES!

THE GOOD:

PAUL:

Phil 3:4-6 If anyone else thinks he has reasons to put confidence in the flesh, I have more: 

                        ⁵ circumcised on the eighth day, 

                of the people of Israel, 

                of the tribe of Benjamin, 

                a Hebrew of Hebrews; 

                in regard to the law, a Pharisee; 

                        ⁶ as for zeal, persecuting the church; 

                as for righteousness based on the law, faultless. 

THE KEY: Allow God to SANCTIFY your Resume!

THE BAD:

PAUL:

Acts 9:13-15 ¹³ "Lord," Ananias answered, "I have heard many reports about this man and all the harm he has done to your saints in Jerusalem. ¹⁴ And he has come here with authority from the chief priests to arrest all who call on your name." ¹⁵ But the Lord said to Ananias, "Go! This man is my chosen instrument to carry my name before the Gentiles and their kings and before the people of Israel. 

THE KEY: Focus on others’ POTENTIAL instead of their Past!

Acts 9:26 ²⁶ When he came to Jerusalem, he tried to join the disciples, but they were all afraid of him, not believing that he really was a disciple. 

Galatians 1:13–16 ¹³ For you have heard of my previous way of life in Judaism, how intensely I persecuted the church of God and tried to destroy it… ¹⁵ But when God, who set me apart from my mother’s womb and called me by his grace, was pleased ¹⁶ to reveal his Son in me so that I might preach him among the Gentiles...

• He focused on what God wanted to do THROUGH HIM, instead of what others THOUGHT OF HIM!

PETER:

("Peter… you will deny three times that you know me.)

Luke 22:31-32 ³¹ "Simon, Simon, 

Satan has asked to sift you as wheat. 

³² But I have prayed for you, Simon, 

that your faith may not fail. 

And when you have turned back, strengthen your brothers." 

• God Never Wastes a HURT!

THE UGLY:

JOSEPH:

Genesis 37:3-4 (ESV) ³ Now (Jacob) loved Joseph more than any other of his sons… And he made him a robe of many colors. (NIV) ⁴ When his brothers saw that their father loved him more than any of them, they hated him and could not speak a kind word to him. 

Genesis 39:2 (GN) ²The Lord was with Joseph and made him successful.

Genesis 45:4-5 Then Joseph said to his brothers… "I am your brother Joseph, the one you sold into Egypt! ⁵ And now, do not be distressed and do not be angry with yourselves for selling me here, because it was to save lives that God sent me ahead of you. 

Genesis 50:20 (NIV) ²⁰ You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives.

• Joseph says, “God is going to use YOUR Evil, to Promote ME, 

in order to Save YOU!”

THE KEY: See your Past as Preparation for your MINISTRY!

PAUL:

2 Corinthians 11:23-27 I have been in prison more times... near death often... been whipped five times with 39 lashes by the Jews and three times by the Romans... once stoned... I've been in three shipwrecks... and once spent 24 hours in the water... In my travels I've been in danger from floods... robbers... enemies... wild animals and false friends... I've served long hours without sleep or food or shelter or even clothing... 

Philippians 1:12 Now I want you to know, brothers, that what has happened to me has really served to advance the gospel. 

• God wants you to be open to ministering to people who are going through what you've ALREADY been through!

2 Corinthians 1:3-4 (LB) (God) Wonderfully comforts and strengthens us in our hardships and trials.  And why does he do this?  So when others are troubled, needing our sympathy and encouragement, we can pass on to them the same help and comfort God has given us!                                                                            

What we Believe about Serving:

• We expect excellence in ministry, not perfection. Excellence is doing your best.  
• We encourage creativity and innovation in ministry, which assumes mistakes will be made. 
• "No mistakes" means you're not trying anything new.
• We have no "failures" in ministry at SCC, only "experiments that didn't work!"
• A failed project does not mean a failed person. 
• There are no "wrong" people, only "right" people in “wrong” ministries. 

LIST YOUR EXPERIENCES:

• What SPIRITUAL Experiences have I had?

                 {Meaningful decisions/times with God...}

2 Corinthians 12:1–5 (NLT) ¹ …about visions and revelations from the Lord. ² I was caught up to the third heaven fourteen years ago. Whether I was in my body or out of my body, I don’t know—only God knows... ⁴ I was caught up to paradise and heard things so astounding that they cannot be expressed in words, things no human is allowed to tell. ⁵ That experience is worth boasting about, but I’m not going to do it.

• What PAINFUL Experiences have I had?

                 {Problems, hurts, trials-that have taught you…}

Prov 20:30 (GN) Sometimes it takes a painful experience to make us change our ways.

2 Cor. 1:4 (GN) God helps us in our troubles, so we are able to help others who have all kinds of troubles, using the same help that we ourselves have received from God.

2 Corinthians 12:7 (NIV) To keep me from becoming conceited because of these great revelations, I was given a thorn in my flesh, a messenger from Satan, to torment me.

• What EDUCATIONAL Experiences have I had?

                 {What were your favorite subjects in school…}

Prov 4:13 (GN) Always remember what you have learned. Your education is your life-guard it well!

Acts 22:3 (NIV) “I studied under Gamaliel and was thoroughly trained in the law of our ancestors.”

• What MINISTRY Experiences have I had?

                     {How have you served in the past…}

2 Corinthians 9:13 (NLT) As a result of your ministry, they will give glory to God. For your generosity to them… will prove that you are obedient to the Good News of Christ.

                - Read the Book of Acts!