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Having the right stuff to be a worship leader is not some mystical notion only to be realized by those charismatic star types with great looks and musical chops.

There is a better way to know if you have what it takes to lead worship…

Know your S-H-A-P-E…

…S-H-A-P-E stands for Spiritual Gifts, Heart, Abilities, Personality, and Experiences.

Here are some important spiritual gifts for worship leaders…

  • "Prophecy may be defined as "the ability to present God's word with clarity and power. The primary ministry of this gift is not prediction or foretelling; it principally has to do with declaration or forthtelling" (Kenneth Cain Kinghorn).


  • "The motivational gift of exhortation may be defined as "the ability to call forth the best within others through the ministry of understanding, encouragement and counsel. This gift equips one to lift up and strengthen others by helping them to move from their problem to a resolution of that problem" (Kenneth Cain Kinghorn)

    • There are wonderful ways to test spiritual gifts. Perhaps the best is through working together with a team of people who know you. Balanced with an internet survey you can gain confidence as you serve.



    A worship leader starts from his/her S.H.A.P.E. and through consistent pursuit and commitment to the right stuff, develops a personal life of increasing depth of worship. It is from there he/she is able to lead and model worship for the body of Christ.

    Would anyone like to be thinner? Taller? fatter? Smaller?

    Do you have the right stuff?

    Did you know you are shaped for serving God?

    You were created to serve God

    Eph 2:10 - make a contribution, add life, not get the most of it, serve others, serve God.

    You were saved to serve God

      Not saved BY service, but you are saved FOR service.

    "Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart; I appointed you for a special purpose.” Jeremiah 1:5 (NCV)

    Ministry is synonymous with service.

    For all of us – not just the professionals

    Not by guilt – but out of gratitude. Because of His mercy. Ministry is service – for all of us, not just the professionals. We all have the right stuff to serve each other.

    There is no secular – If we belong to God, if we are really His, we don’t have a ministry component of our lives and a secular component to our lives. We’ve allowed the secular to mean far more than just my paycheck doesn’t come from a church. But we have the right stuff for some ministry commitment.

    We are ministers!

    You are called to serve God

      every Christ-follower is called to serve – not just the missionaries, pastors, etc.

    A spiritual sacrifice - that’s service!

    Many people serve – but God’s distinction is He accepts the believer’s sacrifice through Jesus Christ. You and I are part of something fantastic. We all have the right stuff to be helpful. This is why the church must respond and some are beginning to respond to the aids crisis in Africa. A spiritual sacrifice in Jesus Christ, our acts of service have so much more power than service that is done which is outside.

    You are commanded to serve God not optional, Mark 10:45 Jesus came to serve and to giveDo you see the command? 2 Corinthians 5:14 “For the love of Christ controls me”

    Shape stands for spiritual gifts, heart, abilities, personality and experiences.

    Unwrapping your spiritual gifts

    What are spiritual gifts?

  • Many different special abilities given by one Holy Spirit.
  • Given to each believer (unique).
  • Given for the good of all.
  • Given just as the Holy Spirit decides.
  • Given to help us serve God in different ways.
  • 1 Corinthians 12: 1-7, 11

    • Who are they for?

      Others

    Who are they given to?

      Believers 1 Corinthians 12:3

    Why are they important?

      PEOPLE

    According to Ephesians 4:12-16

  • To prepare God’s people to serve
  • To build up the Body of Christ
  • To become one in the knowledge of God’s Son
  • To grow up in the faith

    • Why are they important?

  • To receive everything God has for us
  • To grow up in Christ
  • To speak the truth in love
  • So each part of the body does its work
  • To support the other parts
  • 1 Peter 4:10 - to serve in God’s strength for God’s praise.

    • Heart

  • Passion – what makes you cry?
  • For what would you skip a meal?

    • Abilities

  • Natural talents all come from God
  • Just as important as spiritual gifts - Exodus 35:30-35

    • Personality

  • No such thing as a ministry personality
  • God uses introverts, extroverts, thinkers and feelers

    • Experiences

  • Family
  • Educational
  • Vocational
  • Spiritual
  • Ministry
  • Painful
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