Theologians often call history "His-story," because all of history is the story of God revealing himself to man and seeking to redeem His creation unto Himself. Therefore, each of us has a story. Anyone who has taken part in evangelism training has been asked to develop the story of their personal spiritual pilgrimage, because testimony is an extremely effective tool in evangelism. God uses every aspect of our lives, good or bad, to shape us into the ministers He calls us to be. In this portion of the PMP, you will be asked to consider your history. What has happened in your life that has caused you to be uniquely qualified for a specific area of ministry?

Consider Paul’s testimony in Acts 22:3-21:

What elements of Paul’s story before he met Jesus has he used in this testimony?

What elements of Paul’s conversion experience has he used in this story and what purpose do these elements serve?

What changes did his conversion make, and what elements of his story drive his ministry?

This concept of our "secular" activities extending into our ministry includes more than natural talents. The vocational and other learned skills that we have accumulated over the course of our lifetime should also be considered a part of our PMP. We must all realize that our ministry is not limited to the church building, but should extend to every aspect of our lives at every moment.

Understanding the elements of Paul’s testimony in Acts 22, consider you own story. Prayerfully make a list of events in your life, experiences that you have had, that may give you insight on a direction in ministry within the body.

What experiences before salvation could affect your place in ministry?

What do the elements of your conversion experience tell you about your call to ministry?

What events have occurred in your life as a Christian that have uniquely molded you for ministry?

Find Your Place ©2001, Andrew P. Kulp