05 Dec Discovering Your Lane

2 Minute Read

By Kurt Jenkins

Road trips can be very exciting, but getting lost while on your way can be very frustrating. Even when you are headed in the correct direction, getting into the right lane at the right time can be a challenge.

This example is similar to our potential in Christ. Once we are born-again, we are no longer lost but headed in the right direction. However, there is also a lane in which we are meant to travel. There are specific ‘ministry lanes’ that Jesus designed for His church in which each believer can function. It is our privilege to discover how our spiritual gifts, passions, personality and skills fit together in a certain lane to help build the body of Christ.

Ephesians 4:11-13 says that “Christ gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors and teachers to equip his people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.”

There are those who are called to lead in these five ‘ministry lanes’ with the anointing and authority needed to equip the body from a leadership position. At the same time, each believer can add strength to the local church by discovering in which one of these lanes they can also thrive.

Here are five practical ways to discover your ministry lane:

Focus on function, not title – Focus on how you can add value to your local church, not what title you have. Jesus needs equippers, not superstars.

Observe your current lane – If you regularly sense the Lord sharing ideas with you for others or for your church, you are in the prophetic lane. If you have a high value for a caring community, you are in the pastoral lane, and so on…

Take an assessment – DestinyFinder.com is a useful online tool that offers a free assessment based on the Ephesians 4 model, along with more in-depth assessments from Ephesians 4, Romans 12 and 1 Corinthians 12.

Keep moving forward – Often times the best way to discover your lane is to find a place to serve and see what leads to the most fruitfulness and fulfillment. This area should energize you, not deplete you.

Learn more – A solid resource is Carolyn Tennant’s book, Catch the Wind of the Spirit.

At PennDel’s recent Thrive Conference, Carolyn presented a great Biblical view on how all five ministries should work in harmony to build the body.

God still desires each one of these ‘lanes’ to be expressed through His body in today’s church. This will happen supernaturally as we seek God for His unique design as individuals, and also naturally as we implement practical ways to equip our churches with a balance of all five. It is possible, and biblical; it requires your participation. Enjoy the journey and begin discovering your lane today!