”Trust GOD from the bottom of your heart; don’t try to figure out everything on your own. Listen for God’s voice in everything you do, everywhere you go;
he’s the one who will keep you on track”.
Prov. 3:5-6 (Msg)

Life purpose statements are steps of faith in each area of your life in which you feel God nudging you to either BE (character development) or DO (SHAPE deployment), and you know you could not fulfill them without Him. Think of these statements as opportunities to become all that God has made you to be so that you can bless Him with your life.

There are four main areas of your life for which you will develop life statements: personal, spiritual, vocational, relational.
Personal Life
This is the area of self: Character, Core Values, Strengths, Weaknesses, Hobbies, Health, Rest, Diet, etc.

Spiritual Life
This is the area of your faith: Service, Stewardship, Prayer, Evangelism, Worship, and Life Purpose.

Vocational Life
This is the area of your career/work/specialties: From Marketplace member to Homemaker.

Relational Life
This is the area of fellowship: Friends, Family, Parenting, Marriage, Dating, Community.

Please don’t rush. Take the time to reflect and prayerfully craft each statement. Have fun and take big steps of faith!




Life Statements
You may find the following samples helpful in thinking about your life and the things you feel God is nudging you to BE and DO for His glory.

Personal Life:
I feel God nudging me to reorganize my priorities in my life so in a year from today I will have at least 10 hours a week to invest in God’s Kingdom.
I feel God nudging me to overcome a dysfunctional habit that is robbing me of the future He has for me.
I feel God nudging me to be an honest person and stop lying, cheating, and stealing.
Spiritual Life:
I feel God nudging me to share my faith with my neighbors.
I feel God nudging me to fall deeper in love with who God has made me to be, my SHAPE, so He can replace my current level of frustration with His fulfillment.
I feel God nudging me to develop a passionate prayer life.
Vocational Life:
I feel God nudging me to find a fulfilling vocation that will express who God has made me to be at least 80% of the time.
I feel God nudging me to help my employees develop servant hearts.
I feel God nudging me to develop a transitional plan to leave my current career and use my SHAPE in a more fulfilling one.
Relational Life:
I feel God nudging me to mend my broken relationship with my father.
I feel God nudging me to spend quality time with each of my children...1 hour a week of 1-on-1 time.
I feel God nudging me to meet the needs of my spouse unselfishly.



MY LIFE MISSION
What is success for me?

I. PERSONAL: WHAT DO I WANT TO BE? (character)
o Knowing God as my best friend.
"Let not the wise man boast of his wisdom or the strong man boast of his
strength or the rich man boast of his riches, but Let him who boasts boast
about this: that he understands and knows me, that I am the Lord." Jer. 9:23-24
"Friendship with God is reserved for those who reverence him. With them alone he shares the secrets of his promises." Psalms 25:14
"Knowing God results in every other kind of understanding." Proverbs 9:10
"Some people have missed the most important thing in life‑‑they don't know God" 1 Timothy 6:21
o Becoming like Christ in character and values.
"For from the very beginning God decided that those who came to him...should become like his Son." Romans 8:29
"As the Spirit of the Lord works within us, we become more and more like him."
2 Cor 3:18
"Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus." Philippians 2:5

o Developing and using the abilities God gave me.
"Christ has given each of us special abilities‑‑whatever he wants us to have out of his rich storehouse of gifts." Ephesians 4:7
"If the ax is dull and its edge unsharpened, more strength is needed but skill will bring success."
Eccle 10:10
o Maintaining my health and energy to do God's will.
"praying... that your body is as healthy as I know your soul is" 3 Jn. 2
o Being wise and balanced. "Getting wisdom is the most important thing you can do!..If you exalt wisdom, she will exalt you." Pr. 4:7-8
"The value of wisdom is far above rubies; nothing can be compared with it."
Proverbs 8:11
"Wisdom will make the hours of your day more profitable and the years of your life more fruitful." Proverbs 9:11
"A relaxed mind makes for physical health..." Pr. 14:30


ll. MY FAMILY
o Having those who know me best respect me most.
"I will try to walk a blameless path, but how I need your help, especially in my own home, where I long to act as I should." Ps. 101:2
"It is a wonderful heritage to have an honest father." Pr. 20:7
o Meeting Kay's needs so well that she never has to look elsewhere.
"Show the same kind of love to your wife as Christ showed to the Church when he died for her," Eph 5:25
"Be careful of your wife, being thoughtful of her needs and honoring her ...
Remember that you and your wife are partners in receiving God's blessings, and if you don't treat her as you should, your prayers will not get ready answers." 1 Pet 3:7

"Honor your marriage and its vows, and be pure." Heb. 13:4 (LB)
o When each of my kids leave home, they...
- love God with all their hearts
- have Biblical convictions about right & wrong
- have high self-esteem and feel loved
- have identified their gifts and life purpose

"Don't keep on scolding and nagging your children, making them angry and resentful. Rather, bring them up with the loving discipline the Lord himself approves, with suggestions and godly advice." Ephesians 6:4
o Honoring my parents, and Kay's, by caring for them in old age as they did for us growing up.
"... kindness should begin at home, supporting needy parents. This is something that pleases God very much." 1 Timothy 5:4
"If you honor your father and mother, yours will be a long life, full of blessing."
Eph. 6:3


III. VOCATIONAL
o Fulfilling my call and using my gifts in the role of pastor of Saddleback, or wherever he might place me.
"Live a life worthy of the calling you have received." Eph 4:1
"God has given me the wonderful privilege of telling everyone about this plan of
his; and he has given me his power and special ability to do it well." Eph 3:7(LB)
o Leading the flock by example and empowering them for their ministry.
"Don't be a tyrant, but lead them by your good example, and when the Head
Shepherd comes; your reward will be a never‑ending share in his glory."
1 Pet. 5:3-4
"Remember your leaders, who spoke the word of God to you. Consider the
outcome of their way of life and imitate their faith." Heb 13:7 (NIV)
Keep a critical eye both upon your own life and on the teaching you give...and
you will not only save your own soul, but the souls of your hearers as well."
1 Timothy 4:16
o Feeding and loving the flock under my care.
"Feed the flock of God; care for it willingly, not grudgingly; not for what you will
get out of it but because you are eager to serve the Lord." 1 Peter 5:2
"If I were burned alive for preaching the Gospel but didn't love others, it would be of no value whatever." 1 Corinthians 13:3
o Designing a life development process to help the flock become all God meant them to be.
"Why is it that he gives us these special abilities to do certain things best? It is
that God's people will be equipped to do better work for him, building up the
Church, the body of Christ, to a position of strength and maturity." Eph. 4:12 LB)
o Preparing the church for eventual succession.
"We are only God's coworkers. You are God's garden, not ours; you are God's building, not ours." 1 Cor. 3:9 (LB)


IV. COMMUNITY MINISTRY
o Encourage churches to be purpose-driven by developing resources for churches and planting model churches.
"David served God's purpose in his own generation..." Acts 13:36
o Encourage pastors.
"Encourage each other to build each other up" 1 Th 5:11


Originally posted in the 18th June 2004 - 09:27 PM in the Life forum.
Life Purpose Statements
Purpose-Driven Life