📝 Worksheet 5.4: Mapping My Ministry Questions Through the Biblical Story

Course: PhilMinistry Skills
Topic 5: Creation, Fall, Redemption, Calling, and Resurrection Hope
Worksheet Purpose: This worksheet helps Christian leaders practice placing ministry questions inside the full biblical story instead of allowing failure, shame, culture, usefulness, despair, identity confusion, or reductionism to write the final story.

Opening Thought

Every person lives inside a story.

Some stories say:

“You are what you achieve.”
“You are what you feel.”
“You are what happened to you.”
“You are what others think of you.”
“You are what you desire.”
“You are what you produce.”
“You are what you failed to become.”

PhilMinistry Skills teaches Christian leaders to help people locate their lives inside God’s true story:

Creation, Fall, Redemption, Calling, Spiritual Growth, and Resurrection Hope.

This story does not deny pain.

It tells the truth about pain.

But it also tells the truth about God, dignity, sin, grace, purpose, formation, and final hope in Jesus Christ.

Part 1: Identify the Story Under the Problem

Think of a real or realistic ministry situation.

It may involve grief, shame, failure, identity confusion, gender questions, marriage tension, calling loss, anger, anxiety, burnout, injustice, or despair.

Briefly describe the situation:

What does the person seem to believe about their life right now?

What sentence might summarize the story they are living inside?

Examples:

“My failure is the final word.”
“I am only valuable when I am useful.”
“My feelings define me.”
“My past has named me forever.”
“God has forgotten me.”
“If I am not in control, I am not safe.”

My sentence:

Part 2: Creation — What Goodness and Dignity Remain True?

Creation says life is God’s good gift.

Read Genesis 1:27:

“God created man in his own image. In God’s image he created him; male and female he created them.”
— Genesis 1:27, WEB

What dignity remains true about this person before any failure, wound, diagnosis, desire, confusion, role, or achievement?

What part of God’s good creation needs to be honored here?

Check any that apply:

___ Body
___ Male or female embodiment
___ Family
___ Marriage
___ Work
___ Calling
___ Friendship
___ Church
___ Language
___ Beauty
___ Justice
___ Love
___ Stewardship
___ Worship
___ Community
___ Rest
___ Other: ___________________________

How could you speak creation dignity without minimizing the person’s pain?

Ministry sentence:

Part 3: Fall — What Has Gone Wrong?

The Fall says sin, suffering, shame, disorder, injustice, idolatry, confusion, and death are real.

What has gone wrong in this situation?

Check any that apply:

___ Personal sin
___ Shame
___ Fear
___ Grief
___ Trauma or wound
___ Family disorder
___ Marriage conflict
___ Abuse or coercion
___ Addiction pattern
___ Isolation
___ Injustice
___ False teaching
___ Cultural confusion
___ Body suffering
___ Illness or exhaustion
___ Identity confusion
___ Spiritual despair
___ Death or loss
___ Other: ___________________________

What needs to be named truthfully?

What must not be minimized?

What must not be exaggerated into the final word?

Ministry sentence:

“This is real, and we do not need to pretend it is small. But it does not get to become…”

Part 4: Redemption — Where Does Christ Bring Grace and Truth?

Redemption says Jesus Christ enters the broken story to forgive sin, defeat evil, reconcile us to God, and begin new creation.

Read 2 Corinthians 5:17:

“Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old things have passed away. Behold, all things have become new.”
— 2 Corinthians 5:17, WEB

Where might this person need forgiveness?

Where might this person need healing?

Where might this person need truth?

Where might this person need release from shame?

Where might this person need protection or help?

What Gospel hope speaks into this situation?

Ministry sentence:

“In Christ, this story can be told with truth and grace because…”

Part 5: Calling — What Faithful Participation Is Still Possible?

Calling says life still matters before God.

Read Ephesians 2:10:

“For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared before that we would walk in them.”
— Ephesians 2:10, WEB

What calling or faithful participation may still be possible in this season?

What should not be confused with calling?

Check any that apply:

___ Busyness
___ Approval
___ Ministry usefulness
___ Productivity
___ Control
___ Being needed
___ Public recognition
___ Religious performance
___ Never resting
___ Never disappointing others
___ Avoiding weakness
___ Other: ___________________________

What is one faithful step this person could take?

Ministry sentence:

“Your calling is not erased, but it may need to be received in a healthier way by…”

Part 6: Spiritual Growth — What Is the Holy Spirit Forming?

Spiritual Growth says the Holy Spirit forms the whole person over time.

Read Galatians 5:22–23:

“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faith, gentleness, and self-control. Against such things there is no law.”
— Galatians 5:22–23, WEB

Which fruit of the Spirit may be especially needed here?

___ Love
___ Joy
___ Peace
___ Patience
___ Kindness
___ Goodness
___ Faith
___ Gentleness
___ Self-control

What might the Holy Spirit be forming through this hard season?

What practice could support that formation?

Check any that apply:

___ Prayer
___ Scripture meditation
___ Confession
___ Rest
___ Worship
___ Counseling
___ Accountability
___ Honest conversation
___ Boundary-setting
___ Lament
___ Gratitude
___ Reconciliation effort
___ Service
___ Sabbath rhythm
___ Community support
___ Other: ___________________________

Ministry sentence:

“This hard season may become a place where the Holy Spirit forms…”

Part 7: Resurrection Hope — What Does Not Get the Final Word?

Resurrection Hope says death, failure, shame, evil, despair, and confusion do not get the final word.

Read John 11:25:

“Jesus said to her, ‘I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will still live, even if he dies.’”
— John 11:25, WEB

What feels final to this person right now?

What fear feels larger than God?

What loss is real and should be honored?

What does resurrection hope say back?

Ministry sentence:

“Because Christ is risen, _____________________________ does not get the final word.”

Part 8: Clouser Ultimate-Belief Question

Roy Clouser helps leaders ask:

What is being treated as ultimate?

In this situation, what may be functioning like god?

Check any that apply:

___ Success
___ Approval
___ Control
___ Comfort
___ Safety
___ Desire
___ Romantic love
___ Sexual identity
___ Gender identity
___ Political identity
___ Family reputation
___ Money
___ Work
___ Ministry usefulness
___ Being needed
___ Emotional peace
___ Personal freedom
___ Justice without mercy
___ Mercy without truth
___ Avoiding shame
___ Avoiding weakness
___ Other: ___________________________

What is the false ultimate promising?

What is it demanding?

What is it failing to give?

What truth about God challenges it?

Part 9: Dooyeweerd Whole-Life Discernment Check

Use the 15-aspect map quietly. Do not force every question. Mark the aspects that seem most relevant.

___ Quantitative — numbers, scale, frequency, duration
___ Spatial — place, environment, distance, boundaries
___ Kinematic — movement, trend, rhythm, direction
___ Physical — body, health, sleep, pain, substances
___ Biotic / Organic — life stage, growth, aging, sexed embodiment
___ Sensitive / Psychic — emotions, fears, desires, pain, pleasure
___ Analytical — clarity, distinctions, confusion
___ Formative / Historical — habits, skills, technology, shaping history
___ Lingual — words, labels, stories, vows, communication
___ Social — relationships, family, church, community, roles
___ Economic — time, money, energy, attention, priorities
___ Aesthetic — harmony, beauty, disorder, fittingness
___ Juridical — justice, responsibility, accountability, protection
___ Ethical — love, loyalty, mercy, forgiveness, self-giving
___ Pistical / Faith — ultimate trust, worship, hope, fear

Which three aspects seem most important right now?

Why?

What aspect might be ignored if the leader answers too quickly?

Part 10: Compare the Borrowed Story with God’s Story

What rival story may be shaping the person?

Check any that apply:

___ “Life is only matter and survival.”
___ “I must create myself.”
___ “My desire is my identity.”
___ “My feelings are my truth.”
___ “My trauma is my whole story.”
___ “My social category defines me.”
___ “Power explains everything.”
___ “Success proves my worth.”
___ “Usefulness gives me value.”
___ “Death wins.”
___ “God has abandoned me.”
___ “I am beyond redemption.”
___ Other: ___________________________

Now write the biblical correction.

Creation says:

Fall says:

Redemption says:

Calling says:

Spiritual Growth says:

Resurrection Hope says:

Part 11: Safety and Referral Check

The biblical story must never be used to avoid necessary care.

Check any concerns that may require referral, reporting, or specialized support:

___ Suicidal thoughts or self-harm
___ Domestic violence or abuse
___ Child abuse or elder abuse
___ Medical distress
___ Severe depression or anxiety
___ Psychosis or delusional thinking
___ Addiction crisis
___ Coercive control
___ Criminal behavior
___ Serious trauma symptoms
___ Gender distress needing careful pastoral and clinical support
___ Legal or institutional responsibility
___ Threats of violence
___ Unsafe home environment
___ Other: ___________________________

What is outside my role?

What support, referral, or protection may be needed?

Who should be contacted or consulted?

Ministry sentence:

“Because God cares about your whole life, we need the right kind of help here, including…”

Part 12: One Faithful Next Step

After mapping the story, name one faithful next step.

That step may be:

Prayer
Lament
Confession
Rest
Counseling
Medical care
Safety planning
Apology
Forgiveness work
Boundary-setting
A planned conversation
Scripture meditation
Community support
Delegation
A small act of obedience
A referral
A practical act of love

My one faithful next step is:

Why is this step wise?

How does it fit God’s story?

What false story does it resist?

Prayer

Lord Jesus,

Help me live and minister inside Your true story.

When I meet someone in confusion, pain, shame, failure, or despair, teach me not to borrow the world’s story too quickly.

Help me remember that creation is good, the Fall is real, redemption is found in You, calling still matters, spiritual growth is formed by the Holy Spirit, and resurrection hope is stronger than death.

Give me wisdom to speak truth without crushing the wounded.

Give me compassion without losing clarity.

Give me courage to name sin, grief, injustice, shame, idolatry, and false hope.

Give me humility to refer when the need is beyond my role.

Help me guide others toward one faithful next step before You.

And when I forget the story, bring me back to Christ, in whom all things hold together.

Amen.

Final Reflection

Complete this sentence:

“In my ministry, I need to frame people’s stories inside God’s story because…”

Simple Practice for This Week

This week, listen for the story underneath someone’s words.

When someone shares a struggle, ask quietly:

What story are they living inside?
What feels final to them?
What are they treating as ultimate?
What part of God’s story speaks here?
What is one faithful next step?

Write one example:

What story did I hear?

What part of God’s story was needed?

What faithful next step became clearer?