Your ministry discovery

These roles synthesize your spiritual gifts, Heart, abilities, personality, experiences, ASHLIE values, leadership indicators, relational style, and preferred ministry setting. Treat them as coached experiments to test in community—not permanent labels.

1. 1

   Small Group Leader

   High confidence

   Fit 88/100

   Guide a consistent community in Scripture, prayer, care, and spiritual growth.

   Why this fits

   This role brings together your Encouragement and Teaching patterns, a clear pull toward discipleship, practical strength in Teaching and Mentoring, a Golden Retriever relational style, relevant life experience. Rather than resting on spiritual gifts alone, the fit reflects how your motivations, capabilities, working style, and story reinforce one another.

   S · Encouragement + Teaching

   H · discipleship

   A · Teaching + Mentoring

   P · Golden Retriever relational style

   E · Relevant formative experience

   Leadership indicator · strong

   Strengths you would bring

   • — Creates a safe, purposeful environment
   • — Connects Scripture with everyday life
   • — Notices and follows up with people
   • — Keeps a group moving toward growth

   Potential growth areas

   • — Delegate care and practical responsibilities
   • — Practice addressing conflict early and graciously

   Tradeoff: Compared with 1:1 Discipleship, this path requires more facilitation, shared leadership, and group-conflict skill.

   Suggested first step: Co-lead a small group for one semester, owning one discussion and one pastoral follow-up each month.

2. 2

   1:1 Discipleship Mentor

   High confidence

   Fit 85/100

   Walk closely with one or two people as they develop spiritual habits and mature in faith.

   Why this fits

   This role brings together your Encouragement and Teaching patterns, a clear pull toward discipleship, practical strength in Mentoring and Listening, a Golden Retriever relational style, relevant life experience. Rather than resting on spiritual gifts alone, the fit reflects how your motivations, capabilities, working style, and story reinforce one another.

   S · Encouragement + Teaching

   H · discipleship

   A · Mentoring + Listening

   P · Golden Retriever relational style

   E · Relevant formative experience

   Relational style · people-centered

   Strengths you would bring

   • — Listens before offering direction
   • — Builds trust through consistency
   • — Personalizes spiritual next steps
   • — Encourages honest reflection

   Potential growth areas

   • — Set healthy relational boundaries
   • — Avoid carrying responsibility that belongs to the person being mentored

   Tradeoff: Compared with Small Group Leadership, this is deeper and more relational, but has less reach and fewer opportunities to lead a team.

   Suggested first step: Ask a ministry leader to match you with one person for an eight-week guided discipleship journey.

3. 3

   Youth Mentor

   High confidence

   Fit 76/100

   Offer steady presence, spiritual guidance, and practical encouragement to teenagers.

   Why this fits

   This role brings together your Encouragement and Teaching patterns, your ministry interests, practical strength in Mentoring and Listening, a Golden Retriever relational style, relevant life experience. Rather than resting on spiritual gifts alone, the fit reflects how your motivations, capabilities, working style, and story reinforce one another.

   S · Encouragement + Teaching

   A · Mentoring + Listening

   P · Golden Retriever relational style

   E · Relevant formative experience

   Relational style · people-centered

   Strengths you would bring

   • — Relates with warmth and authenticity
   • — Encourages students through uncertainty
   • — Models consistent faith
   • — Makes spiritual conversations accessible

   Potential growth areas

   • — Maintain safeguarding and communication boundaries
   • — Balance friendship with clear spiritual direction

   Tradeoff: Compared with Children’s Ministry, this role relies less on structured teaching and more on trust, questions, and consistent presence.

   Suggested first step: Complete youth-safety training and serve alongside an experienced mentor for one school term.

4. 4

   Outreach & Alpha Team

   Medium confidence

   Fit 62/100

   Create welcoming spaces for spiritual conversations with people exploring faith.

   Why this fits

   This role brings together your Encouragement and Faith patterns, your ministry interests, practical strength in Public Speaking and Hospitality, a Golden Retriever relational style. Rather than resting on spiritual gifts alone, the fit reflects how your motivations, capabilities, working style, and story reinforce one another.

   S · Encouragement + Faith

   A · Public Speaking + Hospitality

   P · Golden Retriever relational style

   Relational style · people-centered

   Strengths you would bring

   • — Starts natural spiritual conversations
   • — Helps newcomers feel respected
   • — Communicates faith through story
   • — Builds bridges across differences

   Potential growth areas

   • — Practice listening without rushing to an answer
   • — Develop a clear, concise explanation of the gospel

   Tradeoff: Compared with Missions, this offers a lower-risk local setting and emphasizes hospitality and conversation over pioneering.

   Suggested first step: Join one outreach or Alpha cycle as a table helper and prepare a three-minute version of your faith story.

5. 5

   Pastoral Care Team

   Medium confidence

   Fit 61/100

   Support people facing grief, illness, loneliness, family strain, or difficult transitions.

   Why this fits

   This role brings together your Encouragement and Faith patterns, your ministry interests, practical strength in Listening and Hospitality, a Golden Retriever relational style. Rather than resting on spiritual gifts alone, the fit reflects how your motivations, capabilities, working style, and story reinforce one another.

   S · Encouragement + Faith

   A · Listening + Hospitality

   P · Golden Retriever relational style

   Relational style · people-centered

   Strengths you would bring

   • — Offers calm, compassionate presence
   • — Recognizes needs others may miss
   • — Keeps sensitive matters confidential
   • — Follows through with practical care

   Potential growth areas

   • — Learn when to refer to trained professionals
   • — Build rhythms that prevent compassion fatigue

   Tradeoff: Compared with Prayer Ministry, this role requires more ongoing contact, practical coordination, and emotional boundaries.

   Suggested first step: Shadow a trained care-team member on three follow-up visits or calls before taking your own case.

6. 6

   Children’s Ministry Teacher

   Medium confidence

   Fit 52/100

   Help children understand and experience biblical truth through structured, age-appropriate learning.

   Why this fits

   This role brings together your Encouragement and Teaching patterns, your ministry interests, practical strength in Teaching, a Golden Retriever relational style. Rather than resting on spiritual gifts alone, the fit reflects how your motivations, capabilities, working style, and story reinforce one another.

   S · Encouragement + Teaching

   A · Teaching

   P · Golden Retriever relational style

   Relational style · people-centered

   Strengths you would bring

   • — Explains truth in memorable ways
   • — Brings patience and positive energy
   • — Creates predictable, safe routines
   • — Partners well with parents and a classroom team

   Potential growth areas

   • — Adapt content to different ages and attention spans
   • — Strengthen classroom boundaries and safeguarding practice

   Tradeoff: Compared with Youth Mentoring, this role is more structured, curriculum-led, and classroom-oriented.

   Suggested first step: Serve as a classroom assistant for six weeks, then teach one lesson with feedback from the team lead.