Walking through central London was amazing. The buildings lining the streets were incredible to see. Unlike many contemporary buildings here in the States, they were designed with artistic care. They were beautiful.
But none of us stopped and said, “Wow, that foundation is gorgeous.”
That’s because foundations are rarely seen.
And yet, every structure rises or falls on what exists beneath the surface. The strength, stability, and longevity of a building depend on something most people never notice. In the same way, God often does His most important work in places others cannot immediately see.
That includes your life.
One of the mistakes church planters and ministry leaders can make is evaluating people only by what is visible in the present moment. We notice gifting, personality, confidence, communication ability, or ministry experience. But God has always worked deeper than that. Long before someone steps into ministry, God has already been shaping them through experiences, relationships, hardships, failures, and growth.
“For you formed my inward parts; you knitted me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made.”
Psalm 139:13–14
The psalmist nailed it. Our lives are not random. Not one bit.
And remember, this is David writing. The same David who failed publicly and painfully. The same David whose story included victories, weaknesses, triumphs, and sin. Yet even with all of that complexity and embarrassment, David still recognized the providential hand of God shaping his life.
He understood that he was authored.
You are too.
God forms people personally. David says God “formed my inward parts” and “knitted me together.” In poetry, this language is meant for you to imagine down in your soul. God does not mass produce people on a conveyer belt for His mission. He shapes them uniquely. Personality, temperament, burdens, strengths, weaknesses, and even natural wiring all become part of how God prepares someone for future usefulness.
That means your story matters more than you may realize.
God also sees the whole story. David writes, “My frame was not hidden from you” (Ps. 139:15). Before a single moment of your life unfolded, God already knew it fully. Every season. Every hardship. Every success. Every disappointment. Nothing caught Him off guard.
That doesn’t mean every experience was good. It means none of it was wasted.
One of the most important things team leaders can learn is how to help people interpret their stories through the lens of God’s providence instead of shame, pride, disappointment, or fear. People often underestimate how much their past has shaped the way they lead, relate, serve, trust, and engage with others.
And God ordains our days. David says the days “formed for me” were written in God’s book (Ps. 139:16). Your life is not a disconnected collection of random moments. God has been using circumstances, opportunities, limitations, responsibilities, and relationships to shape who you are becoming.
This is especially important in church planting.
God does not mass produce people for His mission. He shapes them uniquely.
Healthy teams are rarely built by accident. God uses the hidden formation of individuals to prepare them for collective mission later. Many times, what looks ordinary or even painful in someone’s past becomes part of the very foundation God uses for future ministry.
That means understanding people matters.
Before strategies are built, people must be understood. Before roles are assigned, stories should be heard. Because underneath every healthy team is a foundation most people never see.
And God has been laying it for a very long time.
Do you know how God has shaped you and your team for His mission?
Download this workbook to guide your team through twelve exercises that will bring unity, clarity, and vision to your mission work.
