Every believer has a role in the kingdom of God.

by Stephen R. Clark

When God instructed Moses and the Israelites to build the tabernacle, He didn’t just stand back and watch them try to figure it out. God instilled in various individuals all the skills and giftings needed to complete the work. For example, Bezalel, a designated craftsman, was filled “with God’s Spirit, with wisdom, understanding, and ability in every kind of craft to design artistic works in gold, silver, and bronze, to cut gemstones for mounting, and to carve wood for work in every kind of artistic craft” (Exodus 35:31-33).

When it comes to building up the church today, followers of Christ are also given spiritual gifts.

Basics of equipping

These gifts enable each of us, as various functioning parts of the body of Christ, to share in the work of the church. Paul talks about spiritual gifts in 1 Corinthians 12, Romans 12, and Ephesians 4. Other references are scattered throughout the New Testament.

Spiritual gifts, while similar to natural abilities and learned skills, are from and empowered by the Holy Spirit. They are specifically aimed at building up the body of Christ to be effective in fulfilling the Great Commission (Matthew 28:16-20).

These gifts include teaching, healing, hospitality, serving, administration, prophecy, giving, exhortation, mercy, wisdom, discernment, and more. Some people may say there are only six, seven, nine, or twelve (or more!) gifts, based on lists in the Bible. However most generally agree that these biblical lists are not exhaustive and allow for several other gifts.

The primary points to grasp are

•  there are many gifts;

•  they all come from God;

•  every believer is gifted in some way;

•  how a believer is gifted plays into how they serve in the church.

God does not call someone to something that He doesn’t also gift them to do.

You may receive a gift that lasts a lifetime. You may receive one or more gifts that help you to deal with a special circumstance. But you will always be endowed with at least one spiritual gift. No believer ever goes giftless!

Fitting people to ministry

While gifts are given through the ministry of the Holy Spirit, the job of pastors and other leaders is to work with you to discern your giftings and tap into them. The gifting and the work are holy, and when the worker is gifted for the work, amazing things can happen.

A number of tools are available to help you discover your spiritual gifts. Below are three simple steps that can at least get you started in the right direction.

Introvert or extrovert? When seeking to connect to ministry needs in the church, the basic consideration is personality type. Are you an extrovert or an introvert? Recognizing this characteristic can go a long way in avoiding burnout by being misplaced in a ministry that grates against who you are. For example, an introvert is probably not a good fit for being a greeter, while an extrovert could be discouraged by having to perform a quiet, passive task.

What have you enjoyed doing and succeeded at? Think of the responsibilities you’ve had in the past that you truly enjoyed, as well as those you hated. God isn’t a mean taskmaster who will make you do what you hate. He created you to enjoy how you were created. Doing a simple inventory of likes and dislikes can help point you to how God is calling you to serve.

Is there a need matching your perceived giftings? Just because you like to ski doesn’t mean you are spiritually gifted in skiing and called to a skiing ministry! Considering your personality type and your likes/dislikes, look around at the needs in your church to see if anything matches up.

Putting it all together

There may not be a straight line from a perceived gift to a specific need, so you may need to get a little creative.

I’ve taken several spiritual gifts tests and surveys. Gifts that consistently rank at the top of my list include administration, teaching, knowledge, and faith. In part, administration includes the ability to organize and manage processes. Teaching is sharing the Word of God with others. Knowledge means having a good grasp of theology and the Bible. And faith simply means believing in God and His Word.

Putting all these together points to another gift that appeared in one test I took: writing. This involves all four gifts listed above, and it’s something I enjoy and do well. In my church, I use this composite gifting to develop discussion guides for each sermon. These are used in several small groups to help participants more deeply explore the messages.

Gifts can work together to produce the results God desires.

Resources and observations

Many good books explore spiritual gifts. One is Understanding Spiritual Gifts: A Comprehensive Guide, by Sam Storms — a good place to start. Ask your pastor for other recommendations. Additionally, online tests can help you. None of these are definitive, but they can help point you in the right direction. To find them, simply do an Internet search for “spiritual gifts tests” or “spiritual gifts survey.” Some charge a fee, but several free ones are available. Try more than one!

Also talk to those who know you well. Gifts will always be validated by believers around us. It’s unlikely that you have the gift of teaching if no one who knows you thinks of you as a teacher. And if you always sing off-key or are rhythmically challenged, the choir or worship team is likely not for you.

Another way to determine your gifts is to try using them. If you sense you are gifted to heal, pray for people to be healed and see what happens. If you feel drawn to helping in the nursery (serving), try it out. As you take steps of faith, you’ll get a feel for what God is calling you to do, and others can provide feedback to help guide you. If you’re still unsure as to how you are gifted, don’t fret! Pray and ask for clarity. Talk to your pastor or an elder. God isn’t going to keep you in the dark as to how He has gifted and called you. The Holy Spirit will eventually give you eyes to see and the power to serve others.