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If you are a Christian, you have the Holy Spirit living inside of you, and have been given at least one spiritual gift. The purpose of this gift is to use it in service to help build the body of Christ into maturity. Many people are not involved in serving others in the church, for some of the following reasons:
- They may not understand that they have a spiritual gift
- They may not realize God's purpose for providing spiritual gifts
- They may not know how to put their spiritual gift to work in a ministry
If you will prayerfully consider the information on this page, the above reasons should melt away and you can move forward with confidence to explore and try new ministry opportunities. It is the pastors' job to equip you to identify and fulfill your God-given purpose in the life of the church. It is your job to take initiative and be willing to use your gifts to serve.
Following are the most predominant spiritual gifts today, along with definitions, Scriptural references, and ministries where those gifts are particularly well suited. If you're not sure which ones you have, here's a hint: ask someone who knows you really well! The gifts are listed in alphabetical order.
| Gift | Definition | Serve or Go |
| ADMINISTRATION | 1 Cor. 12:28 - to steer the body toward the accomplishment of God-given goals and directives by planning, organizing, and supervising others (Greek Word: kubernesis - to steer, guide, helmsmen) |
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| APOSTLE | Eph. 4:11; 1 Cor. 12:28 - to be sent forth to new frontiers with the gospel, providing leadership over church bodies and maintaining authority over spiritual matters pertaining to the church (Greek Word: apostolos - 'apo'=from 'stello'=send; one sent forth) | |
| DISCERNMENT | 1 Cor. 12:10 - to clearly distinguish truth from error by judging whether the behavior or teaching is from God, Satan, human error, or human power | |
| EVANGELISM | Eph. 4:11 - to be a messenger of the good news of the Gospel (Greek Word: euaggelistes - preacher of gospel; eu=well, angelos=message - messenger of good) | |
| EXHORTATION | Rom. 12:8 - to come along side of someone with words of encouragement, comfort, consolation, and counsel to help them be all God wants them to be (Greek Word: paraklesis - calling to one's side) |
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| FAITH | <1 Cor. 12:8-10 - to be firmly persuaded of God's power and promises to accomplish His will and purpose and to display such a confidence in Him and His Word that circumstances and obstacles do not shake that conviction | |
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GIVING |
Rom. 12:8 - to share what material resources you have with liberality and cheerfulness without thought of return | Give |
| HEALING | 1 Cor. 12:9,28,30 - to be used as a means through which God makes people whole either physically, emotionally, mentally, or spiritually | Pray Coach |
| HELPS | 1 Cor. 12:28 - to render support or assistance to others in the body so as to free them up for ministry | |
| HOSPITALITY | 1 Pet. 4:9,10 - to warmly welcome people, even strangers, into one's home or church as a means of serving those in need of food or lodging (Greek Word: philoxenos - love of strangers; 'philos'=love; 'xenos'=stranger) | |
| KNOWLEDGE | 1 Cor. 12:8 - to seek to learn as much about the Bible as possible through the gathering of much information and the analyzing of that data | |
| LEADERSHIP | Rom. 12:8 - to stand before the people in such a way as to attend to the direction of the body with such care and diligence so as to motivate others to get involved in the accomplishment of these goals | |
| MERCY | Rom. 12:8 - to be sensitive toward those who are suffering, whether physically, mentally, or emotionally, so as to feel genuine sympathy with their misery, speaking words of compassion but moreso caring for them with deeds of love to help alleviate their distress | |
| MISSIONARY | Eph. 3:6-8 - to be able to minister in another culture | |
| PASTOR | Eph. 4:11 - to be responsible for spiritually caring for, protecting, guiding, and feeding a group of believers entrusted to one’s care | |
| SERVICE | Rom. 12:7 - to identify undone tasks in God's work, however menial, and use available resources to get the job done (Greek Word: diakonia - deacon, attendant 'diako'=to run errands) | Help |
| TEACHING | Rom. 12:7; 1 Cor. 12:28; Eph. 4:11 - to instruct others in the Bible in a logical, systematic way so as to communicate pertinent information for true understanding and growth |
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| WISDOM | 1 Cor. 12:8 - to apply knowledge to life in such a way as to make spiritual truths quite relevant and practical in proper decision-making and daily life situations |