With the Spiritual Gift of Helps
to render support or assistance to others in the body so as to free them up for ministry
Servant #1: He was always there, it seemed, to lend a helping hand. His primary responsibility was to run the sound system during the worship service but if someone needed an errand to be run, he would do it. If people needed help carrying in equipment or supplies from their car, he would be the first to help. He didn’t need to be asked. It was as though he could sense what needed to be done and did it. Everyone appreciated him so much.
Servant #2: She knew God called me to teach and through the years has willingly stepped in to help in various ways. Back in the days before you could print nice transparencies directly from the computer, she would do all the printing for me since she had a nicer handwriting. She would help with other visuals as well. Now she volunteers her time to proof read web pages and resources. On occasion she would accompany me to seminars and sit at the book table so I would be free to mingle with the people. I have continually thanked God for this servant.
Both of these servants were eager to come to the assistance of others in ministry. Whether a teacher’s helper, administrative assistant, or someone who lends a hand in other ways to people in ministry, these servants prove to be invaluable.
Lesson to Be Learned:
As leaders or teachers, let’s not feel like we need to do the work on our own. God has gifted people to come alongside of us to assist in ways that can enhance our ministry, free us up to do other things, and often make us look better. Let’s guard against taking all the credit and show our gratitude to God by extending appreciation to these servants.
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Is the gift of helps the same as the gift of service?
Good question, Becky. Some people do combine the two, viewing them as one gift because they are so similar. By looking at the original language, I see a distinction between the two. Two different Greek words are used in the New Testament. Helps is ‘antilepsis’ which signifies relief or support or to partake. Service is ‘diakonia’ which is the same word used for deacon and signifies ministry. Since Scripture distinguishes between the two, I would be inclined to say they are two different gifts. Here’s how I interpret it: The gift of helps would always be used in ways that come along side or partake in the ministry of another in ways that provide support or relief. The gift of service could be used in this way but not always. It is more often used to accomplish tasks that need to be done simply because they need to be done not necessarily to assist or relieve someone else of their load.
I hope these thoughts help. The key is that you are using your gifts, whatever they may be called, however they may be defined.
I appreciate the answer to the question of help and service
I believe this is one of my spiritual gifts, as I have a natural ability for administrative, support-type work. But I don’t necessarily enjoy doing it. I do it sacrificially for church (take minutes for council and create PPT’s for sermons and hymns every Sunday), but I am not fulfilled by the work. Does that mean it is not my central spiritual gift?
Nic, as a general observation, I would say that usually people find enjoyment when they use their spiritual gifts and usually have a sense of fulfillment in it. Obviously since I do not know you, I can’t say for sure why this is not the case for you so I will offer a few possibilities.
1) You might be operating out of natural ability (personality, training, conditioning) rather than being spiritually gifted this way. Perhaps it is not your gift.
2) You might have the spiritual gift but are using it in ways that don’t fit the rest of you. Our best fit comes when all of who we are goes into how we serve … our personality, passions, walk with God, experience, and spiritual gifts. There might be a better way for you to use this gift.
3) You might have the gift but, as you suggested, it might be more secondary in natural. Other gifts might be stronger within you. When that is the case, the secondary gifts should moreso flavor what we do and not determine the prime emphasis in how we serve. It would be a component but not the sole or main way we serve.
To be sure, there are times we should serve sacrifically, doing things that are inconvenient or that we do not enjoy, even doing ministry for which we are not gifted. Usually, however, when we operate in the Spirit using our spiritual gifts, even when it is inconvenient, we still find a sense of fulfillment in it.