Category Archives: Spiritual Gifts – Fit in Ministry

In a previous post we noted which spiritual gifts are exercised using some form of verbal or written communication. Here we want to consider the gifts that are exercised using some form of action or hands-on serving. Click on the gifts listed below to learn where these serving types of gifts are listed in Scripture and possible definitions. (Use the browser’s back button to return to this post.)

giving
helps
hospitality
mercy
service

Some of these gifts may seem similar but if we look at the original Greek word, we find that each is unique with a distinct orientation and different targets or objectives.

The Ministry Handbook: Spiritual Gifts in Use explains some of the differences between these serving types of gifts, along with other types of gifts. The handbook could be particularly useful for those desiring to recruit based on spiritual gifting to determine which gifts are best suited to various kinds of ministry.

God’s instruction for those with serving types of gifts:

Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms. … If anyone serves, they should do so with the strength God provides (1 Pet. 4:10-11)

1) Use your spiritual gift(s).
2) Be faithful in using your gift(s).
3) Be propelled and sustained by God in all you do, not your own strength.

The third point above is particularly important for people with serving types of gifts as there is always more work to be done and more needs to meet. If you simply “do” without pulling on God’s power, you could eventually burn yourself out and not have more to give. Serving according to the strength God provides, however, enables you to not only “do” but go the extra mile cheerfully, without complaint.

For Help Using Serving Types of Spiritual Gifts:

• Resources for Church Communications Ministry
• Resources for Nuts & Bolts Ministry

The following spiritual gifts are similar in that they all involve some form of speaking or communication. Click on the gifts to learn where these gifts are listed in Scripture and possible definitions. (Use the browser’s back button to return to this post.)

exhortation
prophecy
teaching

People with these spiritual gifts could find themselves in similar positions to one another such as preachers or Bible teachers. They could all also communicate through writing, singing, counseling, or other forms of communication.

Get understanding of what makes these communication types of spiritual gifts distinct from each other in the Ministry Handbook: Spiritual Gifts in Use. This resource looks at the various types of gifts and suggest ministries that are a good fit.

God’s instruction for those with speaking types of spiritual gifts:

Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms. If anyone speaks, they should do so as one who speaks the very words of God. (1 Pet. 4:10-11)

1) Use your spiritual gift(s).
2) Be faithful in using your gift(s).
3) Represent God well and accurately in the use of your gift(s).

For Help Using Speaking / Communication Types of Spiritual Gifts:

• Resources for Church Communications Ministry
• Resources for Speaking & Preaching Ministry
• Resources for Teaching Ministry

I’m not a big one for categorizing spiritual gifts.

1) Scripture does not categorize them.
2) Categorizing could merely be based on one’s beliefs about spiritual gifts.
3) Categorizing them could put spiritual gifts into neat little boxes whereas God might use them in a much more diverse way.

1 Peter 4:10-11 comes the closest to categorizing spiritual gifts but even then I would be careful because all the gifts do not fit neatly into these two categories — that of speaking and that of serving.

Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms. If anyone speaks, they should do so as one who speaks the very words of God. If anyone serves, they should do so with the strength God provides, so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ. To him be the glory and the power for ever and ever. Amen.

The essence of this passage isn’t so much to categorize gifts but to say that whether your gifts have you speaking or doing something, you are to make it all about God … His word … His strength … for His glory.

Consequently, I can see the possibility of grouping spiritual gifts together into categories based on the function of spiritual gifts, or the practical side of how the gifts help the Church be and do what God wants. But, even in doing this, we must still remember that these are man-made categories that we must hold loosely. 

Click on the links below to learn more about those types of spiritual gifts.

communication/speaking types of gifts: exhortation, prophecy, teaching (due to how much communication is used)

serving types of gifts: giving, helps, hospitality, mercy, service (due to how much hands-on ministry is involved)

leading types of gifts: administration, leadership, pastor (due to how much oversight they provide)

outreach types of gifts: apostle, evangelism, tongues, missionary (due to how much they advance the Gospel)

spiritual insight types of gifts: discernment, knowledge, wisdom (due to how much they help prevent or deal with issues or problems)

intercessory types of gifts: faith, healings, miracles (due to how much prayer is involved)

In this type of grouping we are merely acknowledging that God provides the spiritual gifts needed to accomplish different types of ministry.

There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit distributes them. There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord. There are different kinds of working, but in all of them and in everyone it is the same God at work. Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good. (1 Cor. 12:4-7)

Get more help understanding how the various spiritual gifts might be used in the Ministry Handbook: Spiritual Gifts in Use so you can recruit for different ministries based on gifting. This resource includes the above content.

Recently I noticed that someone found this site using the title of this post as keywords – the best book on spiritual gifts. It got me to thinking. Humanly speaking, I could respond with bias — a book by Ministry Tools Resource Center, Everybody Has a Part: Getting a Grip on Spiritual Gifts. There are, however, many other good books out there on spiritual gifting. Each book undoubtedly comes at it from a slightly different slant so what a person hopes to glean might determine the response as to which book is best.

Yet, without meaning to sound trite, I truly would have to point people on this kind of search to the Bible as the best book on spiritual gifts. And, I would have to say that the value of any other book on the subject is only in accordance with how it lines up with Scripture.

Key Truths About Spiritual Gifts We Can Learn from the Bible, the Best Book

The best book on spiritual gifts, God’s Word, provides what we need to know about gifting.

1) the basis on which spiritual gifts are given

Check out: Romans 12:3-6; 1 Corinthians 12:11, 18; 1 Peter 4:10-11

2) the power source behind spiritual gifts

Check out: 1 Corinthians 12:4-11; 1 Peter 4:11

3) why God gives believers spiritual gifts

Check out: 1 Corinthians 12:7, Ephesians 4:12, 1 Peter 4:10

You’ll find a recap at: The Purpose of Spiritual Gifts

4) what the different spiritual gifts are

Check out: Romans 12:6-8, 1 Corinthians 12:8-10, Ephesians 4:11-12

You’ll find lists of the gifts in these passages at: Spiritual Gifts List & Definitions

5) how spiritual gifts are to be used

Check out: Romans 12:6-8; 1 Corinthians 12:15-14:40; 1 Peter 4:10-11

These are truths about spiritual gifts clearly provided in Scripture that in reality tell us all we need to know. While other books might try to answer questions about gifting not specifically provided in Scripture, we must remember that their conclusions are mere extrapolation or interpretation that may or may not be true. If God felt it essential for us to know more in order to serve Him, certainly He would have told us in His Word.

In a previous post I wrote about being asked how I arrived at definitions for the various spiritual gifts.  I’ve also been asked about the process used in creating the spiritual gifts tests so I will share that in this post. The first four steps will sound familiar if you read the previous post.

A Process for Developing Spiritual Gifts Tests

As in any endeavor, this process was enveloped in prayer for God’s guidance and wisdom and included:

1. studying of the key passages on spiritual gifts
2. listing all the gifts found in the key Scripture passages pertaining to spiritual gifts
3. doing a word study for each of those gifts by looking at the original Greek language
4. pulling elements from that study into a workable definition for each of the gifts
5. breaking down each gift into what would be its practical outworking based on its definition
6. coming up with an equal number of statements for each gift based on the practical outworking
7. setting a range for scoring
8. testing the inventory with an entire church body for accuracy and usability which included discussing results with individuals in light of their past, present, and potential service and for some seeking the confirmation of the gifts from others who knew them well
9. adjusting and re-testing

If you use the online spiritual gifts test or order the Everybody Has a Part Spiritual Gifts Tests resource, you can know that many people were able to attest to its accuracy and be helped by it.

But, a spiritual gifts test isn’t necessary in order to identify your gifting if you know the definitions for the gifts and consequently what to look for in yourself.  Ask the same things the various statements measure like how you feel about the kind of ministry using the gifts, your effectiveness in serving that way, and how others perceived it.