Category Archives: Spiritual Gifts – Fit in Ministry

The Spiritual Gift of Wisdom Defined

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

Examples of How Our Gifting May Cause Others to Seek Us Out

Servant #1:  People in her church would constantly turn to her for advice.  She had this knack of being able to show people how God’s Word fit their particular situation in the most practical ways.

Servant #2:  People tended to defer to him when problems would arise.  In leading a ministry, he was constantly seeking the best solutions to problems based on principles from God’s Word.

Servant #3:  People wanted her to be on their committees because she would help the group get beyond simply coming up with good ideas or looking at issues in theory.  She would be able to help the group arrive at ways to implement the ideas that worked but most importantly that lined up with God’s Word.

All of these servants were able to see how God’s Word fit into real life, to point out the relevance and implications of Truth to particular situations or issues.  In addition to other gifts, they all had the gift of wisdom.

Lesson to be learned:

If you want to get beyond simply knowing what God’s Word says, seek out someone with the gift of wisdom.  They are able to provide insight into how the Word applies to life. But, don’t go to them if you are looking for human or worldly wisdom.  These servants provide godly wisdom based on God’s Word.

Get this example of the spiritual gift of wisdom in use, along with 20 other gifts, in the Ministry Handbook: Spiritual Gifts in Use. In addition, the handbook suggests spiritual gifts most typically used in 16 broad ministry areas and 27 specific tasks that may need to be accomplished in most of those areas.

The Spiritual Gift of Knowledge Defined

to seek to learn as much about the Bible as possible through the gathering of much information and the analyzing of that data

Examples of How Our Gift Mix Can Help Determine Our Best Fit in Ministry

Servant #1:  He loved to study God’s Word and ferret out nuggets of truth others often missed.  Because of how well he knew the Bible, his church’s leadership assumed he should be teaching a Bible class.  He came thoroughly prepared with great content but people had a hard time staying awake or attentive.  People found his teaching boring.

Servant #2:  He loved to study the Bible as well and also thoroughly prepared, ferreting out nuggets of truth others often missed.  He, however, did not come across as scholarly and people were able to track with him as he systematically explained what he had learned in ways the class could understand.

The second servant had both the gift of knowledge and teaching whereas the first servant did not have the gift of teaching.

Lessons to be learned:

When recruiting teachers, don’t just look for someone who knows the Bible well.  Look for someone with the potential to effectively present the knowledge they have accumulated.  If the person has the gift of knowledge, consider his/her gift mix.  Does this person also have the gift of teaching or exhortation?

Someone with the gift of knowledge but not the gifts of teaching or exhortation, would be better suited for doing research for others or for writing.  While these servants can be trained to be better communicators, they will still tend to get very detailed or present more content than people can handle.  They will tend to struggle with the attention-getting and application parts of the lesson, wanting to get right into and stay focused on the meat of the subject.

Get this example of the spiritual gift of knowledge in use, along with 20 other gifts, in the Ministry Handbook: Spiritual Gifts in Use. In addition, the handbook suggests spiritual gifts most typically used in 16 broad ministry areas and 27 specific tasks that may need to be accomplished in most of those areas.

The Spiritual Gift of Discernment Defined

to clearly distinguish truth from error by judging whether the behavior or teaching is from God, Satan, human error, or human power

Examples of How the Use of Our Spiritual Gifting Can Lead to Misunderstandings

Servant #1:  Church doctrine mattered to her.  She was on a committee to develop doctrinal statement and was quick to see issues in wording that others didn’t pick up on.  What might have been termed nitpicking resulted in an accurate representation of truth.

Servant #2:  When people with needs would come to the church, she was quick to spot a scam, seeing through lies and manipulation.  What might have been termed skepticism ended up being true.

Servant #3:  As a pastor he frequently counseled members in the church with deep-rooted issues.  Not long after hearing their life stories he was able to pinpoint lies they were believing that caused them to react certain ways.  He would help them understand when some of what they were experiencing was a spiritual attack from the Enemy.  What might have be termed directness got to the core of the issues and helped people when they accepted the truth.

People with the gift of discernment are often quick to see things that others don’t see or don’t see right away.  They can therefore be misunderstood.

Lessons to learn:

When you identify someone in your midst with the spiritual gift of discernment, pay careful attention to their perceptions. Don’t be too quick to write off what they are saying because you don’t understand or agree. 

If you have the gift of discernment, pay close attention to how you share your perceptions with others.  Though you are usually right, don’t become arrogant and obnoxious about it.  Remember to speak the truth in love (Eph. 4:15).  Seek to emulate Jesus who was full of both grace and truth  (Jn. 1:14).

Get this example of ways to use the spiritual gift of discernment, along with 20 other gifts, in the Ministry Handbook: Spiritual Gifts in Use. In addition, the handbook suggests spiritual gifts most typically used in 16 broad ministry areas and 27 specific tasks that may need to be accomplished in most of those areas.

The Spiritual Gift of Pastor Defined

to be responsible for spiritually caring for, protecting, guiding, and feeding a group of believers entrusted to one’s care

Examples of How the Gift of Pastor Doesn’t Mean You’re a Good Administrative Leader

Servant #1:  He directed a ministry.  His biggest asset was not in making administrative decisions but in ministering to the staff.  Though people would get frustrated with the process of getting from point A to point B, they knew he was there for them and tended to overlook his errors in judgment.

Servant #2:  He pastored a church.  His biggest asset was not in dealing with the details of programming but in caring for its members.  Though people would get frustrated with his lack of excellence or quality, they appreciated his heart and usually would cut him some slack.

Servant #3:  He directed the church’s small group ministry.  His biggest asset was not in coordinating the various groups but rather in nurturing the small group leaders.  Though people would get frustrated with his last minute scheduling and poor planning, they kept him in this position because he knew how to build a team of leaders.

None of these servants had the gift of administration, nor a personality that lent itself to good organizational skills, but they did have the spiritual gift of pastor.  Consequently, under their leadership, things were often left undone, done poorly, or at the last moment.  Their focus was on looking after people, not administrative details.

Lessons to be Learned:

People with the spiritual gift of pastor often find themselves in positions of leadership, even when they do not possess other leadership gifts or skills.  To minimize the frustration their kind of leadership can bring, they need to surround themselves with other types of leaders to bring some quality and continued growth into the picture.

Get this example of different ways the spiritual gift of pastor can be used, along with 20 other gifts, in the Ministry Handbook: Spiritual Gifts in Use. In addition, the handbook suggests spiritual gifts most typically used in 16 broad ministry areas and 27 specific tasks that may need to be accomplished in most of those areas.

The Spiritual Gift of Faith Defined

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

Examples of How Our Gifting Can Permeate What We Do

Servant #1:  She was a missionary who wasn’t afraid to put herself in the line of fire for Christ, wholeheartedly believing in His ability to use her regardless of her circumstances.  People saw her as an example of faith.

Servant #2:  He was a pastor who prayed fervently, never wavering or doubting God to come through.  Others turned to him when they needed a faithful prayer warrior.

Servant #3:  She was a Bible teacher who experienced many setbacks in life yet kept her eyes on the Lord.  She inspired others to trust God in their circumstances as well.

Each of these servants had other gifts but the spiritual gift of faith seemed to permeate all they did.  Not every missionary intentionally opens themselves up to persecution.  Not all pastors have a good prayer life, albeit a dynamic one.  Not all Bible teachers’ lives inspire others.

Lessons to Learn:

Certain spiritual gifts, like faith, knowledge, and wisdom, rarely seem to be stand-alone gifts in people.  They tend to compliment or supplement or even help define how the other gifts are used.  People with the gift of faith are not afraid to live on the edge in their ministries.  They often find themselves turning to God in prayer.  And, all their life activities, not just their ministry efforts, tend to be characterized by a deep-rooted dependency  on God and expectancy in what He will do.

Get this example of the spiritual gift of faith in use, along with 20 other gifts, in the Ministry Handbook: Spiritual Gifts in Use. In addition, the handbook suggests spiritual gifts most typically used in 16 broad ministry areas and 27 specific tasks that may need to be accomplished in most of those areas.

The Spiritual Gift of Hospitality Defined

to warmly welcome people, even strangers, into one’s home or church as a means of serving those in need of food or lodging

Examples of How It Makes a Difference When We Serve According to Our Gifting

Servant #1: She enjoyed hosting a small group in her home but when asked to lead the group, became frustrated and discouraged.  When hosting, she eagerly focused on making sure people were comfortable and had what they needed.  When facilitating the group, she tended to be more anxious and unsure of herself.

Servant #2:  She was there watching for me every week when I was a guest speaker at her church’s Sunday School for a series of lessons.  She not only genuinely welcomed me, but offered for me to sit with her and her husband during the worship service.  She introduced me to others within the body.  And, she often invited me to lunch after the service.

Servant #3:  He was often one of the first to spot a visitor and extend a hand of welcome.  He quickly put people at ease by his warm smile and kind words.  He helped them find their way around the church and answered any questions they had.  Here’s the catch: Nobody asked him to do these things.

All of these servants took pleasure in using their spiritual gift of hospitality.  It is what they enjoyed and did well.  They offered “hospitality to one another without grumbling” (1 Pet. 4:9).

Lesson to Be Learned:

When doing what lines up with our spiritual gifting, pulling on God’s power, we are energized to serve.  When serving outside of our gifting, it is so much easier to grumble and complain, to get frustrated or discouraged.  When serving in accordance with His divine empowerment, we will tend to serve with enthusiasm, cheerfulness, and diligence.

Get this example of the ways the spiritual gift of hospitality can be used, along with 20 other gifts, in the Ministry Handbook: Spiritual Gifts in Use. In addition, the handbook suggests spiritual gifts most typically used in 16 broad ministry areas and 27 specific tasks that may need to be accomplished in most of those areas.

Looking for Resources on Hospitality Ministry? Go to: Resources for Nuts and Bolts Ministries