1 Sermon Series: The Holy Spirit: Coming Alive to his practical work in our lives Sermon Title: Understanding the Gifts of the Spirit Sermon Text: Selected texts Big Idea: The body of Christ stretches to her potential when every believer identifies, exercises and develops their spiritual gift(s) Welcome LIVE, Re: new, the Chapel and web Welcome to week 6 of our Series I m calling The Holy Spirit: Coming Alive to his Practical Work in your Life. Our objective is to raise our awareness and our cooperation with the Spirit s personal presence and practical work in each of our lives. I ve been inviting you to take the Five Minute Challenge each morning before you start your day.to focus on the Spirit and ask him to fill you and make you aware of his presence and activity so that you can yield to him in greater and greater degrees moment by moment. There is some confusion about this whole idea of being filled with the Holy Spirit. Question is: Why do we need to ask for his filling if the Spirit is in every believer? Don t we have all of the Spirit already? Good question. It is true that every believer in the room today has all of the Spirit. The question is does he have all of you? You see, the prayer in the Five Minute Challenge, asking the Holy Spirit to fill you is actually your invitation to him to permeate, saturate and influence every part of your heart, mind, soul and strength. Asking the Holy Spirit to do this work in us is actually a very ancient practice of some of the earliest of Christians. Listen to this prayer to the Holy Spirit from Augustine from the late fourth century. Prayer to the Holy Spirit Breathe in me, O Holy Spirit, that my thoughts may all be holy. Act in me, O Holy Spirit, that my work, too, may be holy. Draw my heart, O Holy Spirit, that I love only what is holy. Strengthen me, O Holy Spirit, to defend all that is holy. Guard me, then, O Holy Spirit, that I may always be holy. ~Augustine of Hippo (Algeria/354-430) [Transition to Interview] - Now, as you invite him to fill and influence every part of you, you are then to cooperate with his leading in you through every circumstance of your life The good, the bad and the ugly circumstances. By now, most all of you have heard about the Costa Concordia cruise ship that capsized off the coast of Tuscan Italy about six weeks ago.
2 There were actually two people from our church who were on that cruise and were safely rescued. A few weeks ago they shared with me how the Holy Spirit ministered to them and guided them through that ordeal in an amazing way. I want you to hear a little bit about what that was like. {Adam and Joanna Lynch Interview} [Transition] - Last week we talked about discerning the voice of the Spirit. In the remainder of our time today I want to talk about the basics for understanding the gifts of the Spirit. There are four major Bible passages that teach about the gifts of the Spirit. But, I want you to know that none of them in their context has the primary purpose of giving an exhaustive list of the gifts of the Spirit. But, we learn something more about the gifts from each one. For example, in 1 Corinthians 12-14 (the most extensive teaching on the gifts) Paul was addressing a common problem in the Corinthian church of the orderly exercise of spiritual gifts. Public worship services were being disrupted and were not accomplishing their God-given purposes because of the emphasis on exercising certain gifts. Certain gifts, like the gift of tongues, were being used pride-fully, sought after as highly prized even though it was not the most useful. I m going to be talking about this piece more next week. Read 1 Corinthians 12:4-11, 27-30 [Transition] - The second major text is found in Romans 12. The book of Romans teaches about the righteousness of Christ offered to every believer. Christ s perfection given to us qualifies us for heaven. In Romans spiritual gifts are born out of our faith relationship with Jesus and given to help us grow to love and serve him. Read Romans 12: 4-8 [Transition] The next key text that speaks of the gifts of the Spirit is Ephesians 4. Ephesians is a book that primarily deals with the Church. A chief theme of Ephesians is the unity of the church born out of all that God has done for her and desires to do through her. Spiritual gifts are discussed as a means to achieve that unity. Its primary purpose is to show that gifted leadership is given to the church in order to effectively facilitate the interdependent
3 exercise of all spiritual gifts within the church so that it might progress toward a unified spiritual maturity. Read Ephesians 4: 11-13 [Transition] Finally, there is a brief passage in 1 Peter The big idea of the book of 1 Peter is that God is in control of everyday circumstances and is using them to perfect our trust in God. The particular passage touching on the gifts is challenging Christians in their relationships and how we are to relate to one another in light of our expectancy of the return of Christ. Read 1 Peter 4:7-11 [Transition] - Taken collectively, these four passages offer us some fundamental understanding of the gifts of the Spirit. As you can see in your notes, we can begin to form a composite list of gifts from these passages. But, please realize there is some debate about whether all the acts of service listed in these passages are actual gifts or not. So, gift lists often vary in number. AT THE END OF MY SERMON MANUSCRIPT ON OUR WEBSITE, I VE ATTACHED ONE OF THE MOST WIDELY ACCEPTED LISTS OF GIFTS ALONG WITH DEFINITIONS OF EACH ONE. So, what additional basics can we learn about the gifts of the Spirit from these passages? Understanding the basics of the gifts of the Spirit 1. The gifts originate from Jesus and are given by the Holy Spirit. Jesus, the risen Lord of the Church, authors the gifts but they are administered by the Holy Spirit for the common good of the church (Ephesians 4:11; 1 Cor. 12:11). Therefore, God should always receive the glory and honor for our use of gifts. They are never for self-glorification or self-promotion. They are never given to build up the person, instead, they are given to build up the church. [Illustration] One ancient writer suggests, A conductor of a symphony does not choose a violinist for a rigorous season of repertoire in order to advance the career of the musician, but instead to insure that the music the symphony creates will have all the crucial elements and will be rightly balanced and harmonized to bring out the best in the music. The Spirit distributes gifts to the body of Christ, not for personal self-aggrandizement, but rather for the health and up-building of the body.
4 [Illustration] - Similarly, Abraham Kuyper, a foremost scholar on the Spirit, suggests As one does not light a fire to warm the stove but to warm the room, so the Spirit does not distribute gifts to enhance individuals but the community on behalf of the world s redemption (WHS, p. 182). 2. Every believer has at least one spiritual gift. No one person has all the gifts and no person has none of the gifts. Spiritual gifts are unique capacities given by the Holy Spirit. Every believer has at least one spiritual gift to serve the church and enable it to progress and experience effectiveness as God s vehicle to reach the world (1 Cor. 12:6ff). Too much has probably been made of trying to distinguish between natural abilities, talents, skills and spiritual gifts. Bobby Clinton, author of a widely circulated study on spiritual gifts, advises not making too much of this. Instead the emphasis should be on using all your personal wiring gifts, abilities and talents, etc. to serve the Lord, his church and his kingdom purposes in the world whole heartedly. In fact, when you think about it, the same spiritual gift will be used and expressed differently depending on the temperament, talents, passions, etc of the person. [Illustration] - Early church fathers used the analogy of the same rain coming down but it works in many forms. Rain comes down on the whole earth, yet it produces white in the lily, and red in the rose, and purple in the violets and hyacinths. So too, the Spirit s gifting will be manifest differently in different individual temperaments and personalities (Oden, p.188). 3. The motivation for using or exercising your gifts is love (Romans 12:8). IN fact, the motivating spirit behind the use of the gift and the prevailing attitude as we exercise our gift(s) is as important as the fact that we exercise it. 4. The Spirit gives all the gifts necessary to accomplish his work in a local church (1 Cor. 1:7). There is a significant interdependency at work in the local church. Just like the parts of our physical bodies. We all need each other and what we bring to the table in our gifting. Therefore, if you are not exercising your gift then the whole body is weakened in some way. If you are not using your gift(s) the church is less than it could be if you were exercising your gift.
5 [Transition] So, how can you discover and develop your gift(s)? How can you discover and develop your gift(s)? First of all, please realize that it is not necessary to identify your gift(s) before you can use them. Often, people jump in and serve in a way that is fruitful, natural and rewarding for them and in the midst of that come to learn how they are gifted. Conversely, if it s draining, frustrating and not fruitful, they learn what their gifting is not. Of course, knowing your gift(s) allows you to be more intentional in the use and development of your gifts. The Bible commands us to use our gifts and so if we are aware of how we are gifted, we ll be more likely to apply ourselves in those areas. There are three primary ways to identify your spiritual gift(s). Personal assessment Inventories There are a variety of gift assessment tools out there. FOR YOUR CONVENIENCE I VE INCLUDED ONE ONLINE FOR YOU AT THE END OF MY SERMON MANUSCRIPT ON OUR CHURCH WEBSITE. This assessment corresponds with the gift list that is also included there. All these assessments are subjective and ask you to rate yourself on a number of questions. I d recommend you take the assessment, but since it is subjective, I also recommend you print it off and ask 2-3 other believers who know well to assess you with it. You can print as many of them off as you like. Assessment by others who know you well The beauty of other s assessing you is that they can observe you more objectively and often recognize things in you, which you might overlook. When you compare the assessment you do on your self with those they do on you, you can begin to get some pretty good data that you can then continue to confirm in the field of service. I say that because most often our gifts are really confirmed as we exercise them. Confirming your gift by experience Here s what you ll find:
6 a) When you exercise your gift it will bear fruit. You ll see results. You ll see its effectiveness. b) The church at large will recognize your gifting and its fruit. c) You will be internally satisfied and fulfilled as you exercise your gift. d) You will tend to migrate towards people with similar gifting. Conclusion: Go to the website take the inventory if it s been awhile since have taken one, take it again. Ask a few others to take it on you or ask your home group to give you feedback on your results and to tell you what they have observed in you. Continue to clarify, develop and strengthen the gift(s) as you use them, read about them, train in them, get inspired by others with similar gifting and as Peter commands, Each one use whatever gift {you have} received to serve others, faithfully administering God s grace in its various forms (1 Peter 4:10). ****SCROLL DOWN FOR GIFT LIST AND DEFINITIONS AND SPIRITUAL GIFT INVENTORY
7 SPIRITUAL GIFT DESCRIPTIONS (In alphabetical order, not order of priority) The Bible does not lock us into tight restrictions as to the number of spiritual gifts, or even their definitions. There are four major lists of spiritual gifts found in the Bible. They are in Romans 12:3-8; I Corinthians 12:1-11, 27-31; Ephesians 4:11-12; and 1 Peter 4:9-11. These lists are representative, but not comprehensive. Additionally, there are other passages that mention or illustrate gifts not included in these lists. (Rom.1:11, 1Cor.7:7, 1Tim.4:14, 2Tim. 1:6, ) All gifts are given for the purpose MINISTERY to the body and MISSION to the world. They enable us through the power of the Holy Spirit to have a spiritual impact on the people around us, both in the church and in the world. The following definitions are given to clarify the specifics of each spiritual gift. ADMINISTRATION A helmsman in a congregation guiding and directing activities of the church. The ability to organize and manage people, resources, and time for effective ministry. The ability to coordinate many details and execute the plans of leadership. Examples: Acts 6:1-7, 20:17-32, 27:11, Luke 14:28-30, 1 Cor. 12:28, 14:40, Titus 1:5. APOSTLE One who is sent forth, a delegate, an ambassador of the gospel. First century apostles were eyewitnesses to Jesus resurrection and were sent by Him to preach and plant churches. Acts 1:1-5, Mt. 10:1-6, Lk. 6:12-16. Today, apostles are pioneers sent out to preach the gospel, plant churches and start ministries in new areas. Example: Rom. 15:20, 1 Pet. 1:1. DISCERNMENT Ability to distinguish, to learn by discrimination, to separate. This is the ability to discriminate between the spirit of evil and the spirit of God, between truth and error, before external factors are evident; the ability to distinguish right from wrong, and to give an immediate evaluation based on God s Word. The ability to spot a phony, to detect false doctrine. Examples: Matt. 16:21-23, Acts 5:1-11, 8:23, 13:6-12, 16:16-18, 1 Cor. 12:10, 1 John 4:1-6. EVANGELISM This is a messenger of good news, a preacher of the gospel. An evangelist has a unique ability to share his faith and communicate the word of God effectively with unbelievers; the ability to sense opportunities to share Christ and lead people to respond with faith. Examples: Jesus- Mk. 1:14-15, Peter- Acts 2:14-29, 3:11-26, 4:5-12; Philip- Acts 8:4-13, 8:26-40, 21:8; Paul- Acts 13:16-41, 14:20-22. EXHORTATION Call a person to one s side to exhort or to admonish as a counselor, encourager, intercessor; to focus on the heart, motivate, comfort and challenge others to action. This is the ability to motivate God s people to apply and act on Biblical principles, especially when they are discouraged or wavering in their faith; the ability to bring out the best in others and challenge them to develop their potential. Example: Peter- Acts 2:40, Barnabas- Acts 9:26-30, Paul- Acts 14:21-23, 1 Tim. 4:7-16.
8 FAITH A firm persuasion, a conviction based on hearing. Always based on God or Christ, it is the ability to see what is unseen by others, a vision to believe something or trust God to do something. This is the ability to trust God for what cannot be seen and to act on God s promise, regardless of what the circumstances indicate; the willingness to risk failure in pursuit of a God- given vision, expecting God to handle the obstacles. This gift is distinct from faith that each of us must have to be saved. Examples: Acts 11:22-24, 16:9-10, 18:9-11, 19:21, 23:11, 27:21-26; Romans 4:18-21, Heb. 11:1-40. GIVING Single- mindedly give without mixed motives. A Spirit- motivated capacity to minister to the material needs of others without mixed motives and based on a desire to glorify God. This is the ability to generously contribute material resources and/or money beyond the 10% tithe so that the body may grow and be strengthened. This gift does not require substantial material wealth, however the person with the gift may have the capacity to make money. Examples: Mark 12:41-44, Rom. 12:6-8, 2 Cor. 8:1-7, 9:2-8. HEALING This is the ability to make one well physically, emotionally or spiritually and the ability to sense when God is prompting you to pray this kind of prayer. Examples: Acts 3:1-10, 5:12-16, 9:32-35, 14:8-10, 28:7-10; 1 Cor. 12:8-10, James 5:14-16. HOSPITALITY Fond of guests, given to the love of hospitality. The ability to make others, especially strangers, feel warmly welcomed, accepted, and comfortable in the church family; the ability to coordinate factors that promote fellowship. Example: Acts 16:14-15, Rom. 12:9-13, 16:23, Heb. 13:1-3, 1 Peter 4:9-10. INTERPRETATE TONGUES To interpret, explain thoroughly, expound or translate. The Spirit- given ability to understand in an unknown language, a language never learned before, not the ability to learn a language quickly. (See Tongues.) Example: 1 Cor. 12:10, 14:13, 14: 26-28. KNOWLEDGE This is the ability of unique spiritual insight or specific knowledge or awareness into a given situation that is beyond your experience or did not originate with you. This is an unusual sensitivity to the Spirit. Associated with this gift is the ability to communicate truths from God; the ability to discover, collect, analyze, and organize information that is vital to individual believers or the entire church family; the ability to comprehend a large amount of information and provide it when needed for effective decision- making. Example: Daniel 1:17, Acts 5:1-11, 1 Cor. 12:8, 2 Cor. 11:6. LEADERSHIP The first to stand and thus lead. One who stands before others and leads them with an earnest concern for them. This is the ability to clarify and communicate the purpose and direction ( vision ) of a ministry in a way that attracts others to get involved. The ability to motivate others by example to work together in accomplishing a ministry goal. Examples: Luke 9:51; Acts 7:10, 13:1-3, 15:6-11, 20:17-32; Heb. 13:7, 17. MERCY Outward expression of pity or concern with the ability to meet a need. This is the eager ability to express compassion and loving action to those experiencing distress, crisis, or pain. It includes the
9 ability to detect hurt and empathize with those who are suffering. Examples: Matt. 20:29-34, 25:34-40; Luke 10:33-35; Acts 9:36, 11:28-30; Rom. 15:1; James 1:27. MIRACLES The ability to invoke the miraculous intervention of God to a given situation with the result that god receives recognition for the supernatural intervention. It is the ability to release the power of God in a unique and supernatural way as Jesus did when he turned the water into wine, or walked on the water, or raised Lazarus from the dead. Examples: Mk. 11:23-24, Acts 8:6-13, 9:36-43, 13:6-12, 19:11-20, 20:7-12; Romans 15:18-19; 1 Cor. 12:10, 28; 2 Cor. 12:12. PROPHECY To speak forth or to shine forth. This is the ability to speak the mind of God, to stand for the word of God and cause it to shine. It is a mistake to associate prophecy with predicting the future. It is forth- telling more than fore- telling. Old Testament prophets were God s spokesmen to the nation of Israel (Num. 11:29) to correct His people (Hab. 1:1, Jer. 1:10). Today, prophets exhort the body of Christ to stay true to the word of God. Examples: Luke 7:26; Acts 11:27-30, 15:32, 21:7-12; 1 Cor: 12:10, 28, 14:29-33. SERVICE/HELPS To meet the physical and practical needs of a congregation and thus benefit the entire body spiritually. This is the ability to recognize unmet needs in the church family; and take the initiative to provide practice assistance quickly, cheerfully and without a need for recognition. Examples: Acts 6:1-7, 16:34, 21:16; Rom. 12:7; Gal. 6:2, 10; 2 Tim. 1:16-18; Titus 3:14. SHEPHERD A shepherd, one who guides, directs and protects sheep. The ability to care for the spiritual needs of a group of believers and equip them for the ministry. The ability to nurture a small group in spiritual growth and assume responsibility for their welfare. Examples: John 10: 1-18, Eph. 4:11, 1 Tim. 3:1-7, 1 Peter 5:1-4. TEACHER This is the ability to educate God s people by clearly explaining and applying the Bible in a way that causes them to learn; the ability to equip and train other believers for ministry. Acts 18:24-28, 20:20-21; Eph. 4:12-13 TONGUES The Spirit-given ability to speak in an unknown language, a language never learned before, not the ability to learn a language quickly. Like all other gifts it is for the common good. Examples: Acts 2:3-13, 10:46, 19:1-7. This gift caused such a problem in the Corinthian Church, Paul had to write an entire chapter (I Corinthians 14) of guidelines. 1. It is for personal edification, not for the whole church. He who speaks in a tongue edifies himself, but he who preaches edifies the church. 1 Cor. 14:4 2. We are to focus on building up others, not ourselves. Unless you speak intelligible words...you will just be speaking into the air...try to excel in the gifts that build up the church. 1 Cor. 14:9,12 3. It confuses non- believers in the service....if some non- believers come in, will they not say you are out of your mind? 1 Cor. 14:23 4. Ideally, it is not meant to be used in the worship service, but in a small group setting. In the church I would rather speak five intelligible words to instruct others than ten thousand words in a tongue. Brothers, stop thinking like children. 1 Cor. 14:19-20 Well, my
10 brothers, let s add up what I m saying. When you meet together some will sing, another will teach, or tell some special information God has given him, or speak in an unknown language, or tell what someone else is saying who is speaking in the unknown language, but everything that is done must be useful to all, and build them up in the Lord. 1 Cor. 14:26 (TLB) The gift of speaking God s message should be under the speaker s control, because God does not want us to be in disorder, but in harmony and peace. 1 Cor. 14:32-33 WISDOM Insight into the true nature of things. This is the ability to perceive life from God s perspective and apply His perspective to specific situations; the ability to understand God s perspective on life situations and share those insights in a simple, understandable way; the ability to explain what to do and how to do it. Examples: Acts 6:3, 10, 7:1-53; 1 Cor. 2:1-13 12:8; James 1:5-6; 2 Peter 3:15-16.
11 Spiritual Gifts Inventory Instructions This inventory contains 100 questions and will take 20-30 minutes to complete, so please allow adequate time to answer all questions at one sitting. 1. Pray. Ask God to guide you with a clear mind and an open heart. Ask God to help you be honest with yourself and Him through this exercise. Remember that this is a spiritual exercise to help equip you to better serve God according to His will. 2. According to the scale below, select the response that best describes or characterizes you. Record your answers on the answer sheet provided. DO NOT answer according to what you think should be true, but based on actual past experience. Do not leave any answers blank. 1 Not at all characteristic of me; definitely not true for me. 2 Occasionally characteristic of me; true for me about 25% of the time. 3 Sometimes characteristic of me; true for me about 50% of the time. 4 Usually characteristic of me; true for me about 75% of the time. 5 Highly characteristic of me; definitely true for me. 3. Answer each item as quickly, honestly, and accurately as possible. If you dwell too long on a particular question, you are less likely to answer it accurately. 4. When you finish recording scores on all 100 statements, calculate the totals on the Tabulating the Results sheet. 1. I am successful at getting a group to do its work joyfully. 2. I have a strong desire to oversee or contribute to the establishment of new churches. 3. I have a sense of whether or not a person is acting under God s leadership. 4. I enjoy sharing what Jesus means to me with unchurched friends and neighbors. 5. I welcome opportunities to minister to people who need comfort and consolation. 6. I see life as an adventure and enjoy taking risks if it moves God s work forward. 7. I desire to give generously and freely to worthwhile projects and ministries. 8. I pray for those who are sick or injured and they are often healed. 9. It does not bother me when people drop in unexpectedly. 10. People who speak in tongues tell me that I have interpreted tongues appropriately.
11. I enjoy spending time reading and studying Christian literature. 12. I give guidance, which others follow, that contributes to building God s kingdom. 13. People call on me to help those who are less fortunate. 14. God regularly seems to do impossible things through my life. 15. It is important to share the truth of God s Word even if it irritates others. 16. I find more satisfaction in doing a job than finding someone else to do it. 17. I reach out to people who have strayed away or have become inactive in the church. 18. It is easy to organize materials for teaching a Bible class. 19. I have spoken in tongues. 20. I am usually able to analyze a situation correctly. 21. I enjoy the responsibility for achieving group goals. 22. I have a desire to represent the church at large. 23. I can recognize whether a person s teaching is from God, Satan, or human origin. 24. God uses me to lead others to respond to His gift of salvation through faith in Christ. 25. I have urged others to seek biblical solutions to their affliction or suffering. 26. I am willing to yield to God s will rather than question or waiver. 27. I can give sacrificially because I know that God will meet my needs. 28. Others have been physically healed when I prayed for them. 29. Visitors seems to feel at ease around me. 30. Other Christians are edified or exhorted when I have interpreted tongues. 31. Study and experience have revealed major strategies God uses to further His kingdom. 32. When I join a group, others seem to back off and expect me to take the leadership. 33. I feel great compassion for the problems of others. 34. I have a stronger desire than most to see people from other countries won to the Lord. 35. I sometimes have a strong sense of what God wants to say to people who need help. 36. I prefer being active to talking, reading or listening to a speaker. 37. I enjoy being responsible for the spiritual well- being of a particular group of Christians. 38. I explain God s Word in a way that others readily understand it. 39. I feel welcome and a part of a group where Christians speak in tongues. 40. I often have spiritual insight in selecting the best alternative in a difficult situation. 41. I am able to clearly understand the short and long- term goals of a Christian group. 42. Christians from ourside of my normal ministry circle often seek out my advice. 43. I am able to sense the true motivation of people or movements. 12
44. I get disappointed or frustrated when others don t share their faith with unbelievers. 45. It is enjoyable to motivate people to a higher spiritual commitment. 46. People seem to view me as a person who believes everything is possible. 47. When moved by an appeal to give to God s work, I usually find the money to do it. 48. I feel strongly that my prayers for a sick person affect the wholeness of that person. 49. My home is always open to people passing through who need a place to stay. 50. I have interpreted when someone has spoken in tongues. 51. I have a wide range of study resources and know how to secure information. 52. When I speak, people seem to listen and agree. 53. I possess an unusual capacity to understand the feelings of those in distress. 54. Others can point to specific instances where my prayers have resulted in visible miracles. 55. I have insight from God s Word and am compelled to speak out on important issues. 56. I enjoy doing little tasks that are considered less important than other activities. 57. It is enjoyable to have the responsibility of leading others in their spiritual life. 58. I devote large blocks of time clarifying biblical truths to communicate them to others. 59. I expect to be interpreted when I speak in tongues in a group. 60. When a person has a problem, I can frequently guide him or her to a biblical solution. 61. I enjoy organizing ideas, people, resources and time for a more effective ministry. 62. God has given me a great desire to see the church grow and expand in a specific location. 63. I can judge well between the truthfulness and error of a theological statement. 64. I effectively proclaim God s message to introduce Christ to those who don t know Him. 65. People tell me that I have helped or healed them from their afflictions or suffering. 66. I try to be in God s will continually and be available for His use. 67. I genuinely enjoy giving a generous portion of my money to the Lord. 68. God uses me to bring healing to people with damaged emotions. 69. I enjoy the opportunity to provide food and fellowship to a visitor. 70. I have interpreted tongues in such a way that seems to bless others. 71. Others tell me that I ve helped them understand key points in God s Word. 72. I am a person of vision and others commit to making the vision a reality. 73. I enjoy helping and comforting people in difficult situations. 74. Others tell me that God used me to bring about supernatural changes in lives. 75. Others tell me that I ve communicated a timely message that came directly from God. 13
14 76. I don t have many special skills, but I do what needs to be done around the church. 77. I am willing to take the initiative in helping other Christians grow in their faith. 78. I can make profound and difficult Christian principles seem relatively easy to learn. 79. I consider speaking in tongues to be a valuable part of my private prayer life. 80. People with spiritual problems seem to come to me for advice and counsel. 81. I can delegate and assign meaningful work. 82. I influence others since I am often considered an expert in my area of ministry. 83. I can tell if people are being totally honest when they tell of their religious experiences. 84. It is meaningful to unbelievers when I tell them how I personally came to Jesus Christ. 85. I confront inactive or uninvolved Christians to encourage them to get involved. 86. I seem to have more confidence than others that God can accomplish the impossible. 87. I have a strong sense of stewardship, based on the recognition that God owns all things. 88. I enjoy praying for sick people because I know that many of them will be healed. 89. I enjoy reaching out to new people in my church, neighborhood and community. 90. When someone speaks in tongues, I sometimes have a clear idea of what God is saying. 91. I often discover new truths for myself through firsthand reading or observing situations. 92 It is more effective to delegate a task to someone else that to do it myself. 93. I enjoy bringing God s love to those in the hospital, nursing home, shut- in or prison. 94. God uses me to do things that defy the usual laws of nature. 95. I sometimes feel that I know the exact timing for what God wants to do in ministry. 96. I enjoy serving the Lord when the need surfaces in the church. 97. I enjoy being with and sharing life with a specific group over a long period of time. 98. People tell me that I have helped them learn biblical truth in meaningful ways. 99. I speak in tongues as a personal spiritual exercise. 100. People with spiritual problems seem to come to me for advice and counsel. Tabulating the Results 1. Enter all twenty responses below in each column. 2. Add up all five responses to the questions in each row and enter the total. 3. Look for the three (3) highest scores and give them a rank from 1 to 3. # Score # Score # Score # Score # Score Total Rank Gift
15 1 21 41 61 81 Administration 2 22 42 62 82 Apostle 3 23 43 63 83 Discernment 4 24 44 64 84 Evangelism 5 25 45 65 85 Exhortation 6 26 46 66 86 Faith 7 27 47 67 87 Giving 8 28 48 68 88 Healing 9 29 49 69 89 Hospitality 10 30 50 70 90 Interpret Tongues 11 31 51 71 91 Knowledge 12 32 52 72 92 Leadership 13 33 53 73 93 Mercy 14 34 54 74 94 Miracles 15 35 55 75 95 Prophecy 16 36 56 76 96 Service 17 37 57 77 97 Shepherd 18 38 58 78 98 Teaching 19 39 59 79 99 Tongues 20 40 60 80 100 Wisdom