Spiritual Gift Definitions
Author: Shirley Giles Davis
Administration
Those with gifts of Administration bring efficiency and order to the church and to other organizations.These are usually the planners, goal-setters, or managers.They look for new ways to help groups of people and necessary tasks run more effectively.
Apostleship
Those with gifts of Apostleship introduce new ministries to the church.These are people who blaze new trails, pioneer new endeavors, and step out into uncharted territory.They may have a great desire to reach out to unreached peoples, to establish a new ministry, and to spread the vision of the mission of the church.
Artistic Expression
The Spiritual Gift of Artistic Expression could also be called the gift of praise or worship.Those who have this gift have a special ability to communicate God’s beauty, awesomeness, and message through the fine arts, including drama, creative writing, music, dance, and drawing.Through their God-given creativity, these people in our midst use their gifts to draw us in so that we might focus on God, His creation and His message to us.Many with this gift speak of the sense of being compelled to use it in imitation of God the Creator and to show others how God is at work.
Craftsmanship
People with the Craftsmanship gift are uniquely skilled at working with raw materials (wood, cloth, clay, paints, glass, etc.), helping to create things that are used for ministry or that help meet tangible needs.They might be found fixing, remodeling, and sprucing up buildings, and or creating and stitching glorious quilts, pillows, wall-hangings—with the ultimate goal of honoring God and benefitting others.They view the use of their gift as a way of serving others in practical, hands-on ways.
Discernment
The spiritual gift of Discernment is the God-given ability, through His Holy Spirit, to distinguish between good and evil, truth and error, right and wrong, in a way that is helpful to the Body of Christ.People with the gift of discernment, as with the other gifts, are essential to the church’s life and ministry.These people provide much-needed insight, point out inconsistencies in the teaching of God’s Word, challenge deceitfulness in others, and help sort out impure motives from pure ones.This gift can be an intuitive sense that something is not right either in the words or actions of others.It can help others sift through healthy versus unhealthy relationships and commitments, identify spiritual warfare and the activity of the enemy, and point out deceit.
Evangelism
Those with the spiritual gift of Evangelism are people who seem to be always seeking to build meaningful relationships with non-believers and are often able to steer their conversations with these “neighbors” to spiritual things.They are enabled, in the power of the Holy Spirit, to communicate the good news of Jesus to unbelievers in such a way that they see people believe and commit to following Christ.These people just can’t not share their faith.
Exhortation
The Exhortation gift involves offering a word of hope combined with a gentle push to action to those who are discouraged or needing direction.People with this gift come alongside to offer reassurance and affirmation, and, when needed, to challenge or confront, all with the goal of seeing others grow to greater maturity in their faith.Exhorters, through the power of the Holy Spirit, can help people move further and go deeper than they would have if left to themselves.These people help us go the distance and believe in our great value, even in times of challenge or personal attack.
Faith
Having the gift of Faith is having that extra measure of confidence in God and His promises, helping inspire others to greater belief.Those in the church with this gift live constantly in the knowledge that God works all things for their good and the good of others who are called according to His purposes (Romans 8:28).When others of us begin to doubt or flounder, these are the people who believe God is good, God is love, and God is fair, just, and merciful all the time.People with this gift obey God, take risks, and make sacrifices because they trust God completely.
Giving
People with the gift of Giving often do not themselves view it as a special “gift” and/or do not wish to receive public recognition for their generosity.They don’t ask questions like “how much is too much?”In the power of the Holy Spirit, people with the gift of giving often view their resources differently—along the lines of “how much can I give away” and “how little can I live on to free up more resources for the kingdom of God?”They live as if everything they have belongs to God, knowing that God will provide for their needs.Giving may involve money as well as other resources like housing, food, clothing, etc.
Healing
The gift of Healing follows the pattern we see in the life and ministry of Jesus where healing was physical, mental, emotional, and/or spiritual. Often in Scripture healing is used by God to pour grace upon someone while simultaneously authenticating a message or a ministry. Always it is to show God’s mercy and power. Sometimes healing is instant and sometimes it happens over time. Our God is a God of restoration and wholeness, and healing is one way in which we see Him reach deeply into individual lives.
Helps
The gift of Helps is one that meets the practical needs of others and of the church/organization in order to enhance, support, or accomplish ministry.One attribute of this gift is that many of these servants view “helps” as such a natural extension of who they are, they have a hard time acknowledging that it is an essential part of the Body of Christ.Other indicators of someone with the gift of helps is that he/she serves willingly, cheerfully, humbly, and wherever needed.They spot needs before others do and are sometimes surprised when other people don’t notice the practical behind-the-scenes things that need doing.
Hospitality
Hospitality is the divine ability to make people feel welcome and accepted--anywhere at any time.Those with this gift enjoy connecting people with each other and creating settings where relationships and community can flourish. Their graciousness and warmth make others feel cared for.And, as 1 Peter 4:9 says, they are the ones who do all this “without grumbling” or complaining.
Intercession
Intercession—interceding, pleading, approaching God on someone else’s behalf—is something we are all to do.People with this gift are those who feel compelled by God to pray on a daily basis for others.They are completely convinced of the awesome power and necessity of prayer.These are the folks you call first about a concern you have, because you know they will pray.Many with this gift are surprised it’s a gift—they think ALL of us pray unceasingly as they do. They know that their faithfulness in prayer for others invites the power and the presence of God into every circumstance, and that prayer is not something to be taken lightly but is a battleground.
Interpretation of Tongues
Those with the gift of Interpretation of Tongues help the rest of the Body of Christ understand the message being spoken by those with the gift of Tongues. It may be a direct translation of a known language or an unlearned language, or a strong sense of the meaning of what has been spoken. This gift may also be given concurrently to someone with the gift of Tongues.
Knowledge
Those with the gift of Knowledge bring Biblical truth and God-given insight to the church.Knowledge can look like receiving a word from God that is uniquely timed to and tailored for a given situation.People with the gift of knowledge may also be those who have a voracious desire to study and know God’s Word, and God may use their deep understanding of Scripture to speak a word of knowledge to a person or group.They may be the ones who can see all sides of something and are able to point out the consequences or the forgotten details that others have overlooked.
Leadership
Those with the Leadership gift might be described as visionary, good motivators, and effective directors—helping lead and inspire others to achieve God’s purposes.These people not only have it as a Spirit-empowered ability, but they also seek God’s guidance and His will in their leadership and decision-making.Leadership involves not only having a vision of the preferred future for the church or an organization, but also having some clarity on goals or next steps to achieve that vision, the ability to communicate the vision in a way that inspires others, and the ability to equip the rest of the team to pursue the direction together.
Mercy
People who exhibit compassion, concern, care, and kindness are likely those with the God-given gift of Mercy.People with this gift gently come alongside others who are in pain, in need, or are lonely.God’s grace and love is shown in practical ways through this gift.The mercy gift is one of comfort, support, and presence with those who are suffering, in crisis, or otherwise hurting.Those with this gift reach out to others who are broken, having themselves experienced God in their own brokenness. They show God’s heart to those who need the empathy of a listening ear and human company.
Miraculous Powers
Miraculous powers (the ability to perform miracles) are given to individuals in the Body of Christ to authenticate a ministry, encourage a body of believers, and to show the power of God. In the life and ministry of Jesus, His miracles included feeding the multitudes, turning water into wine, raising the dead and walking on water.
Prophecy
Prophecy is the gift that God uses to convict His people of sin and their need for repentance.Prophecy today is the Holy-Spirit-empowered ability to speak God’s Word—truth—into a situation, calling people to turn back to God, warning of the consequences of not doing so, and reminding people of God’s promises and of His justice and judgment.Knowing the right timing to speak a word from God depends on the person with the gift of prophecy being prayerful and sensitive to the Spirit’s leading.
Shepherding
Shepherding involves nurture and guidance of others so that they grow in spiritual maturity and Christ-like character. Some but not all pastors have the spiritual gift of shepherding; many others in the church also have this gift.Jesus was the Good Shepherd—he loved, protected, cared for, and led His sheep into life abundant.People with the shepherding gift seek to do the same by walking alongside someone for a long or short season and directing them to Jesus and His offer of life, hope, and peace.
Teaching
The gift of Teaching involves studying, understanding, explaining, and applying Scripture’s truths in such a way that people grow in their own understanding, are challenged, and are inspired to apply what they’ve learned.This can be done in a church or other context, since God’s truth is true everywhere.Those who have this gift teach with authority, relevance, insight, and stimulate the hearers, through the work of the Spirit, so they are motivated to learn, understand and apply what they hear.
Tongues
Those with the gift of Tongues may speak in other languages as the Spirit enables them (Acts 2); may speak in an unknown language (that of “angels”-1 Cor. 13); may speak to God in tongues (1 Cor. 14). Scripture says in addition to tongues being other languages it is also a way of “uttering the mysteries of the Spirit” and “sounding a clear call” to God’s people (1 Cor. 14). To be understood by the Body, tongues must be accompanied by the gift of Interpretation of Tongues.
Wisdom
Those with the gift of Wisdom use God-given information by applying it to specific situations, providing guidance to individuals and the church.People with this gift typically can see the right course of action in the midst of otherwise confusing or overwhelming circumstances that paralyze others. Often, input from those with wisdom can shift a group’s direction or help guide someone toward greater clarity.The use of the gift of wisdom is less about authority and more about humility—rooted in truth and the guidance of the Spirit, which others usually recognize as such.
If you are unclear about your gift-mix, take the quick free online assessment here.
One of the very real evidences of the Spirit in action in our lives and in the life of the church is spiritual gifts. To learn more, explore GodGiftsYou.
Shirley Giles Davis, author of the God. Gifts. You. Your Unique Calling and Design workbook, is a consultant, coach, facilitator who has worked with faith-based organizations, nonprofit agencies, and law enforcement leadership for over 30 years. She has worked with leaders and organizations in 47 of the United States as well as having clients outside the U.S. Contact Shirley.