“The Proper Work of the Church”

In “On Vocation,” author and theologian, Richard Rohr, says this about gifts: "It seems to me that much of the proper work of the church and spirituality should be discerning and empowering people’s actual gifts. There doesn’t seem to be much discernment of gifts, even in seminaries, as to whether one really has a gift for Christian leadership, reconciling, healing, preaching, or counseling. (Most priests and pastors were ordained without ever having led a single person to love, to God, or to faith; and many do not seem to have a natural gift for this.) We seem to ordain people who want to be ordained! We can be educated or trained in offices and roles, but true spiritual gifts (charismata) are recognized, affirmed, and “called forth.” We do not create such people; we affirm and support what they are already doing on some level" (emphasis mine).

 I have talked with countless pastors and ministry leaders who agree with Rohr’s statement, who have come out of seminaries and Bible colleges prepared to translate from Hebrew or Greek, important skills to be sure, but with no notion whatsoever about spiritual gifts, and in particular no notion of how to identify them, call them out, and/or help people discover and use them.

 However, gift-based service is a foundational and resoundingly Biblical concept.  Jesus says that He has sent His Spirit to empower us. Peter and Paul describe the various gifts of the Spirit that are given to individuals to glorify the Lord and build the church.  Why then do we not hear preaching and teaching on this consistently in every church? 

 I suspect many pastors are afraid of the can of worms that preaching on the Spirit and gifts might open up in their midst.  People speaking in tongues?  Prophecies for today? What about those who give intellectual even theological assent to the Person of the Holy Spirit but fear engagement with Him? Might too much thought about the Spirit send them away?

 What if every church leader set out to become well-versed in the Scriptures that talk about The Church as The Body of Christ, learning also the terminology of spiritual gifts and the names of such gifts?  What if every pastor let go of the need for control and asked God to make his/her church one where gift-based service is taught, nurtured, and applauded?  What if every ministry leader made it a goal to release people into deeper discipleship with Jesus, using their gifts, even if that meant people might exhibit leadership or teaching gifts that leader doesn’t have? 

 A great way to get started is to read the Scriptures (Romans 12-14; 1 Corinthians 12-14; Ephesians 4; 1 Peter 4) and study the resources provided at GodGiftsYou.com: the free spiritual gifts assessment (take it and find out yours;  have your leadership team take it), list of gifts, definitions, study guides, and other resources. All of these resources are deeply rooted in God’s Word to us.

 The work of The Church is to equip people to discover, develop, and utilize their gifts in service to God, one another, and the world.  In what ways are you or is your church doing that?

Shirley Giles Davis, author of the God. Gifts. You. Your Unique Calling and Design workbook, Your Unique Design Class Guide, Your Unique Design Facilitator Guide, and Gifts-Calling-Purpose blog, is a consultant, coach, facilitator who has worked with faith-based organizations, nonprofit agencies, and leaders in a diversity of fields for over 30 years. She has also been EquipConnectServe Director at her church since 1999.

Photo © Shirley Giles Davis, all rights reserved.