Does Your Church/Group/Staff Have a Particular Configuration of Gifts?
Think about each of the spiritual gifts as representing and exhibiting a small piece of the character of God. None of us has all the gifts. Together, however, we show a more complete picture of Who God is and how He desires us to BE. Together is God’s plan for how to do church--with other people who are differently gifted.
Often, gifts given to people in a particular setting match that setting. For example, when I worked with the staff of a private Christian school in a very hostile-to-faith setting, it is the only time in twenty-five years, I’ve seen everyone in a one grouping with a common gift. Each person had a unique mix of gifts, but they all had the Faith gift in common.
More recently, in working with a new church, it appears that their combined staff and leadership team have more gifts of Discernment, Encouragement, Mercy, and Helps than the usual mix I’ve seen in churches. Perhaps it is that God has attracted more of these discernment-mercy-encouragement-helps people to this new church effort that has a vision for reaching out in their city. Or maybe it is that God has doubled up on those gifts to enable this expression of His Body to be uniquely attractional in that setting while also being deeply aware of the activity of the Spirit and that of the enemy.
In addition, when I’m working with leadership teams, it is quite common to see the absence of one gift—that helps explain either an organization’s blind spot or an area for awareness going forward. For example, one group of staff, elders, deacons, and trustees for a medium-sized church had a wide-ranging mix of spiritual gifts. However, they had no one with the gift of Evangelism. The primary reason they had invited me in to work with them? They were no longer growing. New people were not coming—or if they were, they were not staying. Perhaps the missing gift was part of the problem—and the solution. I suspect that there were some in their congregation with that gift. How could the leaders be more intentional about listening to those people and/or inviting them to be part of the leadership and planning conversation? Could paying closer attention to the value of Evangelism as a gift on equal footing with the other gifts help their church become more attractional and begin growing again?
Another group of young adults found that, within their leadership team, they did not have a single person who tested for the gift of Intercession. Knowing that having prayer cover would invite God’s presence and power deeper into their ministry, they reached out to their church’s healing prayer team and asked that team to come alongside and pray for them—and teach them how to pray. And, as they prepare to hire their new staff for next fall, this awareness is on their radar.
Think about your own ministry or church setting. Is there more of a certain gift in evidence? What might that mean?
Reflect on the question—Has God abundantly gifted your team/group because of a current or a future ministry?
What might the giftedness of your people tell you about possible ministry opportunities that you are currently not taking advantage of?
Think again about your ministry or church. Are there gifts that appear to be missing? What questions does that raise? What might you do about it (invite someone new into your leadership circle? Set aside a season for prayer? Etc.)
Additional Resources:
• Downloadable Resources--See Sample List of Interest Areas; Your Spiritual Gifts—A Study Guide; Knowing Your Unique Calling and Purpose Study Guide; Whole-Life Ministry: A Form of Worship, Grace-Giving, and Living into Your Calling.
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, law enforcement leadership, and individuals for over 30 years. Shirley has been EquipConnectServe Director at First Pres Boulder since 1999. She has worked with leaders and organizations in 47 of the United States as well as having clients outside the U.S. Contact Shirley.