Exhortation: Spiritual Gifts Definitions, Scriptures, and Ways to Serve

[If you have not already done so, please take a moment now to take this free spiritual gifts assessment. Once you have your results, come back to this and the corresponding 22 blog posts for a detailed description of each of the gifts, focusing on your own as well as becoming familiar with all of them so you can spot and call them out in others.]

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.

Scriptures that reference Exhortation or show someone exhibiting this gift:

Luke 3 (John the Baptist); John 1 (Jesus); Acts 4 (Joseph/Barnabas); Acts 11, Acts 13 (Barnabas); Acts 13 (Paul); Romans 12; Colossians 4 (Tychicus); Hebrews 13.

Questions on the assessment that pertain to Exhortation:

• I am able to motivate others to persevere in the face of discouragement and struggles.

• People think of me as an encouraging friend.

• I enjoy helping people take steps toward greater maturity in any aspect of their lives.

Some words that describe people with this gift:

• Affirming

• Strengthener

• Reassuring

• Motivator

• Optimistic

• Heartening

Potential negatives to this gift:

• Sometimes may only speak the word of hope without the purpose of nudging people to maturity.

• Exhortation may make the encourager attractive to others, causing one to forget that the gift is from God not the person.

• May be a person who needs much encouragement, so may get personally discouraged if feel like the only one exhorting others.

Some possible ways to serve using this gift:

• Counselor/mentor/coach/spiritual gifts advisor

• Sunday School/Adult Education teacher/children’s church leader

• Correspondent to missionaries

• Stephen Minister

• Deacon/hospital visitation

• Small group leader/assistant

• Elder/support for pastoral staff

• Everywhere you find yourself.

• Daily workplace interactions.

• Daily neighbor, grocery, restaurant, etc. interactions.

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 hundreds of faith-based organizations, nonprofit agencies, and executive leaders in a diversity of fields for four decades. She currently serves as Catalyst for Equipping and overseer of Local Missions at her church.

Photo © Shirley Giles Davis.

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