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Connecting God’s Gifts to Us
PRAYER As you take this Spiritual Gifts Discovery Tool, spend a few moments in prayer, asking God, the Holy Spirit, to bless your assessment of your gifts.
You, Your Spiritual Gifts and the Church
OUR MISSION STATEMENTTo help St. Paul Lutheran Church focus on its purpose, we have adopted a mission statement:
“As friends of God through Jesus, empowered by the Holy Spirit, we are Connecting People to Christ by sharing His love in word and action everywhere we are.”
Our mission statement affirms a commitment to Christ’s commission to the church in Matthew 28:19-20 “Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you.” Our mission statement has a two-fold emphasis:
THE GIVER OF GIFTS God, the Holy Spirit, is the giver of spiritual gifts. He works in remarkable ways and gives all believers one or more spiritual gifts. These spiritual gifts are given:
WHY TALK ABOUT SPIRITUAL GIFTS? Taking a Spiritual Gifts Inventory encourages faithful use of these blessings which each Christian has received through Christ. This is taught in 1 Peter 4:10 [“The prophets carefully researched and investigated this salvation. Long ago they spoke about God’s kindness that would come to you.”] Peter is saying that each one of us should use whatever gift(s) we have received to serve others, faithfully administering God’s grace in its various forms. What are God’s plans for you?
Our prayer is that you will find joy and blessing in discovering how you’ve been gifted and that you will use your gifts to serve in the ministry of Jesus Christ at St. Paul Lutheran Church, our community and our world.
THE GIFTS OF THE HOLY SPIRIT WITHIN SCRIPTURE Spiritual gifts are specifically listed in at least five places in the New Testament: 1 Corinthians 12:4-11 These verses mention the following spiritual gifts: wisdom, faith, knowledge, miracles, discernment, tongues, interpretation of tongues, healing.
4 There are different spiritual gifts, but the same Spirit gives them. 5 There are different ways of serving, and yet the same Lord is served. 6 There are different types of work to do, but the same God produces every gift in every person. 7 The evidence of the Spirit's presence is given to each person for the common good of everyone. 8 The Spirit gives one person the ability to speak with wisdom. The same Spirit gives another person the ability to speak with knowledge. 9 To another person the same Spirit gives [courageous] faith. To another person the same Spirit gives the ability to heal. 10 Another can work miracles. Another can speak what God has revealed. Another can tell the difference between spirits. Another can speak in different kinds of languages. Another can interpret languages. 11 There is only one Spirit who does all these things by giving what God wants to give to each person. -- GOD'S WORD 1 Corinthians 12:14-28 These verses mention the following spiritual gifts: apostleship, healing, helps and administration. 14 As you know, the human body is not made up of only one part, but of many parts. 15 Suppose a foot says, "I'm not a hand, so I'm not part of the body!" Would that mean it's no longer part of the body? 16 Or suppose an ear says, "I'm not an eye, so I'm not a part of the body!" Would that mean it's no longer part of the body? 17 If the whole body were an eye, how could it hear? If the whole body were an ear, how could it smell? 18 So God put each and every part of the body together as he wanted it. 19 How could it be a body if it only had one part? 20 So there are many parts but one body. 21 An eye can't say to a hand, "I don't need you!" Or again, the head can't say to the feet, "I don't need you!" 22 The opposite is true. The parts of the body that we think are weaker are the ones we really need. 23 The parts of the body that we think are less honorable are the ones we give special honor. So our unpresentable parts are made more presentable. 24 However, our presentable parts don't need this kind of treatment. God has put the body together and given special honor to the part that doesn't have it. 25 God's purpose was that the body should not be divided but rather that all of its parts should feel the same concern for each other. 26 If one part of the body suffers, all the other parts share its suffering. If one part is praised, all the others share in its happiness. 27 You are Christ's body and each of you is an individual part of it. 28 In the church God has appointed first apostles, next prophets, third teachers, then those who perform miracles, then those who have the gift of healing, then those who help others, those who are managers, and those who can speak in a number of languages. -- GOD'S WORD Romans 12:4-8 These verses mention the following spiritual gifts: prophesy, service, teaching, exhortation (encouragement), giving, mercy and leadership. 4 Our bodies have many parts, but these parts don't all do the same thing. 5 In the same way, even though we are many individuals, Christ makes us one body and individuals who are connected to each other. 6 God in his kindness gave each of us different gifts. If your gift is speaking God's word, make sure what you say agrees with the Christian faith. 7 If your gift is serving, then devote yourself to serving. If it is teaching, devote yourself to teaching. 8 If it is encouraging others, devote yourself to giving encouragement. If it is sharing, be generous. If it is leadership, lead enthusiastically. If it is helping people in need, help them cheerfully. -- GOD'S WORD Ephesians 3: 7 and 4:11-13 These verses mention: missionary, evangelism and shepherding (pastor), apostle.
7 I became a servant of this Good News through God's kindness freely given to me when his power worked [in me]. -- GOD'S WORD
11 He also gave apostles, prophets, missionaries, as well as pastors and teachers as gifts [to his church]. 12 Their purpose is to prepare God's people, to serve, and to build up the body of Christ. 13 This is to continue until all of us are united in our faith and in our knowledge about God's Son, until we become mature, until we measure up to Christ, who is the standard. -- GOD'S WORD 1 Peter 4:9-11 These verses identify the gift of hospitality. 9 Welcome each other as guests without complaining. 10 Each of you as a good manager must use the gift that God has given you to serve others. 11 Whoever speaks must speak God's words. Whoever serves must serve with the strength God supplies so that in every way God receives glory through Jesus Christ. Glory and power belong to Jesus Christ forever and ever! Amen. -- GOD'S WORD
GOD'S WORD is a copyrighted work of God's Word to the Nations. Quotations are used by permission.
GLORIFIED TALENTS/GIFTS: Gifts that have not been identified or not clearly identified in the Bible are: intercession (prayer), exorcism, craftsmanship, music, preaching, and writing. If is felt that these gifts could better be described as “glorified talents,” special abilities which do benefit the growth and well-being of the body of Christ (the church).
DEFINITION OF SPIRITUAL GIFTS · Spiritual Gifts are the ministries the Holy Spirit has gifted us to accomplish. They are special abilities given to Christians for the sake of building up the Body of Christ (the church) and extending His mission on earth. · By design, God’s people have been given different gifts, called to different positions, and because of the different workings of the Holy Spirit, each of us will approach the mission of the church differently. We are instructed to value the differences and recognize the blessings of each other as well as the need for each other as we strive for unity in Christ.
THE GIFTS OF GOD, THE HOLY SPIRIT, WITHIN THE BODY LIFE OF ST. PAUL LUTHERAN CHURCHAt St. Paul Lutheran Church, it is felt that one of the keys to spiritual gifts is the use of them. As we look at the needs of our church body and community, we have established a gift-mix of 20 service-related gifts:
SERVICE-RELATED GIFTS FOR ST. PAUL LUTHERAN CHURCH: Administration Hospitality Serving Creative Arts Instrumental Music Shepherding Evangelism Intercession (Prayer) Teaching Exhortation (Encouragement) Knowledge Vocal Music Faith Leadership Wisdom Giving Manual Crafts Writing Helps Mercy
[SEE THE SPIRITUAL GIFTS GLOSSARY FOR DEFINITIONS AND OTHER SCRIPTURAL REFERENCES.]
Continue to the Spiritual Gifts Discovery Tool
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Contact Information: P.O. Box 185, Sheboygan Falls, WI 53085 Phone: (920) 467-6449 Last Updated On 02/24/08 |
