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Online Spiritual Gift Assessment
Additional Tools
Every believer has been gifted by God for service. The purpose for providing these descriptions is to assist you in identifying your God-given potential for effective and fruitful ministry. The gifts described below are based on spiritual gifts mentioned in 1 Corinthians 12, Romans 12, and Epheshians 4. Administration - ( I Cor. 12:28 ) Kubernesis - to guide, steer, or pilot Administration is a necessary support gift for the efficient running of any ministry. The one with the gift of administration accepts the goals set by the leader and then devises and develops plans to accomplish those goals. This person is often task and detail oriented and has the ability to use resources to accomplish the task. The administrator often has the unique ability to see gifts in others and finds great joy placing the right person in the right place of service. A weakness of this gift might be the failure to remember that people are more important than the gift. Evangelism - ( Eph. 4:11 ) Kerusso - to herald, preach, proclaim One with the gift of evangelism has the supernatural ability to share the gospel with the unsaved and finds great joy in seeing the lost won to Christ. The evangelist’s message is the simple gospel and the place of ministry is anywhere there are lost or unchurched people. This gift is not to be confused with methods such as E.E. or Faith through which all believers may gain the boldness to witness. The person with the gift of evangelism looks for areas where the need for the gospel is the greatest and will personally sacrifice to meet those needs. Because of the zeal to share, a weakness might be the failure to pray and wait for the Lord's timing. Exhortation - ( Rom. 12:8 ) Parakaleo - to call near, beseech, give comfort, exhort, entreat The church desperately needs those with the gift of exhortation. The exhorter has the ability to see another’s spiritual condition and receives joy when motivating them by giving step by step instructions. The exhorter will go through thick and thin (alongside) as long as they see the other individual making progress. This is a wonderful gift to have for the person who has an interest in counseling and is most often a one-on-one ministry. The primary function is to encourage and exhort to bring about one’s obedience to the word so that it will be seen in their walk. A weakness might be the use of scripture by way of illustration or to make a point while failing to be accurate in interpretation. Giving - ( Rom. 12:8 ) Metadidomi - To give a share of; to bestow upon "Those with this gift have the ability to give material goods and financial resources with joy so that the needs of the Lord's work are met." The person with the true gift of giving does not give for recognition but rather prefers to be anonymous. They are often able to manage money well so that they have the means from which to give. It is important to note however that wealth is not a factor to the person with the gift of giving. Since the giver responds to meet needs, a weakness might be an attempt to try to give to a multitude of ministries rather than prayerfully determining the Lord's leading. Helps - ( I Cor. 12:28 ) Antilambanomai - to render assistance The gift of helps is the ability to literally put one's hand to the task. They often have the ability to do almost anything that is needed in order to get the job done. Their desire, however, is more for providing help rather than accomplishing the task. This person is motivated by a desire to give help and assistance in order to free others in the body of Christ to operate within their area of giftedness, especially those in leadership. Since the person with the gift of helps has the ability to do a wide variety of things they often have a difficult time focusing and find themselves trying to meet every need they see. Hospitality - ( Rom. 12:13 ) Philoxenia - entertain strangers "Persons gifted in the area of hospitality have the ability to make guests feel comfortable and at home. They have a desire to provide a warm welcoming setting. They often delight in opening their homes to individuals or groups and often look for opportunities to use their gift to minister to others." Leadership - ( Rom. 12:8 ) Proistemi - to stand before, to lead, to attend to (indicating care and diligence) to rule The gifted leader has the ability to lead others toward spiritual growth. They often have the ability to see farther than others and can provide direction accordingly. This gift is to be exercised with diligence while leading others to accomplish specific objectives. Often the gifts of leadership and administration are used interchangeably but they are two distinct words in the Greek. The gift of leadership says, "I know where we are going." The gift of administration says, "I see where we are going, I know how to get there." Since others will follow, the leader must guard against using people and their abilities to accomplish personal goals. Mercy - ( Rom. 12:8 ) eleeo - compassionate (by word or deed), have compassion (pity on), have (obtain, receive, show) mercy (on) A person who has the gift of mercy will be drawn to helping those who absolutely cannot help themselves such as the handicapped or those who are physically, spiritually, or emotionally suffering. They have the ability to draw out the feelings of others and are willing to be vulnerable to hurts, both directly and from feeling the hurts of others. They prefer to remove the hurts rather than to look for spiritual benefits from them. Those with the gifts of mercy find great satisfaction working in ministries such as nursing homes, hospice, with the mentally challenged, the sick, depressed, mentally ill, or handicapped. This gift is to be exercised with cheerfulness, and if it is not, then the individual might be drawn down into the situation rather than be of help. Prophecy - ( Rom. 12:6; I Cor. 12:28; Eph. 4:11 ) Propheteuo - speak under inspiration "Persons gifted in the area of prophecy have the ability to proclaim God's truth without compromise. They have strong convictions and expect others to have similar convictions. They need to express themselves verbally, especially about right and wrong. These persons may be quick to make judgments of others and quick to speak their opinions. They possess an unusual ability to discern others’ sincerity and may be painfully direct when correcting others. They are persuasive in defining right and wrong and are persistent in expressing their feelings about the need for change." Service - ( Rom. 12:7 ) Diakonos - a servant, attendant, minister, deacon The person with the gift of service has the ability to see and meet physical needs. They provide a vital ministry as they perform tasks with joy that benefit others. Since they experience joy in serving, they often disregard their own limitations and even there personal health in order to support others by performing acts of service. This person derives their physical strength from the Lord. The completion of a task is not as important to them as the actual process of service. They often have the ability to see physical needs that others do not see and they willingly follow clear instructions. A weakness often observed in those with this gift is their inability to decline ministry opportunities by saying no when asked. Shepherding - ( Eph. 4:11 ) poimen - shepherd, one who tends flocks, guide, exercises oversight, tender care and vigilant superintendence "Persons gifted in the area of shepherding have the unique ability to take responsibility for the longterm spiritual growth of a group of believers. They see guiding, feeding, and protecting a flock of Christ’s followers as their responsibility. They are motivated by a desire to see those under them enjoying spiritual health and growth. They should look for an area of ministry where discipleship is emphasized and in which they can guide others to greater spiritual maturity." Teaching - ( Rom. 12:7; I Cor. 12:28 ) Didaskaios - instructor, master, teacher Those who have been gifted to teach have the ability to explain the truth of God’s word so that it is easily understood and applicable to one’s life. They enjoy research and study and are able to present the truth in a logical and systematic way. "They place great emphasis on accuracy of interpretation. They are motivated by the desire to learn and share knowledge with others. They believe strongly in the importance of teaching as a basic foundation on which the church grows and remains faithful." To be effective there should be exhortation in their teaching or it can become just facts and knowledge that do not motivate change. They carry great accountability, for they will be judged more strictly.
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