The Church Is Gifted

Going to church is about more than just showing up. Being faithful to not forsake the assembly is about more than keeping a seat warm or filled. We assemble for each other. God calls us to be together and He promises to operate through us for one another. Every second of every gathering, someone, somewhere is using their spiritual gifts to help Christ build His church! Spiritual gifts are the currency that we spend each Sunday on each other. They are the means or instruments of edification and encouragement.

A spirituals gift is “an enablement given and empowered by the Holy Spirit and used for ministry in the church.: Spiritual gifts are different from talents.

A talent is when someone excels in a particular area over and above what is average, a talent doesn’t necessarily have to have an edifying effect on someone else (e.g., not a talent of mine – Laser Tag). It’s also different from an ability.

Abilities are simply what we can do. Abilities don’t necessarily edify anyone either.

Spiritual gifts are different from talents and abilities in that they have a particular affect that the others don’t; they edify – or build up – the church. The source of spiritual gifts is the Godhead, but their enabling comes from the Holy Spirit. And their purpose, as we will also see, is for the good of others in the church. When you are given a spiritual gift, it is meant to make someone else better. It is given to you for other’s benefit.

God is not discriminatory with who He enables. Every Christian has a gift – or more likely – gifts. God doesn’t give gifts to the more outstanding people, the more successful, the more impressive, the nicest dressed or the more knowledgeable. Paul says in Ephesians 4:7 – “But grace was given to each one of us according to the measure of Christ’s gift.” No one can say, “I missed that moment when the gifts were distributed” or ask “where can I sign up for the spiritual gifts distribution?” or “I forgot to sign up with the gifts.” No believer is left out of the privilege of spiritually giftedness.

Spiritual gifts are sent by God and “empowered” or energized by the Holy Spirit. In other words, they don’t come to us lacking effect or purpose or direction. They are intentional and powerful. And each Christian, as we have already discussed, has an array of gifts that are unique to him given for the building-up of the church.

This also means that no one’s gift is inferior or superior to any other person’s gifts. I Corinthians 12:14 says, “For the body does not consist of one member but of many.” We may be ugly shoulders, but we are still needed by the arms and elbows.

Now, how do I know what my spiritual gift is?

I have always said that the best way to determine your spiritual gift is to start serving somewhere and see what God does. You’ll learn quickly if you have a certain giftedness or not. However, that is not to say we cannot use spiritual wisdom to gauge how we can best serve the body using the gifts God has given us. Thus, there are 3 questions I leave with you to ask when determining your spiritual gift.

1. Where do I believe I am gifted? As I look at these lists of gifts, where do I believe my strengths are?

2. Do others affirm a certain area of giftedness? Have people come to me and said, “You know, I really appreciate when you ____________” or “Have you ever considered doing this?”

3. Is their fruit of ministry from using these gifts? Are people helped when you _____________? Are people’s lives better when you ____________?

If you find spiritual gifts that are common answers to all 3 questions, you have likely determined an area of spiritual giftedness.

And if you still can’t figure out your spiritual gifts, don’t worry too much about it. They will become clear as time passes. I rarely meet a Christian who has been a part of the church for most of his life who wanders around aimlessly not know how to help anyone. We figure it our eventually or don’t worry as much about our list of gifts and concern ourselves more about serving.

The church needs each other, and we need each other’s gifts. Spiritual gifts are not me-centered; spiritual gifts are others centered. The Lord is building a church of gifted people. And when those people use their gifts, the church is better for it.