My Spiritual Gifts

8/16/2008 Estreitta 0 Comments

Today I took a Spiritual Gifts Sorter Test (http://dualravens.com/spiritualgifts/overview/sorter.php)

I am listing the Top Five from the test:


 


 

Spiritual Gift


 

Definition

1.)

The gift of Wisdom

(24)

Description: The ability to understand and apply Truth effectively in a specific situation. One who understands what God's counsel might be in important decisions or situations

Meaning: to apply truth practically.
Key Traits: insightful, prayerful, perceptive, honest, wise, objective, articulate

Characteristics: This is a person who can…

  1. Be able to apply Truth in practical ways
  2. Understand confidently God's perspective in various situation
  3. Go beyond appearances and understand the root of an issue
  4. Provide inspired direction for pursuing God's will in all circumstances, good and bad.
  5. See results and consequences of a given action, and be able to clearly articulate these to others


     

    Cautions/liabilities:

  6. May confuse personal thoughts or passions with God's perspective, especially if not constantly and continually in prayer
  7. May develop pride from having a position of influence or authority
  8. Can become too authoritative if people learn to trust this person more than the Spirit working in us all.
  9. Can fail to adequately share the wisdom given to them.
  10. May speak or act before understanding the situation fully or adequately.


     

    Scripture: The Old Testament; 1 Cor 12:8; James 3:13-18; 1 Cor. 2:3-14
    Examples: James, Solomon, Joseph –son of Jacob

2.)

The gift of Music

(23)

Description: The passion and ability to play a musical instrument or sing in a way which contributes to spiritual worship or understanding.

Meaning: a musician
Key Traits: musically gifted, creative, flexible, diligent,

Characteristics: This is a person who can…

  1. Sing or play an instrument in a way which edifies the community
  2. Express emotions or spiritual expressions through music
  3. Lead people towards God in worship
  4. Lift up souls of others
  5. Appropriately perform in a way which amplifies the Spiritual focus of the church, whether for repentance, thanksgiving, reflection, or celebration


    Cautions/liabilities:

  6. Pride in performing rather than joy in sharing.
  7. May not be appreciated as a work of the Spirit.
  8. May neglect or devalue non-musical worship.
  9. May be too critical towards those less musically gifted.
  10. May confuse skill in playing with contribution to worship.



    Scripture: Psalm 150; Psalm 49:4; 1 Samuel 16:14-23.
    Examples: David

The gift of Exhortation (23)


 

Description: The ability and passion to present truth so as to strengthen, comfort, or urge to action. Able to provide wise and timely counsel, and help point people to the right Spiritual track.

Key Traits: motivating, challenging, positive, affirming, honest, trustworthy, supportive.
Meaning: To come alongside. Also known as Counseling or Encouragement.

Characteristics: This is a person who can…

  1. Encourage and motivate others to practical application of specific Biblical truths
  2. Come alongside those who are troubled and bring encouragement
  3. Motivate spiritual growth
  4. Encourage people to discover who they really are and what they can become
  5. Emphasize God's perspective for the present situation of the community


    Cautions/liabilities:

  6. Can be overly optimistic or overly critical
  7. May struggle with follow through
  8. May be insensitive to longer term needs
  9. May be too direct
  10. May jump to conclusions before fully understanding situation


     

    Scripture: Rom. 12:8; Acts 11:22-24; Acts 15:30-32
    Examples: John, Paul

3.)

The gift of Evangelism (22)


 

Description: The passion and ability to relate the truths of Christ to those who do not know about him, and help bring them into His body. One who wants to bring all people into the kingdom. The "recruiters" of the church.

Meaning: to bring good news.
Key Traits: candid, open, confident, influential, sincere, committed

Characteristics: This is a person who can…

  1. Communicate the message of Christ with clarity and conviction
  2. Understand with a passion that God desires all people to be saved.
  3. Consistently, persistently, and sensitively share the Good News to those who do not know Christ.
  4. Seek and find opportunities to build relationships with those outside of the church
  5. Adapt their presentation in order to best connect with an individual.


    Cautions/liabilities:

  6. May become obnoxious if not led by the Spirit.
  7. May become prideful for their visible results.
  8. May become overly dependent on a certain "technique".
  9. May see people as "targets" rather than as people.
  10. May discount the importance of the work of the other gifts.

    Scripture: Eph. 4:11; Acts 8:26-40; Luke 19:1-10
    Examples: Philip, Paul

The gift of Creative Arts (22)


 

Description: One who has the passion and ability to relate/communicate truth or worship God through creative expressions of physical mediums. One who expresses spiritual truths in creative ways, whether that is art, drama, or dance.

Meaning: an artist
Key Traits: creative, open, insightful, skilled, perceptive, explorator

Characteristics: This is a person who can…

  1. Communicate spiritual truths through creative means
  2. Creatively organize various mediums for the uplifting of the soul
  3. Express verbally inexpressible concepts
  4. Delight in newness
  5. Be able to transcend established patterns or styles



    Cautions/liabilities:

  6. Impatient with less "creative" people.
  7. Can become easily bored.
  8. Must persevere in communities which are not set up to respond to this gift.
  9. May overly de-emphasize the foundational truths or concepts of the faith
  10. May be too independent.


     

    Scripture: Ex. 31; 35:30-36:6; Ex.15:20; Gen. 1
    Examples: Bezalel, Miriam

4.)

The gift of Pastoring (20)


 

Description: The passion and ability to nurture, care for, and guide people towards spiritual maturity. One who cares for the health of other's souls.

Meaning: shepherd
Key Traits: nurturing, protective, relational, persistent, influential, sincere

Characteristics: This is a person who can…

  1. Be trustworthy and someone who people can be open with and confide in.
  2. Provide wise guidance and oversight to a spiritual community
  3. Derive strength from encouraging, supporting, and exhorting the community.
  4. Be more person-centered than task-centered
  5. Exemplify a growing and deepening relationship with Christ


    Cautions/Liabilities:


     

  6. May have a difficult time saying "no" neglecting their primary responsibilities to their family, friends or self.
  7. May hold too tightly to the community, not letting them grow beyond their pastoral control and fighting other worthwhile and helpful influences
  8. May try to control other people in order to "protect" them.
  9. May become too authoritative, forgetting they are part of the community not the head of the community.


    Scripture: Eph. 4:11-12; 1 Peter 5:1-4; John 10:1-18
    Examples: John, James

The gift of Helps

(20)


 

Description: Ability and passion to minister to all people through the provision of physical needs or services Communicates Christ through practical acts of love. Sees meeting physical needs as part of the Good News of Christ.

Meaning: to take the place of someone.
Key Traits: generous, caring, compassionate, active, loving, practical

Characteristics: This is a person who can…


 

  1. See the vital nature of meeting people's needs today
  2. Make the Good News be really good in a practical way
  3. Be often active outside of the specific church in order to work directly with those in need.
  4. Be an advocate for various social causes and seeks to address these
  5. Minister to the whole person, not just a spiritual side.



    Cautions/liabilities:


     

  6. May become overextended physically and/or emotionally
  7. May find it difficult to say "no".
  8. May not properly address root spiritual or psychological problems.
  9. May feel isolated in pursuing their causes.
  10. Must be continually refocused on the theological foundations of the faith.



    Scripture: Isaiah 1:7; James 1:27; Acts 6:1-7
    Examples: the 'Seven' of Acts 6

The gift of Faith

(20)


 

Description: The ability and passion to present truth so as to strengthen, comfort, or urge to action. Able to provide wise and timely counsel, and help point people to the right Spiritual track.

Key Traits: motivating, challenging, positive, affirming, honest, trustworthy, supportive.
Meaning: To come alongside. Also known as Counseling or Encouragement.

Characteristics: This is a person who can…


Encourage and motivate others to practical application of specific Biblical truths

Come alongside those who are troubled and bring encouragement

Motivate spiritual growth

Encourage people to discover who they really are and what they can become

Emphasize God's perspective for the present situation of the community


Cautions/liabilities:

  1. Can be overly optimistic or overly critical
  2. May struggle with follow through
  3. May be insensitive to longer term needs
  4. May be too direct
  5. May jump to conclusions before fully understanding situation


    Scripture: Rom. 12:8; Acts 11:22-24; Acts 15:30-32
    Examples: John, Paul

The gift of Apostleship (20)


 

Description: The ability and passion to start, build spiritual foundations, and oversee the development of new churches or ministries in order to expand the ministry and scope of the Church. One with a vision to go somewhere or do something new to proclaim the Truth of Christ. These are the "marines" of the Church.

Meaning: One who is sent.
Key Traits: Adventurous, persevering, adaptable, risk-taking, entrepreneurial, visionary.

Characteristics: This is a person who can…


 

  1. Pioneer and establish new ministries or churches
  2. Adapt to new and different surroundings
  3. Communicate to unbelievers and believers, drawing each person into a greater depth of understanding and relationship with Christ.
  4. Oversee various ministries and functions within a developing community.
  5. Demonstrate authority and vision for the mission of the Church


    Cautions/liabilities:

  6. May develop problems with power and control
  7. May be competitive with other ministries or leaders.
  8. May mistake personal ambition for the move of the Spirit.
  9. Can become over self-reliant in ministry.
  10. May want to move on to the next project before the present one has a sufficient foundation.


    Scripture: 1 Cor. 12:28-29; Eph. 4:11-12; Rom. 1:5; Acts 13:2-3
    Examples: Peter; Paul

5.)

The gift of Teaching

(19)


 

Description: The ability and passion to understand, clearly explain, and apply truth. One who loves to learn and share their learning in an effective way with others.

Meaning: to instruct.
Key Traits: knowledgeable, engaging, creative, influential, practical, articulate, perceptive

Characteristics: This is a person who can…

  1. Communicate truth in a way which inspires change
  2. Prepare through extended times of study and reflection
  3. Be able to instruct, reprove, correct, and train.
  4. Understand the various styles, resources, methods which are effective in communicating most effectively
  5. Be an authority figure and lead a group, large or small, as a primary speaker


    Cautions/liabilities:

  6. Pride comes from having knowledge (it "puffs up") and in being an person known for having knowledge
  7. Can become unfocused on the mission of the church, teaching information but not Truth.
  8. May want to have all the answers.
  9. May not involve others in the learning process.
  10. May blame others for not "getting it" rather than be willing to change style or method so they will.


    Scripture: Rom. 12:7; 1 Cor. 12:28-29; Acts 18:24-28; 2 Tim. 2:2
    Examples: Priscilla, Aquilla, Apollos, Philip

The gift of Leadership (19)


 

Description: The ability and passion to develop a vision, motivate, and direct people to harmoniously accomplish tasks.

Meaning: to stand before.
Key Traits: influential, visionary, trustworthy, diligent, motivating, see the big picture

Characteristics: This is a person who can…


 

  1. Be able to take responsibility for direction and decisions
  2. Provide vision and direction
  3. Model the values of the ministry
  4. Motivate others to do what they are best at doing
  5. Be someone who people actually follow


    Cautions/liabilities:

  6. May become overly dominant
  7. May become prideful and see the group as their own rather than God's.
  8. Bad, poor, or misdirected leadership can have disastrous consequences for the entire community.
  9. May lead the group to personal interests/goals/passions rather than listening to the Spirit and the community.
  10. Must make sure they are exemplifying a disciplined Spiritual life of their own.


    Scripture: Rom. 12:8; Heb. 13:17; Luke 22:25-26
    Examples: James, Peter, John, Paul

The gift of Compassion/Mercy

(19)


 

Description: The ability to show great compassion for those who are suffering and to seek to come along side them and help to alleviate this suffering. The person who really cares for those in need.

Meaning: to have compassion.

Scripture: Rom. 12:8; Mat. 5:7; Mark 10:46-52; Luke 10:25-37.

Characteristics: This is a person who can…


 

  1. Be sincere in kindness and love for all people
  2. Find joy in comforting those who are sick, suffering, or going through a trying circumstance.
  3. Be willing to come alongside the suffering without recognition in order to help alleviate the suffering.
  4. Reveal their faith in acts of love towards the hurt in the community
  5. Able to be patient in their willingness to comfort others.


    Key Traits: empathetic, caring, responsive, sensitive, kind, loving

    Cautions/liabilities:


     

  6. May be too reliant on emotions in dealing with situations
  7. May have trouble saying "no".
  8. May find themselves being unappreciated by those who are helped.
  9. Must find their strength and value in God not in helping others.
  10. Suffering can be addictive.


    Scripture: Rom. 12:8; Mat. 5:7; Mark 10:46-52; Luke 10:25-37
    Example: Good Samaritan

The gift of Administration

(19)


 

Description: The ability to provide organization for the goals of the body of Christ by designing and executing an efficient plan of action. This includes a strong understanding of how all people can best be utilized to meet these goals.

Meaning: to pilot/steer a ship. The person who actually gets us where we want to go.

Key traits: Thorough; objective; responsible; organized; detail-oriented; efficient; conscientious.

Characteristics: This is a person who can…

  1. Develop strategies or plans to reach identified goals
  2. Assist ministries to become more effective and efficient
  3. Create order out of organizational chaos
  4. Manage or coordinate a variety of responsibilities to accomplish a task
  5. Organize people, tasks, or events


    Cautions/liabilities:


     

  6. May rely on their well-organized plans rather than the Spirit and prayer
  7. May be too careful and block the overall vision with their many specific details.
  8. May be unresponsive to suggestions and changes in plans they have made.
  9. Could use people simply to accomplish goals without being concerned for their growth in the process.


    Scripture: 1 Cor. 12:28, Acts 6:1-7; Ex. 18:13-26
    Examples: Nehemiah


 

Myspace Comments:

I love when you share these things! And it seems right on. I just took one and listed my top 5. Hey - it seems I need to keep a better calendar and myspace does too! It was last night before we realized that it was Erik's birthday. Tim says we should have you guys over soon to celebrate both of you. He's at our church this morning installing blinds and some other manly things :) I hope you guys have a great weekend!

Posted by MNDY on Saturday, August 23, 2008 - 1:05 PM

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