 "Now about spiritual gifts, brothers, I do not you to be ignorant" (1 Corinthians 12:1).
Paul is unambiguous, as usual. He makes it clear that this is one dimension of Christian life and ministry that cannot be ignored. Spiritual gifts (Gk, charismata), as controversial as they may be in come circles, are as indispensable to disciples of Jesus as a toolbox is to a carpenter. These "grace gifts" are supernatural resources, given to every true believer, that empower us to bear faithful witness to the Gospel and build up the body of Christ (1 Co 12).
In his Corinthian correspondence, Paul goes on to remind God's people that when we attempt to serve Christ apart from the humble, loving, authentic exercise of these God-given resources, we are dead in the water. All of our best efforts to serve God in our own strength are worth absolutely "nothing" (1 Co 13). As this apostle knew from firsthand experience, any attempts at self-righteous service are ultimately self-defeating. In the end, they wind up in the garbage (Php 3:1-10).
But as we discover our God-given identity in Christ, and as we learn to exercise our gifts and calling in the spirit and character of Christ (Gal 5:22-23), we find that we are enabled to follow Jesus more and more freely, faithfully and fruitfully. As Paul would put it, we are no longer walking in the "flesh," but in the "Spirit." And "where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom" (2 Co 3:17).
If you would like to learn more about your unique, God-given fit for service in the Kingdom, I would encourage you to begin by prayerfully reviewing several lists of spiritual gifts that are recorded in the New Testament (Rm 12:4-8; 1 Co 12:7-11, 27-31; 14:1-5; Eph 4:7-13; 1 Pet 4:8-11). You might also consider completing a thorough spiritual gift assessment, such as the Wagner-Modified Houts Questionnaire. A free, abbreviated version of this assessment tool can be found online at "Gifted 2 Serve".
Since our gifts are designed to be exercised in the context of community, it is always helpful to have a few others complete an "observation assessment" for you as well. Resources such as What You Do Best in the Body of Christ by Bruce Bugbee can serve as a valuable travel guide along the way.
Finally, it often helps to supplement a study of spiritual gifts with an exploration of one's personality type or temperament, such as the "Myers-Briggs Type Indicator" or the "Keirsey Temperament Sorter." For those who would like to go deeper, the Alban Institute has published a brief yet fascinating summary of the impact of temperament on spiritual leadership, based on Myers-Briggs, entitled Personality Type and Religious Leadership.
As we travel further along this road of self-discovery, with the Lord Jesus as our Guide and our fellow believers as traveling companions, may every lesson we learn serve as a catalyst for deeper devotion to Christ and greater blessing to the body of Christ. Then, by His grace, we will one day "reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ" (Eph 4:13). |
Spiritual Gifts |