SPIRITUAL GIFT DEFINITIONS PAGE THREE
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Spiritual Gift #11 Prophecy: The gift of prophecy is the ability to receive and proclaim a message from God. It is the ability to proclaim God’s truth in a way relevant to current situations and to envision how God would will things to change. This could involve foretelling future events, though its primary purpose is forth-telling. One who prophesies speaks to people for their strengthening, encouragement, and consolation. The gift provides a word from God to a specific group. A prophet is able to spot the difference between cultural trends in biblical truths. The profit is able to confront people with the truth of the situation. The prophet has a strong sense of duty. The prophet does not worry about what others think. The prophet is usually not inhibited and is very expressive. The prophet believes that change is a natural part of growth. The prophet does not feel the need to be popular. The prophet believes that God has a plan for every person. The prophet is not very patient with people’s problems. Prophecy in the contemporary church has much more to do with giving guidance to the body of Christ or two individuals than it does to foretelling the future. Prophecy is often associated with powerful preaching. Prophecy means making known or speaking out or announcing vital information necessary for spiritual living and development. The gift is mentioned in first Corinthians 12:10, 29 and Ephesians 4:11.
Spiritual Gift # 12 Service: The gift of service comes from the Greek word meaning “deacon” and relates to special acts of servanthood. This gift, unlike the gift of helps, is worship centered whereas the gift of helps is person centered. People with this gift have a strong sense of loyalty to their local church. They enjoy manual tasks and are usually easy-going. They are good listeners and strong team players. They would rather be on a committee then serve as the leader. They feel called to lay ministry. They will stick to tasks until they are completed. They view their life work as a form of worship and live for the building up of their church. Persons with this gift may tend to get overly involved in their local church out of the pure joy they receive from serving. Leaders in the church should take care not to miss use the dedication of lay servants. People with this gift like to go on mission trips. They are very supportive of their leaders and stick to tasks until completed. This gift is closely related to the gift of helps but is more focused on the institution of the church and the organization of the church than on its individual members. This gift is mentioned in Romans 12:7
Spiritual Gift # 13 Shepherd: This gift is the ability to guide and care for other Christians as they experience spiritual growth. This is also called pastor/shepherd and can relate to the call to become an ordained pastor. This gift also is seen in laypersons with shepherding skills. Not all shepherds are ordained. Many shepherds are dedicated laypersons. People with this gift are usually very patient. They are good listeners. They are a jack of all trades. They often pray for others. They love people. They are viewed as authoritative by others. They are more leaders than followers. They are expressive, composed, and sensitive. They like to study. They have a burden to see others learn and grow. They tend to think in terms of groups, teams, and task forces rather than individual personalities. They enjoy encouraging others to develop their faith. They enjoy nurturing and caring for a group of people over a long period of time. They like to see people form long-term, in-depth spiritual relationships. The biblical word for shepherd means to protect, oversee, manage, care for, or to feed. Shepherds have a strong concern for growth and maturity within the members of their church.
Spiritual Gift #14 Teacher: The spiritual gift of teaching is the ability to clearly explain and effectively apply the truth of God’s word so that others will learn. This requires the capacity to accurately interpret Scripture, engage in necessary research, and organize the results in a way that is easily communicated. Teachers love to study the Bible. They listen to other teachers, and often think of alternative ways to present materials. When they teach others are motivated to learn more about the Bible and their faith. They like to relate God’s truth to life in a way that helps people grow and develop. Teachers like to work with groups of people. They are usually technical and methodical. They like charts, graphs, and lists. They have an organized system to store facts. They like to do research. They ask a lot of questions. They are objective thinkers and look for the facts. Teaching comes from the Greek word which means to teach, to instruct, to clarify, to illuminate, or to simplify. Spiritual teaching is more than objective data, more than mere biblical material it is a communication of a subjective experience with the risen Lord. The gift of teaching is given for the building up of the body of Christ, not just the imparting of facts. The gift of teaching and referred to in 1 Corinthians 12:28, and Ephesians 4:11. This gift is also linked to the gift of shepherd and is expressed in the book of Ephesians as pastor/teacher
Spiritual Gift # 15 Wisdom: The gift of wisdom is the ability to apply the principles of the Word of God in a practical way to specific situations and to recommend the best course of action at the best time. The exercise of this gift skillfully distills insight and discernment into excellent advice. People with this gift show a wide range of intelligence about many subjects and ministries. These people are able to act, speak, write, or apply God’s eternal truths to the concrete realities of daily living in ministering to others. People with this gift are not afraid of complex or paradoxical situations. They are often asked for advice. They are known for their depth of understanding. They are able to find simple solutions to complex problems. They are able to cut through to the essence of an issue. They are known as practical people. They are not embarrassed to offer simple answers. They see God as active in all things and in all people. They are interested in a wide range of topics and ministries. This gift is related to the gift of knowledge in the sense of application. Wisdom is more than simply knowing the facts, it is applying the facts appropriately to Christian living. This gift is mentioned in 1 Corinthians 12:8.