Spiritual Gifts
Each of you should give what you have decided in your heart to give. II Corinthians 9:7Every child of God is filled with the power of the Holy Spirit, specially gifted to play a unique and valued role in the body of Christ. No one is without gift or purpose.
Spiritual gifts are not our talents or skills. They are the grace of God at work within us, empowering us to match our deep passions with the world’s deep need. The gifts are given to individuals, but they are given to build and strengthen community and to meet the needs of those around us.
Begin the journey. Discover your gifts. Talk about your gifts with others. Strive together to understand your gifts and how you can use them to serve God, your neighbor, and world. You have been gifted. You have been given a purpose.
While all of life is a gift from God, the twenty gifts below are lifted up within Scripture as the gifts of the Spirit, given specifically for the upbuilding of the body of Christ.
Administration
The gift of administration allows a person to organize people and resources for greater efficiency, effectiveness, and success.
Apostleship
The gift of apostleship compels people to reach out to new and unfamiliar groups and individuals to invite them into relationship with God and community.
Compassion
The gift of compassion moves people to action on behalf of those in need.
Discernment
Discernment is a gift of deep intuition and insight.
Evangelism
The gift of evangelism is the gift of faith-sharing and proclaiming the gospel of Jesus Christ to those we meet.
Exhortation
The gift of exhortation is manifest in people who offer encouragement, wise counsel, unflagging support, and empowerment.
Faith
The gift of faith is more than belief in Jesus Christ, but an abiding foundation of confidence that God works all things together for good, and that they people of God can rise above any obstacle.
Giving
The gift of giving is the deep commitment to provide whatever resources are needed to support God’s will and plan.
Healing
The gift of healing is not about transferring spiritual power to eliminate suffering and disease, but the ability to channel God’s grace and healing love to those who suffer physical, emotional, or spiritual pain.
Helping
Helping is a gift of support and behind-the-scenes effort that make groups, families, and congregations more effective.
Interpretation of Tongues
Those who are gifted to interpret tongues help build bridges across cultural, generational, and language divides.
Knowledge
The gift of knowledge allows people to automatically convert facts, data, and information into useful and important knowledge.
Leadership
The gift of leadership is a visionary, and forward looking gift that enables people to stay focused on where God might be leading us as individuals, congregations, and communities at any given time.
Miracles
Those gifted with miracles never doubt the power and presence of God in creation, and are able to help others see and believe in God’s power.
Prophecy
The gift of prophecy is the ability to speak God’s word to others, or more appropriately to be open for God to speak God’s word through us.
Servanthood
Servanthood is the gift of doing for others, sometimes to the exclusion of meeting personal needs.
Shepherding
The gift of shepherding is the gift of mentoring and providing spiritual guidance to others to help them develop in the discipleship and faith formation.
Teaching
The gift of teaching allows people to transform data and information into life changing knowledge.
Tongues
The gift of tongues is a communication gift that allows people to speak foreign languages and convey concepts they never formally studied.
Wisdom
The gift of wisdom allows people to understand deeper meaning and apply knowledge, beliefs, and experience to everyday situations.