How can I know how God has gifted and called me?
/A number of years ago, the Barna group did a survey of self-proclaimed Christians, asking them questions about spiritual gifts. The results of the survey were… not encouraging. For starters, only 68% of the respondents of the survey said that they had even heard of spiritual gifts. But out of those who had heard that the Bible teaches about spiritual gifts, the answers still wouldn’t bless your pastor’s soul.
21% of the respondents claimed that they had spiritual gifts that were not listed in the Bible. Those answers included “a sense of humor, singing, health, life, happiness, patience, a job, a house, compromise, premonition, creativity, and clairvoyance.” Personally, I’d love to talk to the people who claimed to have the spiritual gift of patience. I’d love to sit down and learn from them, because that’s definitely not a gift of mine!
When the survey added together the number of people who did not know their spiritual gifts, those who said they didn’t have one, and those who listed gifts that aren’t biblical, the results showed that among the self-professing Christians who claim to have heard of spiritual gifts, more than two-thirds of them could not properly begin to identify what their gifts may be. Like I said, not the most encouraging results!
Admittedly, figuring out how God has gifted and called you is a daunting task. There’s a myriad of quizzes, tests and surveys you can take online, but many times the results of the quizzes just cause more confusion. So here at The After Church, we’re starting a sermon series entitled “New Year, New You," intended to help you equip you to start the journey to learning your giftedness and walking in your calling. The first sermon of the series can be found at this link: https://www.facebook.com/theafterchurch/videos/1614391692705721
During that sermon, Pastor Sweh gave the first of a number of resources to help you in your quest. That resource is a Venn diagram produced by The Summit Church. And in our opinion, it’s a great start, and one of the best resources we’ve found!
Here’s how to use this resource, and we encourage you to take time to prayerfully examine yourself as you do:
The first circle is “Ability.” You begin by asking the question, “what am I good at?” One of the weaknesses of the typical spiritual gifts test is that it leaves out your practical talents! Now, it’s important to note that your talents aren’t your spiritual gift; but your talents are still important. For example, you may be a very talented singer, athlete, or artist. This doesn’t mean that God has given you the spiritual gift of singing, but he may end up using singing to give you a platform to use whatever gift he has given you, like leadership, teaching, or encouragement. Your talents will often lead to your vocation or your hobbies, and it is precisely in the places where you spend the most of your time that your giftedness is intended to be used.
The second circle is “Affinity.” This invites you to examine what you are passionate about. What excites you? What types of activities bring you joy, and the feeling of accomplishment? In the context of church ministries, what things have you enjoyed doing in the past? Maybe you’re the type of person who loves working with children (I’m not). Maybe you’ve served on a tech team and loved it. Maybe you’ve organized events, or served in a homeless shelter, or hosted a small group at your house. More than likely, the Lord’s calling for your life is going to include things that he designed you to be passionate about. Some things you have an affinity for will just be for your own refreshment, and some things will also be for the refreshment of others. Perhaps you’re like me, and you’re passionate about laying on the couch and watching Netflix. That’s probably something for your own refreshment!
The last circle is “Affirmation.” And this is where you bring in the people who know you best, and have observed you over time. In this, we invite you to ask the question, “Where have people affirmed you in the past, as it relates to ministry?” Maybe you’ve heard people say to you multiple times that you’re a great listener. Maybe you’ve been affirmed in how well you serve others, or how generous you are, or how others have learned from you. Take time to think about the affirmations you’ve received in the past, and then ask a few trusted people for their opinion now. Perhaps your spouse, or a parent, or a close friend. Ask them, “What do you think I’m gifted in? Where have you seen God use me in the past?”
Taken together, these three circles meet together to show, hopefully, where you might be gifted. And this information can also help you figure out what types of things you might be called to. So here’s what I invite you to prayerfully consider doing:
Take time to prayerfully examine yourself in each of the three circles. Write down your answers
Identify some people whose opinions are reliable, and ask them to prayerfully consider how they would answer these categories for you. Share with them what you’ve written, and ask for their input.
Commit yourself to a journey of serving the Lord, and following his direction one step at a time. Quite likely, most people will serve in multiple areas before figuring out where they best fit in the church. Oftentimes we learn as we serve. So if we’re committed to serving, it will only be a matter of time before we find our giftedness
I’m thrilled for you to begin this journey! Remember that you are called to be in community. Church (and the rest of your life!) is intended to be a place where you are served, and where you serve others. Let’s commit to serving the Lord together! Please reach out to me if there’s any way I can help you on this path. I can’t wait to see what the Lord has in store!
- Pastor Sweh