The SHAPE series at TrueNorth Church has brought back memories of the Network book we studied before we launched the church. The core group was given a spiritual gifts assessment to see what exactly this small group of people was gifted to do. In case you didn't know, I love surveys and polls and assessments and evaluations, so I was all over this assignment! Once I tallied my results, I was surprised when I saw the outcome of my spiritual gifts. Thinking that I may have been too hard or too easy on myself, I asked Alan to evaluate me as well. The outcome was pretty close to what I came up with...my top three spiritual gifts were Administration, Knowledge, and Helps.
Three and a half years later, the SHAPE series has allowed me to reassess myself with another evaluation. I decided to use the same Network evaluation for consistency-sake. This time around, I discovered my top three gifts to be Adminstration, Leadership, and Helps.
Why the difference? I don't think our spiritual gifts change. I think what changes is our DISCOVERY of these gifts. Ephesians 2:10 says, "For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them."
Three and a half years later, the SHAPE series has allowed me to reassess myself with another evaluation. I decided to use the same Network evaluation for consistency-sake. This time around, I discovered my top three gifts to be Adminstration, Leadership, and Helps.
Why the difference? I don't think our spiritual gifts change. I think what changes is our DISCOVERY of these gifts. Ephesians 2:10 says, "For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them."
As Christians, discovering our spiritual gifts does not get us off the hook with our responsibility of exercising those qualities that are near the bottom of the list. Just because Evangelism and Intercession might not be in my top three, I still have a responsibility to share my faith and pray for others. These things just may not be my GIFTS.
As we grow and develop and USE our gifts, we will have a clearer understanding of how God has shaped us to serve in His church. Make sure you don't miss the rest of the SHAPE series because...IT'S ALL ABOUT YOU!
As we grow and develop and USE our gifts, we will have a clearer understanding of how God has shaped us to serve in His church. Make sure you don't miss the rest of the SHAPE series because...IT'S ALL ABOUT YOU!
No comments:
Post a Comment