Spiritual Gifts: A Discernment Process

This Spiritual Gifts Inventory is best used printed off on paper, about 10-12 pages will be needed for this section.

p. 1-2

About the Spiritual Gifts Inventory

The Spiritual Gifts Inventory is only one step in the process of the discernment of gifts. The first steps toward the discernment of spiritual gifts are a basic underlying faith, membership and participation in the Body of Christ. This Spiritual Gifts Inventory is designed to be used by new Christians and church members. It has a definite bent toward service in and through the church. Using this inventory can be a helpful process for those who would like to be involved in the church but who may not know what they have to offer. Full discernment of spiritual gifts requires the prayer support and confirmation of others, conversations about gifts, and times of putting gifts to work in the service of God. We believe this Spiritual Gifts Inventory was developed by Michael Anne Haywood, with much help from Genie Carr, Steve Gambino, The Reverend Virginia Herring, Margaret Moore, Marjorie Northup, Mary at Stillpoint and Jean Woods, June 1998.

Paul writes in First Corinthians:

Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit; and there are varieties of services, but the same Lord; and there are varieties of activities, but it is the same God who activates all of them in everyone. To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good. To one is given through the Spirit the utterance of wisdom, and to another the utterance of knowledge according to the same Spirit, to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by the one Spirit, to another the working of miracles, to another prophecy, to another the discernment of spirits, to another various kinds of tongues, to another the interpretation of tongues. All these are activated by one and the same Spirit, who allots to each one individually just as the Spirit chooses. For just as the body is one and has many members, and all the members of the body, though many, are one body, so it is with Christ..... And God has appointed in the church first apostles, second prophets, third teachers; then deeds of power, then gifts of healing, forms of assistance, forms of leadership, various kinds of tongues.

We begin from the premise that everyone has gifts, useful, even necessary to the work of God in and through the church. The second premise is that the gifts we have are not the same gifts, that each of us has something different that we can offer. In no way can it be construed that any one gift is better than any other gift. All gifts are precious. All gifts are needed in the life and ministry of the church.

We must learn always to find and procure the advantage of God. For God does not give gifts, nor did he ever give one, so that we might keep it and take satisfaction in it; but all were given - all he ever gave on earth or in heaven - that he might give this one more: himself. Therefore I say that we must learn to look through every gift and every event to God and never be content with the thing itself. There is no stopping place in this life - no, nor was there ever one, no matter how far away a person had gone. This above all, then, be ready at all times for the gifts of God and always for new ones.
-- Johannes Eckhart

One means of testing one's ministry is to match it against the fruits of the spirit listed in Galatians: "By contrast, the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control."

Ministry should yield fruit. For instance, if one has the gift of hospitality then having people in one's home should bring forth feelings of love, joy, peace, etc., rather than making one feel anxious, impatient or imposed on.

To take the Spiritual Gifts Inventory, answer each question on its own merits. Use the numbers indicated for the answers, marking them on the Spiritual Gifts Profile sheet (p. 9). Then list your gifts in descending order, noting the score (p.10), and interpret the results. You may want to ask yourself these questions:

Do I agree with the results? Why or why not?
Am I using my strongest gifts? How, or what do I need to do differently?
Are there gifts which I'd like to make stronger? How would I do that?
How does what I have learned from the inventory fit into my ministries?
What does this exercise lead me to do now?

The discernment of gifts is not a solo practice. Your gifts should be affirmed by the community. Discuss your gifts openly with your pastor, a Bible Study group or a spiritual friend. If you encountered surprises, share them. If you have some doubts, discuss them humbly. Ask for feedback, support, or clarification. Contribute to the discernment process for the others in your group.

After you has identified your spiritual gifts, the process of discernment turns to the discernment of your ministry. How will you use these gifts to the glory of God? By serving God in the church and in the community you will begin to live out your baptismal vows and fulfill God's calling on your life.

Spiritual Gifts Inventory

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Instructions For Using the Inventory

(Time: 15 - 20 minutes to take the inventory, a lifetime to use the spiritual gifts.)

1. There are a total of 115 statements below. Use the Spiritual Gifts Profile sheet (p. 9) to take this Inventory. Read each statement in the Inventory. Decide whether you "Strongly Agree", "Agree Somewhat", are "Undecided", "Disagree Somewhat" or "Strongly Disagree" with each statement. Answer spontaneously and honestly. Record the value of each statement by the appropriate number on the Spiritual Gifts Profile sheet.

2. Total your scores for each of the gifts. Each gift will have a score between zero and twenty.

3. Place the value of each gift in descending order of score on Spiritual Gifts Profile sheet, Part 2 (p. 10). Higher scores indicate your more dominant gifts.

4. Use the List of Gifts for further study and consider the questions above on this page.

1) I find great joy in leading people to accomplish group goals.

2) I feel called to be a leader in the church.

3) I look for opportunities to assist people who have trouble doing for themselves.

4) I find that the repair and maintenance of things in my environment come easily to me.

5) It seems easy to perceive whether what a person is doing is honest or dishonest.

6) I enjoy sharing about God with people who are not church-goers.

7) I enjoy motivating people to a higher spiritual commitment.

8) I try to do God's will, even when it's not the popular thing to do.

9) It is very satisfying to me to give generously of my money for God's work.

10) I enjoy the opportunity to pray with and for a person who is physically ill.

11) I like having people in my home.

12) I seem to recognize prayer needs instinctively.

13) I enjoy learning new things of all kinds.

14) I feel great compassion for the problems of others.

15) I adapt easily in a culture different from mine.

16) I like to sing hymns and songs either alone or with other people.

17) I enjoy having the responsibility of leading other people in their spiritual life.

18) I am ready to try the impossible, because I have great trust in God.

19) I like to talk about spirituality with other Christians.

20) I enjoy doing "chores" around the church.

21) I'm excited in helping people to discover important insights in the scriptures.

22) I am communicate easily with people of a different culture or language background.

23) People with spiritual problems have come to me for advice and counsel.

24) People seem to enjoy following my leadership in undertaking an important task.

25) I feel that God gives me wisdom in leading people in spiritual matters.

26) I enjoy helping with the emergency tasks around the Church.

27) I have enjoyed creating various kinds of arts and/or crafts.

28) I seem to have a sense of the direction in which God is leading.

29) I seem able to sense when the Spirit is leading a person to realize the Holy in their lives.

30) I have a knack for bringing out the best in others.

31) I'm willing to keep trying, even when a task is tedious and seems unending.

32) I share my possessions with others willingly.

33) I have prayed with a person who was in distress, and the person was comforted.

34) I do not feel uncomfortable when people drop in unexpectedly.

35) I pray for others often and for significant periods of time.

36) Through study I have learned many helpful insights.

37) Visiting people in retirement homes or the hospital gives me a great satisfaction.

38) It is easy for me to move into a new community and make friends.

39) God has given me the ability to play a musical instrument and I enjoy it.

40) It is exciting to provide spiritual leadership for a congregation.

41) I am often ready to believe God will lead us through a situation which others feel is impossible.

42) I like to share Scripture to comfort or to encourage others.

43) I enjoy doing routine tasks for the glory of God.

44) I have enjoyed teaching individuals and/or classes.

45) I derive spiritual meaning from music, art or nature.

46) I enjoy helping another to find solutions to difficult problems in life.

47) I like to organize people for more effective ministry.

48) I have little fear in leading people in spiritual matters.

49) I don't mind helping people who are sick or disabled.

50) I like to create things with my hands.

51) I seem to have a knack for sensing the difference between truth and error.

52) I am drawn to share my faith in God with others.

53) I like to encourage inactive church members to become involved again.

54) I am sure of God's loving presence, even when things go wrong.

55) I appreciate the opportunity to give of my skills and energy in a critical situation.

56) I feel called to be a part of the healing ministry of the church.

57) People seem to feel very comfortable in my home.

58) God consistently answers my prayers in tangible ways.

59) I have learned much about God from Scripture, books and observing life.

60) I sense joy in comforting people in difficult situations.

61) I am able to relate to and communicate with people of different locations or cultures.

62) I have enjoyed being involved with Church, school and/or local musical productions.

63) I like to assist people with their spiritual problems.

64) I believe that when I am doing God's will, God can and does work through me.

65) I enjoy relating God's Word to the issues of the day and sharing this with others.

66) When there is something to be done for the church, I'm glad to help, but I don't want to be in charge.

67) It seems that people learn readily when I teach them.

68) I can communicate well with people who are limited by a physical or mental handicap.

69) I seem to be able to help people find the truths they seek.

70) I like the challenge of making important decisions.

71) I appreciate the opportunity to share God's word with others.

72) One of my ministries is helping other people to bear their burdens.

73) I like to spend time and money improving and beautifying things in God's creation.

74) I have helped people to discover God's will in their lives.

75) I have sometimes shared spiritual experiences with a neighbor who doesn't attend church.

76) People who are feeling perplexed often come to me for encouragement and comfort.

77) When everyone is discouraged -- even me -- I still trust God.

78) If I cannot give much money to support God's work, I give generously of my time.

79) I feel peace when I am with a person who is sick or injured.

80) When missionaries or church leaders come to our church I like (or would like) to have them come to my home.

81) I faithfully pray for others recognizing that their effectiveness and total well-being depends on God.

82) Knowledge of the Bible and of church teachings helps me to solve problems in daily life and in the life of the church.

83) People seem to think I am a kind, compassionate person.

84) The thought of beginning a new church in a new community is exciting to me.

85) I feel secure that my musical ability will be of benefit to other people with whom I come in contact.

86) People like to bring their troubles & concerns to me because they feel I care.

87) People seem to think of me as one who believes that with God everything is possible.

88) It is important for me to speak out against wrong when I see it in the world.

89) I find more satisfaction in doing a job myself than in finding someone else to do it.

90) One of the joys of my ministry is training people to be more effective in living out their faith.

91) I can make sense of specialized information (like computers, blueprints, accounting, or others).

92) I feel that I have insight in selecting workable alternatives in difficult situations.

93) When I am in a disorganized group, I tend to be the first one to step forward to get us organized.

94) I enjoy training workers in the congregation.

95) If a family is facing a serious crisis, I enjoy the opportunity to help them.

96) I find pleasure in designing, creating or decorating things.

97) I often look beneath the surface and discover richer meanings.

98) I feel a deep concern for the people in my community who have not been attracted by the church.

99) I am sort of like a cheerleader, cheering others on when they are doing something well.

100) Even when it seems that my prayer isn't answered, I keep praying.

101) I give sacrificially of my time, talents and resources because I know that God will meet my needs.

102) I feel strongly that my prayers for a sick person are important.

103) I have opened my home to someone in need.

104) I find myself praying even while I am doing other things.

105) I find it an enjoyable challenge to read and study a difficult book of the Bible.

106) I find great satisfaction in visiting people who are confined to their homes.

107) I have a strong desire to meet people of other communities and countries and to talk about our respective understandings of God.

108) I have a knack for selecting appropriate and inspiring music for worship services or for parish events.

109) I enjoy a close relationship with people in a one to one situation.

110) I will take on a difficult task for the church, because God will give me the ability to see it through.

111) I feel called to stand up for what is right even if it irritates others.

112) I like to do things without attracting much attention.

113) It is easy to organize materials for teaching a Bible class.

114) I have a knack for foreign languages -- or ASL or Braille.

115) I have confidence in dealing with problems.

Spiritual Gifts Profile Sheet, Part 1

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Name___________________________ Date _____________

The numbers on this sheet correspond to the number of the statement in the Inventory. Put your scores for each question into the following table, then compute the sum of each row. This provides your score for each spiritual gift.

1____ 24____ 47____ 70____ 93____ = ____ Administration

2____ 25____ 48____ 71____ 94____ = ____ Apostle

3____ 26____ 49____ 72____ 95____ = ____ Caregiver

4____ 27____ 50____ 73____ 96____ = ____ Craftsmanship

5____ 28____ 51____ 74____ 97____ = ____ Discernment

6____ 29____ 52____ 75____ 98____ = ____ Evangelist

7____ 30____ 53____ 76____ 99____ = ____ Exhortation

8____ 31____ 54____ 77____ 100____ = ____ Faith

9____ 32____ 55____ 78____ 101____ = ____ Giving

10____ 33____ 56____ 79____ 102____ = ____ Healing

11____ 34____ 57____ 80____ 103____ = ____ Hospitality

12____ 35____ 58____ 81____ 104____ = ____ Intercession

13____ 36____ 59____ 82____ 105____ = ____ Knowledge

14____ 37____ 60____ 83____ 106____ = ____ Mercy

15____ 38____ 61____ 84____ 107____ = ____ Missionary

16____ 39____ 62____ 85____ 108____ = ____ Musician

17____ 40____ 63____ 86____ 109____ = ____ Pastor

18____ 41____ 64____ 87____ 110____ = ____ (Deeds of) Power

19____ 42____ 65____ 88____ 111____ = ____ Prophet

20____ 43____ 66____ 89____ 112____ = ____ Serving

21____ 44____ 67____ 90____ 113____ = ____ Teacher

22____ 45____ 68____ 91____ 114____ = ____ Tongues

23____ 46____ 69____ 92____ 115____ = ____ Wisdom

Spiritual Gifts Profile Sheet, Part 2

p. 10

In the spaces below, list your gifts in descending order of score. Use the List of Gifts for further study.

Interpreting the Numbers

20-16 You are either doing this or you should be.

15-11 You could easily do this if you want to.

10-6 You would have to work hard to do this gracefully.

5-0 You probably would not enjoy doing this.

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