As we are bondslaves of Christ, it is obvious that our gifts must be dedicated to his service and employed in the church, and not entirely devoted to our earthly wellbeing. The progress of our spiritual life depends upon this.

The truth that each believer has certain special gifts from the Lord is asserted in a number of Bible passages. ‘Unto every one of us,’ says Paul, ‘is given grace according to the measure of the gift of Christ’ (Ephesians 4.7). He says that different gifts are distributed among us (Romans 12.6; 1 Corinthians 12.6).

We are surely intended to recognise these gifts, and to employ them. ‘As every man hath received the gift,’ says Peter, ‘even so ­minister the same one to another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God’ (1 Peter 4.10). Paul says much the same in writing to Timothy – ‘Neglect not the gift that is in thee’ (1 Timothy 4.14).

Numerous gifts

It is a great shame that when we speak of gifts we sometimes think only of sign-gifts, the miraculous gifts of the early church, and gifts to preach. The gifts of which Paul and Peter speak obviously go beyond these. They include ‘natural’ abilities (often increased and refined by God at the time of conversion), and also gifts of ‘opportunity’. In one list of gifts Paul includes the gift of ruling, the ability to care for others, and the responsibility of large stewardship (Romans 12.8).

This article will mention twenty-one possible gifts, although there are probably more. It seems to this writer, but only on the basis of personal reflection, that every child of God probably has in some degree about a third of them. A few may possess more, but the interdependence of believers (suggested in such passages as Ephesians 4.16 and Colossians 2.19 ) points to a somewhat even distribution of abilities. The Lord has probably put us all on the same footing, so that each believer has roughly the same number as another, and we therefore depend upon each other to make up a whole complement of abilities. This is a humbling as well as an uplifting probability. We are all significant, and must all exercise the gifts entrusted to us.

Before we list those special abilities, three brief points must be made. First, gifts are not given for our personal benefit, but for the advance of the church. When Paul mentions the gifts of apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors and teachers, he says they were given, ‘For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ.’ They were intended to bring churches to maturity, to ‘the ­stature of the fulness of Christ’ (Ephesians 4.12-13). They were also given for the protection of the church: ‘That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro’ (Ephesians 4.14). This applies to all gifts or abilities given to believers. They are for the benefit of the church.

Secondly, the gifts of believers are to be employed in evangelism. Paul says: ‘From whom [Christ] the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love’ (Ephesians 4.16). When all the gifts of members are employed, the church will grow.

Thirdly, most of these gifts are possessed by every Christian at least to some small degree. As we proceed through the following list, readers may think, ‘Surely every Christian should do this.’ An obvious example is the gift to witness. There is no doubt, however, that a special portion of each ability is distributed by God among believers, according to his will, and they should recognise this, and respond. We now list some of the gifts distributed around the people of God.

The teaching gift

The first to be noted is the gift to teach. Every believer can teach to some extent. We teach our own children, and we explain things to one another. But there are some who possess a distinctive ability for this. They expound the Word, exhort the people and publicly reason with sinners to be saved. They, perhaps, can see the message in the Scripture more readily than others.

Yet this teaching gift is not restricted to preachers. Many have a great gift for teaching young people and children. Indeed, there are many good preachers who are no use at all for teaching children. One of the most noted preachers of the 20th century told of how he gave an address to children early in his ministry, and afterwards his wife told him he must never try it again. He complied, and never again spoke to children. The Lord has equipped many to reach children, who cannot teach adults.

This writer has known several people who have been remarkable teachers of children, so much so that they could quell and hold spellbound the most unruly gatherings. Yet he would never have imagined they possessed such power before seeing them in action. There are more gifted teachers than we sometimes realise, but they will never be apparent unless we watch for them. The Lord commanded all his people, saying, ‘Pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he would send forth labourers into his harvest’ (Luke 10.2). If we pray and watch, we might discover many capable people in our midst.

Another gift to be mentioned is that of shepherding. Sometimes shepherds are the least noticed people in a church fellowship, and yet they accomplish so much. This ability, like teaching, is often unexpected. There are people who are very retiring and unobtrusive, and you would never think of them as having a great influence upon others. Then you discover that they are among the most effective shepherds. They know how to engage and encourage others in a right and acceptable spirit. They have an eye for what is needed, and they possess the humility, gentleness and warmth to give vital help. Of course, all should possess this grace, but for some it is a special gift. They know how to advise, when to advise, and when not to advise. They know how to console, to comfort, to admonish, without a trace of hectoring or superiority.

The gift to help

Some of the major troubles experienced in churches occur because people admonish others on sensitive issues when they have no real gift. In no time they set up shock waves of reaction and offence. Shepherding is a great gift to the church. Perhaps the reader has such a gift. The possibility should not excite anyone to pride, after all, what is one gift among many? But if we recognise that we have a concern for others, and can see how they may be approached, and God gives us grace, then we have a responsibility to yield that gift to the service of the Lord.

The gifted shepherd is never a busybody, interfering in other people’s lives in order to ‘run’ them. The true shepherd has the humility to know when a person should be referred to a pastor or elder. The gift is unobtrusively exercised, without drawing attention to the shepherd. This may well be the gift mentioned in 1 Corinthians 12.28 – helps. But what kind of helps? They would be people of exceptional sensitivity and kindness, who possess the gift of friendship. They would have compassion for the fallen, sympathy for the troubled and great gentleness in the way they go about helping. Those helped would not see them as counsellors, but as friends. There is a special grace about them, and without them a fellowship is poor indeed.

Rare discernment

Another highly valuable gift is the capacity for discernment. Every Christian has a measure of this, but some seem to have a most acute faculty. They may have a keen sense of danger, seeing problems long before others perceive them. It may be that a church is organising something, perhaps a children’s activity, when a far-sighted member of the group will see a potential problem, or an omission, which must be taken account of.

There are cases where a person with a sense of spiritual danger would have saved a church from doctrinal disaster. Many years ago I knew a church that lost its minister, and another was to be called. The church became very attached to a young man who, however, was on an entirely different theological wavelength. Most of the members were too struck by his outgoing personality to notice his deficiencies, but there were one or two members who saw the danger very clearly, realising that this candidate possessed a woefully low view of Scripture, and a readiness to follow liberal and worldly trends.

One of these cautious brethren, an elderly, retired man who had served as a deacon, tried to bring the problem to the attention of the church leaders, but they would not listen. When the proposed appointment was discussed in a church meeting, this elderly brother expressed his concerns, but he was met with murmurs of impatience and disapproval. People did not want to listen. His fears were given no consideration. The young man was called as pastor, and the church eventually lost all depth of teaching and fell into the hands of the charismatic movement. One person saw the issues clearly, but his discernment was neither valued nor heeded. All the ‘gifts’ are important to a church, and people who see issues and their implications are precious. (When we speak of people gifted with special discernment, we do not of course mean those who are merely negative and critical about everything.)

Yet another gift is that of organisation. This extends beyond problem solving. There are people who can take up a proposed plan (not necessarily their own), and show how it can best be implemented. We need the gift of organisation to a special degree in church life because our workforce is composed almost ­entirely of volunteers, and this gives rise to numerous complications.

The organiser

It may be that a church operates a large Sunday School. Historically, churches have often had Sunday Schools as large as day-schools. We thank God for people who make it all work happily and harmoniously. Of course the organiser is dependent upon teachers and other workers for success, and should not be seen as a supremely special person, for that would give rise to great pride, and create a caste system in the church.

Yet another special ability, is that of responsibility. Every Christian should be responsible, but there are those who notice before anyone else that classes are falling in size, or that vital things are not being done, and they feel about it. Such people are the ones who are sure to turn out lights and lock doors. They are the most diligent at visiting their Sunday School children, and everyone recognises that they have ‘a safe pair of hands’. They have the gift of responsibility and they cannot rest until their commitments are honoured. Responsibility is needed throughout the church, and it is certainly a prime qualification for office.

The special gift of witness

A notable gift is a special ability for witness. There are some who have better opportunities on account of where they work or who they mix with. They have access to many people, either at work or in college, and for them there may be a good openness to witness. While every believer must witness, for these people it is clearly their ministry. They possess an unusual capability. They are at ease in the work of witness. They enjoy ready acceptance with people and often have a natural fluency. They interact sympathetically and effectively, and seem unaffected by shyness. Anyone who has such a gift should not feel proud, but accountable. If God has bestowed such a gift it must be exercised, with prayer.

Another gift is that of empathy. Some Christians possess a strong natural relationship with certain categories of people. We have already referred to certain Sunday School teachers who, if we may put it like this, seem to have the power to cast a spell over children. They relate very naturally to them. Their gift cuts through all barriers, enabling them to control a class, however excitable. Others relate particularly well to the elderly; others with teenagers, so often on edge with those outside their peer group. The gift of empathy seems to equip possessors with an instinct for how to behave. They slip into a group as though they have known them for years and are accepted. Anyone who has received an ability for ease of association ought to be exercising it. How shall we face the Lord if such a gift has been allowed to lie dormant for years?

The gift of recollection

We now come to a gift which covers many talents. Virtually every believer has some mental gift, either with figures, or with languages, or with writing, and we should seek a way of exercising our mental capacity to the glory of God. In particular we shall comment here on the gift of memory. Some people have astonishing powers of recollection. They can remember names, faces, and circumstances of people in great detail. What a tragedy if that gift only fuels gossip and ‘small talk’!

People sometimes talk to one another for hours about the affairs of others. Their remarkable memories are wasted, because they are not applied to the needs of other believers, or the progress of people under spiritual impressions. An excellent memory is a gift which is greatly refined by conversion. It is not for chitter-chatter and irrelevancies. Of course there has to be some ‘small talk’ in life, but the precious gift of recall is chiefly to be exercised in the work of God.

Another great gift is imagination or vision (but not having visions). Those equipped with this are seldom short of ideas for how teaching may be presented, or an impact made on the community. Bold visionaries are usually the first to see possibilities. If they head departments for the young they will always have something ­different in mind, in terms of special messages, themes or visual aids. Operating within the bounds of biblical orthodoxy, vision is a priceless gift of imagination. Unfortunately some possessors only exercise their gift at home. They decorate, then decorate again; they innovate and extend; but they never dream dreams about the work of the Lord. It would be much better for them to paint everything at home in one colour, and then apply their imagination to the work of the Lord.

Gift of strong feelings

Yet another valuable gift is that of strong feeling. How we value those who feel deeply about matters! They possess infectious enthusiasm and inject a welcome vigour and impetus into the work of God. They provide an example of strong emotional commitment, inspiring and motivating everyone with their warmth. When soul-searching and sorrow is called for, such people lead the way in this also. We are certainly glad everyone is not the same, because that would be overwhelming, but this gift can be one of the most important in the building of an active and sincere church.

This gift is balanced by another, the gift of a cool brain. After speaking with someone who possesses strong feelings, we sometimes find the cool-brained person a cold fish, but this is unfair. Such people may be as feelingful as anyone else, but it is locked inside them. They have a cautious mind and a reflective way of thinking. They are analytical, and often meticulous for detail. They are an anchor in the fellowship, giving stability, and acting as the cement that holds things together. They calm down enthusiasm when it runs to excess, not because they are negative people or ‘wet blankets’, but because they value realism. The one with strong feelings pours in enthusiasm, while the cooler person analyses and perfects matters. We need this blend of capacities and gifts.

Yet another gift is the ability to work. People so gifted have within them great energy and drive. This gift is different from enthusiasm, because the enthusiast may lead the field in emotional commitment, but may lack the strength to see a project through to the end, ­maintaining the effort. Some people are amazing workers. In some cases you wonder how their bodies can physically take it, because they are always on the go, seemingly having unlimited supplies of strength. What a blessing it is to have a scattering of people who have undying stamina. If you are gifted with this mental and physical discipline and application make sure it is applied to the Lord’s work. Is it mainly directed outside the work of God, or is it directed within?

Unusual strength for trial

Some believers have unusual strength for trial. They are not just stoics, but they can stand up under great pressure. They can be patient in the most troubling circumstances. Whatever is hurled at them, or at the church, they will be sure to stand, and to show the rest of us how to stand also. They do not go to pieces. They are like extra buoyancy in a ship passing through turbulent seas. They have a gift combining patience, faith, courage and commitment to a high degree. Every fellowship needs those with such capacities as these.

A gift always appreciated among believers is the gift of humour. Humour goes hand in hand with the gift of cheerfulness, but they are different, because you can be cheerful without having a particularly productive sense of humour. Godly humour and cheerfulness lift people up, and help to keep difficult times sweet.

Special faith in prayer

Some believers have the gift of special faith in prayer. I speak very carefully about this, because every child of God has the gift of prayer, but there is such a thing in Scripture as the gift of faith. Those who possess it have an unusually fruitful ministry of prayer. It is a calling, and they must exercise that gift.

Every believer also has the gift of stewardship, but there are some who have opportunities and provisions beyond the normal. God so guides them in life that they are prospered for this ministry. They are able to ­deploy their resources and substance to the glory of God in a large way. They have the power to maintain stewarding priorities, and God also gives them a humble mind, so that they do not use their wealth to buy influence, favours or reputation. ‘He that giveth,’ says the apostle, must do so ‘with simplicity’, that is, without any desire to be noticed and regarded for it, or to gain favour.

A similar gift is a special ability to handle elevation in life. We must all resist the temptations which come through success, but some people are especially strengthened to resist the pride, flattery, authority and self-pampering that comes with great promotion and prosperity. These are the people who God may place in positions of authority and privilege in society. They know how to contain and restrict themselves, and live with potentially dangerous advantages. They have the capacity to cope without being puffed up or becoming selfish.

Equally, there are those who have a powerful ability to handle deprivation, such as the apostle Paul. Pioneer missionaries especially need such a gift.

Some have the gift of music. I will not go into this to any extent, but ungifted believers envy those who are equipped with fine voices and excellent musical control. They are able to sing so well, but sometimes they do not exercise their gift. We are not talking about solos and choirs, but swelling the praise of God’s people, and inspiring the young to sing. We are all accountable for what we do with our gifts and abilities.

There is also the gift of producing beauty. I am not referring to people who look beautiful, but those who seem to know what is beautiful. They know instinctively what colour to paint things, or how to arrange things. Possessors have a capacity to inject into Christian service, and into life in general, something rewarding to the human mind. They keep us off the rocks of ugliness and offensiveness. In our work for the Lord, even the laying out of literature, or of Sunday School displays, requires those who can work their arts to achieve good results.

There are many gifts or propensities, and we have suggested that no one has many more or less than anyone else, because the Lord has made us dependent upon each other as a mutually interdependent society. It is also worth reflecting that there may be gender evenness in the distribution of gifts. We must see the importance of our own gifts, and at the same time value the gifts of others. We should always keep in mind that gifts are presents, not being produced by our own ingenuity. We are responsible for how we employ them, and we must improve them by use. Pray for the use of whatever gifts you have. Remember above all that they are for the efficiency, enlargement and comfort of the Church of Jesus Christ.

Reviewing the phases of life

It is a good thing to mark each decade of life with a review of what has been done with God-given aptitudes. When you pass out of your teens, you may have deep regrets for having neglected the exercise of your gifts. If you are in teenage you probably have greater opportunity to mix easily with other people than you will ever have in the future. Relating to people is easier. Resistance to the message of God may be less severe. You interact with peers before hardening of the heart makes them unapproachable. This is a precious time, and you may one day say, ‘What did I do with those precious years?’ Don’t stroll through these years squandering these short-lived opportunities.

The time of energy

If you are in your twenties you have great energy, and the liberty to throw yourself into the corporate work of your church more than others. A spouse or children may not yet be part of your life. What will you have to show for your twenties?

Perhaps you now have a family, and are in your thirties. You have acquired more experience and new connections in your career. In your church, you may now have the scope to lead departments. Younger people respect you in a special way, because you are ahead of them, and yet near to them. What are you doing with your thirties? Are all your powers given to the work of God?

If you are in your forties, you are in a golden time of life. You now combine in your potential usefulness the best of everything. People respect you, your word can count, and your example will be followed. You are experienced and knowledgeable. You are in your early prime. In your fifties you will have more experience, but right now you combine knowledge with energy. You have many of an older person’s attributes, united with a younger person’s vitality. Will you one day look back in regret, because this priceless decade of your life passed in wasted years?

The liberated time of life

If you are in your fifties, your children may have grown up and do not need constant attention. This is very liberating. Now you have considerable experience, and being older, you can counsel and help others without appearing patronising. You may have greater substance for stewardship. Certainly, energy may begin to fade, and, for some, sicknesses be more frequent, but so much can still be done. Do not let the time go by, so that one day you will be harassed by vain regrets.

Value your abilities and opportunities. Praise God that he equips all his people to serve. Remain humble at all costs. Do not let the church of which you are a vital part limp along with your contribution missing. Let every man and woman employ their precious gifts all the way to glory. Without dedication of our gifts, how can we expect the blessing of communion with the Lord in the spiritual life?

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