Page 75 - BMIN191 Beginnning Internship

The Nature of Ministry 75

The Discovery
As one who is given to the church to equip the saints for ministry, a minister
bears the responsibility of helping individuals discover their gifts and providing
the means for their use. There are numerous tools to assist the minister in this
task, but the process needs to be guided by basic common sense, as well.
First, the people should be instructed to consider what are the areas of
ministry they find appealing. Usually this works out to be areas that bring
satisfaction and joy to the individual’s heart. Second, they may consider areas
where success has been experienced. If someone has served as a teacher and been
effective in that role, he or she may possess that gift. If, however, the experience
has brought mixed results, one may conclude that more experience or training is
needed, or that the individual’s gifts may lie elsewhere.
25 Why should a minister Third, opportunity for testing should be provided. Individuals need the
allow each individual to opportunity to try various ministry efforts to see where they can find success.
conclude where his or her Seldom do individuals determine their gifts without some trial and error.
gifts lie?
Finally, the individuals should be allowed to reach their own conclusions.
Overly aggressive ministers can use guilt as an unfair motivator to get people
26 Who has been a help to
you in discovering your own involved in areas where they are uncertain. Rarely does such an effort bring
gifts, and how did he or she positive results. Individuals should be able to indicate their own sense of how
help? God has equipped them, and the role of the minister should be to affirm or
redirect their conclusions where necessary.
Summary

God equips His church for the work of His kingdom through the use of
various gifts. Some of these gifts come in the form of people and the role they
will fill throughout their lives while others are momentary gifts to meet the
challenge of specific circumstances. Still others will take the shape of abilities
that are useful for the work of the church.
The apostle Paul provides us the lists for these gifts in his letters to Ephesus,
Corinth, and Rome. While these lists are not exhaustive, they represent the needs
of the early church and demonstrate how God has provided whatever His church
needs to fulfill His mission. Whatever the gift or gifts, each believer should serve
in it with a desire to bring glory to God and not to receive personal praise. The
goal of each gift is to impact the lives of others for God’s purposes.