CCF

There are two main types of gifts: speaking and serving.

SERVING GIFTS:

Serving (Rom 12:7a)
1. Definition: Gk. diakonía = The ability to bring what you have to bear to accomplish the task at hand.
2. People with this gift are task-oriented and see great value in taking care of the things most people wouldn’t notice or care about.
3. People with this gift are willing (and often prefer) to work outside of the spotlight.
4. People with this gift are motivated by an internal sense of godly responsibility toward the details (they love to-do lists).

SERVING GIFTS:

Helping (1 Cor. 12:28f)
1. Definition: Gk. antílēmpsis = helpful deeds, assistance
a. Gk. antí = against, opposite
b. Gk. lēmpsis = receive
c. The opposite of receiving, giving, taking another’s burden an making it one’s own
2. Like the gift of serving, a person with this gift sees a need and fills a need.
3. A person with this gift tends to be task driven and find great satisfaction with unburdening others with the help they provide.

SERVING GIFTS:

Showing mercy (Rom. 12:8d)
1. Definition: Gk. eleáō = to show kindness, concern
2. A person with this gift is divinely endowed with special sensitivity to suffering and sorrow, with the ability to notice misery and distress that may go unnoticed by others, and with the desire and means to help alleviate such afflictions. This gift involves much more than sympathetic feeling. It is feeling put into action.
3. People with this gift are willing to break through cultural barriers and overlook character flaws in order to minister to those in need.
4. People with this gift will be more willing to offer an act of kindness rather than a rebuke or statement of truth (even though that might also be needed).
5. Caution: Do it cheerfully/hilariously (cf. “cheerful” givers). Because you are always giving out, be careful that you do not grow weary and develop a begrudging spirit that communicates that the person on the receiving end of your gift that the mercy given is a debt instead of a cause for joy.

SERVING GIFTS:

Giving (Rom. 12:8b)
1. Definition: Gk. metadídōmi = beyond sharing
a. Gk. meta (beyond)
b. Gk. dídōmi = to give, to share
c. While we are all called to be generous and to share what we have with others, this person is “wired” for above-and-beyond generosity.
2. The supernatural ability provide through financial means to meet physical (and spiritual) needs.
3. Sometimes, this will manifest with a person giving to someone financially at the urging of the Spirit without knowing the need.
4. They understand the use of money as it applies to the Kingdom of God.
5. They love to give - and tend to do so anonymously. They also tend to give strategically.
6. Caution: Give sincerely/single-mindedly - let your focus be on being God’s conduit for meeting a need rather than personal recognition.

SERVING GIFTS:

Faith (1 Cor. 12:9a)
1. Definition: Gk. pístis = different from regular saving faith (which all Christians have)
2. This category of giftedness is limited to certain Christians and has to do with an intensive ability to trust God in difficult and demanding ways. It is the ability to trust Him in the face of overwhelming obstacles and human impossibilities.
3. Those with the gift of faith have a special ability to lay claim on the promises of God.
4. People with this gifting tend to be the prayer warriors in the church. These people are often drawn to evangelism or church planting.
5. These people see God’s future victory where others see only obstacles (e.g. Elisha’s servant - 2 Kings 6:16-17)

SERVING GIFTS:

Leading/Influencing (Rom. 12:8c)
1. Definition: Gk. proístēmi = to lead, manage, care for, rule over
a. Elders and deacons are called to do this well for their families - and we all are called to do this for ourselves with regard to our own spirituality.
g. This is the special, supernatural gifting to provide leadership in and for the church body.
2. The God-given ability to lead believers toward a common goal.
3. People with this gift tend to have the ability to creates systems to move people toward that goal.
4. People with this gift are frustrated by poorly organized events and poor leadership.
5. These people tend to believe that can accomplish anything with the right team or people.
6. Caution: Be diligent! Because you are gifted in this area, you might have the tendency to skate by with less effort than most. Don’t do it! God is calling for your best effort because He can accomplish great things through those you lead if you will lead them diligently.

SERVING GIFTS:

Guidance (1 Cor.12:28g)
1. Defintion: Gk. kubérnēsis = acts of guidance
a. A maritime term used for piloting a ship.
b. The helmsman was a popular image for one who leads and pilots the ship steadily through the waves.
2. Supernaturally-given wise counsel for individuals or churches.
3. While, some versions translate this as the gift of “leadership” or “administration,” this is different from the gift of leadership in Rom. 12:8 (poístēmi).
4. It refers to the gift of setting the direction and guiding a community, not just employing “administrative skills…” formulating church strategy so that it heads in the right direction.
5. A person with this gift would likely be found leading or serving as the primary advisor to a leader.
6. People with this gift are not always the main leader, but they are sought after for their wisdom, guidance, and direction.

SPEAKING GIFTS:

A message of wisdom (1 Cor. 12:8a)
1. Definition: Gk. lógos sophía = wisdom word
- This seems to be a special message of God-given wisdom to speak into a situation or to speak regarding the mysterious purposes and workings of God.
2. These people have the unique ability to speak wisdom from God - through God’s Word, commentaries, writings, and personal experience - into a specific circumstance (either for an individual or for a church).
3. Often, this gift works hand-in-hand with the gifts of prophecy/preaching and teaching.
4. People with this gift are often sought after because of their wise counsel and sage advise. Like the mercy-showers and the encouragers, these people tend to be good listeners and have unique, God-given insight into the people or organizations they counsel.

SPEAKING GIFTS:

A message of knowledge (1 Cor. 2:8b)
1. Definition: Gk. lógos gnosis = knowledge word
- This seems to be a special message of God-given knowledge to apply a situation or special knowledge regarding the working of God.
2. These people have the unique ability to perceive and understand the truth of Scripture and apply it to a given situation or circumstance.
3. Like a message of wisdom, this gift often works hand-in-hand with the gifts of prophecy/preaching and teaching.
4. People with this gift are often sought after because of their wise counsel and sage advise. Like the mercy-showers and the encouragers, these people tend to be good listeners and have unique, God-given insight into the people or organizations they counsel.

SPEAKING GIFTS:

Discernment (Distinguishing between spirits) (1 Cor. 12:10c)
1. Definition: Gk. diakrísis pneúma = spirit discernment, judgment, deciding
2. A person with this gift can sense when something that seems on the surface to be biblical is actually a clever counterfeit (that might deceive most believers).
3. A person with the gift has the ability to sniff out spiritual baloney - even when it is wrapped in what seems to be a wrapper of truth.
4. Caution: If you have this gift, be careful not to develop a critical, proud, or self-righteous spirit. Used in the flesh, this gift can easily become judgmental rather than helpful, corrective, and protective.

SPEAKING GIFTS:

Encouragement (Rom 12:8a)
1. Definition: Gk. parakaléō = Someone who is “called alongside” another person.
a. Gk. para = beside, next to, near to
b. Gk. kaléō = called, summoned, invited
2. This person functions in almost a “Holy Spirit” sort of way - as one who knows how to encourage and exhort others to walk in faith and grow in their walk with the Lord.
3. This gift may be exercised in helping someone carry a burden that is too heavy to bear alone.
4. This person is dedicated to boosting and encouraging others
5. They tend to be great listeners - they make you feel like a million bucks!

SPEAKING GIFTS:

Teaching (Rom 12:7b)
1. Definition: Gk. didáskō = to provide instruction in a formal or informal setting
2. The ability to break down truth so that it is understandable.
3. The difference between teaching, prophecy, and exhortation:
a. Prophecy/preaching proclaims the truth.
b. Teaching systematizes and explains the truth.
c. Exhortation calls believers to obey and follow the truth.
4. A person with this gift can take complex ideas and make them easy to understand.
5. A person with this gift will not tell you the time - they will build you a watch.

SPEAKING GIFTS:

Prophecy (Rom. 12:6b; 1 Cor. 12:10b)
1. Definition: Gk. prophēteía = The spoken or written declaration of God’s will to his people.
- Prophēteia (prophecy) has the literal meaning of speaking forth, with no connotation of prediction or other supernatural or mystical significance.
2. The gift of prophecy is simply the gift of preaching, of proclaiming the Word of God.
3. The gift of prophecy is the gift of being God’s public spokesman, primarily to God’s own people — to instruct, admonish, warn, rebuke, correct, challenge, comfort, and encourage.
4. Often, camp speakers have the gift of prophecy vs. rather than the gift of teaching
5. It is the proclamation of truth for the purpose of life-change.
6. People with this gift tend to see things in black and white and feel compelled to challenge people to forsake destructive habits and/or errant beliefs.
7. They stand up for their beliefs, even when it is unpopular - they stand up for what is right, even though most of the people around them never buy into what they are saying.