76 Sermon Illustrations on Spiritual Gifts

Earthly t hrones are generally built with steps up to them; the remarkable thing about the thrones of the eternal kingdom is that the steps are all down to them. We must descend if we would reign, stoop if we would rise. Some think that God put His best gifts on a high shelf for them to reach up to them. It does not take long, however, for a Christian to realize that the best gifts are in the lower shelves, that the babes may get them also. A Lesson from the Gulls Some time ago in Reader's Digest there was a short article about a group of sea gulls that was starving to death in St. Augustine. They were not starving because of a food shortage but because they had forgotten how to fish. For years they had depended on the shrimp fleet operating out of the harbor to toss them scraps from the nets. When the shrimp fleet moved to Key West, they began to starve. They had lost their natural ability to fish because they had not been using it. This is a rule of nature. If you do not use what you have, it will be taken from you. This is the lesson in the parable of the talents. The servant who did not use the one talent had it taken from him.

God's gift is always enough for any individual to accomplish something. If we compare it with what others have, we will find that there are two kinds of people-those who have never done anything with their gifts and those who have fully utilized theirs. You and I must say, "I may not accomplish as much as they have, but I'm going to give it all I've got!" We're never going to get anywhere unless we use the gifts God has given us. The One Talent Hide not thy talent in the earth, However small it be; Its faithful use, its utmost worth, God will require of thee. His own, which He hath lent on trust, He asks of thee again; Little or much, the claim is just, And thine excuses vain. Go, then, and strive to do thy part, Though humble it may be; The ready hand, the willing heart, Are all heaven asks of thee. - William Cutler

Paul compares the possessors of spiritual gifts to members of the human body because as the members of our body are none of our doing or deserving, neither are the spiritual gifts we possess. They are God's gifts entrusted to us for a purpose. If that purpose isn't fulfilled, His gifts are wasted. What's the use of having an eye or a hand that doesn't serve the entire body? A test of the genuineness of any gift is whether it benefits the body of Christ as a whole, or only the possessor. Does it tend to unite the body or to divide it? Does it make members who are different from us feel estranged or fellow members with us of one and the same body? A "Call" to Preach An elder of the church was talking to a young mechanic who thought he had a call to give up his shop and go into the ministry. "I feel," said the young enthusiast, "that I have had a call to preach." The elder, knowing his deficiencies as a speaker, shrewdly asked, "Have you noticed whether people seem to have a call to hear you?" Before you subject others to the sound of your voice, make sure that preaching comes naturally to you and that you have a call from God to exercise this ability. Paul knew he was "sent" to preach.

We know that the gifts which men have do not come from the schools. If a man is a plain, literal, factual man, you can make a great deal more of him in his own line by education than without education; just as you can make a great deal more of a potato if you cultivate it than if you do not: but no cultivation in this world will ever make an apple out of a potato. It can be developed; but it must be developed according to the laws of its own nature. Education will make it more, but will not change its nature. If a man was not born eloquent, he cannot be bred to eloquence; if a man was not born to a sense of color, he cannot be educated to a sense of color; if a man was not born to a sense of form, he cannot be educated to a sense of form; if a man was not born to a quick creative genius, he cannot be trained to it. Where these things exist, they are gifts in the beginning. Education makes them better, and more usable; but it cannot create in men what God did not create in them when he started them in life. Beecher.

He has gifted us with the innocent pleasures of sense. He has annexed enjoyment to every action of the life; so that, when body and mind are alike in health, we can neither eat, drink, walk, talk, or sleep, without sensations of pleasure. He has gifted us with powers of imagination, — made us susceptible of the rich poetry with which He has filled creation. He has given us the capacity for high thoughts and feelings. He has endowed us to expand, to analyze, to illustrate, to compare, to combine. He has gifted us with the principle of friendship. He has implanted in us the social nature. He has gifted us with the pleasures of hope, drawing comfort from every element of sorrow, and soothing each Marah of the heart's bitterness. He has gifted us with the pleasures of memory, emblaining the recollection of the past in an amber that never fades away, and that is proof against the corrupting influences of time, thrilling again the spirit with the pleasures that once thrilled the heart of youth. He has gifted us, above all, with the pleasures of holiness, the blessed feeling of conscious pardon, the calm satisfaction of assured faith, the enriching comfort of the Holy Ghost, — heaven around us, heaven within us, heaven beyond us, heaven above us, and the bright and cheering prospect of the enjoyment of that heaven ever. W. M. Punshon.

Cædmon knew nothing of literature, nor of verse, nor of song; so that when he was at table, and the harp came to him in his turn, he rose up and left the guests, and went his way. And it happened, on a certain occasion, that he had done so, and had gone into the stable, where it was his business to care for the horses; and he laid himself down to sleep. And in his sleep an angel appeared to him, and said, "Cædmon, sing to me a song." And he answered, "I cannot sing, and therefore I left the entertainment, and came hither, because I could not sing." And the other, answering him, said, "You shall sing, notwithstanding." He asked, "What shall I sing?" And the angel replied, "Sing the beginning of created beings." Thereupon Cædmon presently began to sing verses in praise of God, the Father and Creator of all things; and, awakening from his sleep, he remembered all he had sung in his dream, and added much more to the same effect in most melodious verse. Mrs. Jameson.

Johnson, it is said, never forgot any thing that he had seen, heard, or read. Burke, Clarendon, Gibbon, Locke, Tillotson, were all distinguished for strength of memory. Sir William Hamilton observes, "For intellectual power of the highest order, none were distinguished above Grotius and Pascal; and Grotius and Pascal forgot nothing they had ever read or thought. Leibnitz and Euler were not less celebrated for their intelligence than for their memory; and both could repeat the whole of the 'Encid.'" Ben Jonson tells us, that he could repeat all that he had ever written, and whole books that he had read. Themistocles could call by their names the twenty thousand citizens of Athens. Cyrus is reported to have known the name of every soldier in his army. Hortensius (after Cicero, the greatest orator of Rome), after sitting a whole day at a public sale, correctly enunciated, from memory, all the things sold, their prices, and the names of their purchasers. Niebuhr, the historian, was not less distinguished for his memory than for his acuteness. In his youth, he was employed in one of the public offices of Denmark. Part of a book of accounts having been destroyed, he restored it by an effort of memory. Dr. Winslow:

The Spirit of God is compared to light, and light can shine where it wills; but some substances are dull and thick, while others are clear. So there are men through whom His brightness does not shine. Again, mark the course of a river, note how it winds and bends in its course to the sea, through mountains and valleys. There is a reason for this, a cause for every bend and curve. It is owing to the particular lay of the land and the formation of the rocks and soil. So it would seem that the measure of the Spirit’s gifts and presence with some men is larger or smaller because of characteristics within themselves.

Sermon in 1 Corinthians series. Tongues and prophecy.

1. History and impact of Pentecostalism and charismatics.

a. Baptist reaction.

2. What tongues are.

a. Acts 2 compared with 1 Corinthians 14.

b. Paul's assessment of tongues.

1) Public limitations.

2) Private value.

3. What prophecy is.

a. Old Testament.

b. New Testament.

c. Benefits.

4. Application to today.

Ruth Barton was educated, but not allowed to use talents in church. She learned to live within limits. Servanthood became a priority. God does not waste gifts and will use them in the church body. Joseph as an example in the Old Testament. Barton learned to use gentle persuasion.

Major article on the NT view of “prophecy” with a special emphasis on 1 Corinthians 14.

1. NT prophecy has less authority than Scripture.

2. Testing prophecies.

3. The situation in Corinth.

4. Not "the words of God" for today.

5. Benefits of prophecy.

6. Only until the Lord comes.

7. A cautious approach necessary.

a. The gift should be allowed today.

b. An emphasis on the Bible is even more important.

Used 10/28/90:

b) Prophecy reached outsiders, convicted them of sin. 14:24-25

Example in a Baptist church:

A missionary speaker paused in the middle of his message.

“I didn't plan to say this, but it seems the Lord is indicating that someone in this church has just walked out on his wife and family. If that is so, let me tell you that God wants you to return to them and learn to follow God's pattern for family life.”

The missionary did not know it, but in the unlit balcony sat a man who had entered the church for the first time just moments before. The description fit him exactly, and he made himself known, acknowledged his sin, and began to seek after God.

He wanted to conduct. His conducting style, however, was idiosyncratic. During soft passages he’d crouch extremely low. For loud sections, he’d often leap into the air, even shouting to the orchestra.

His memory was poor. Once he forgot that he had instructed the orchestra not to repeat a section of music. During the performance, when he went back to repeat that section, they went forward, so he stopped the piece, hollering, “Stop! Wrong! That will not do! Again! Again!”

For his own piano concerto, he tried conducting from the piano. At one point he jumped from the bench, bumping the candles off the piano. At another concert he knocked over a choir boy.

During one long, delicate passage, he jumped high to cue a loud entrance, but nothing happened because he had lost count and signaled the orchestra too soon.

As his hearing worsened, musicians tried to ignore his conducting and get their cues from the first violinist.

Finally the musicians pled with him to go home and give up conducting, which he did.

He was Ludwig van Beethoven.

As the man whom many consider to be the greatest composer of all time learned, no one is a genius of all trades.

What would the Apostle Paul say to your congregation? [Based on Paul's letter and focusing on spiritual gifts.]

#3402

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Bible studies that explore different passages on spiritual gifts.

1. The Big Picture.

2. Body life.

3. Greatest of these.

Spanish golfer Jose Maria Olazabal had foot surgery in 1995. His whole body was affected by surgery on one toe, as was his golf game. It is similarly crippling when some in the Body of Christ aren't exercising their gifts.

Sermon in 1 Peter series. Spiritual Gifts and Love. 1 Peter 4:7-11

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YOU ARE GIFTED

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I. Honor Student.

II. The end is near! 4:7

A. The motivation of the Second Coming.

B. Live like Jesus is just around the corner.

III. Love deeply. 4:8

A. We should be more outward than inward.

B. Love covers a multitude of sins.

C. Practical love: hospitality. 4:9

IV. Everyone has something to offer.

A. Spiritual gifts.

B. Received from God. 4:10

C. Purpose is to serve others.

V. Two key gifts.

A. The gift of speaking. 4:11

B. Serving, with God's strength.

C. What is your gift?

D. Refusing to exercise gifts.

VI. Goal is that God be praised in everything.

A. To him be glory.

B. Does your life bring glory to God?

The name of the extinct dodo bird has long been used to speak of someone who is foolish, stupid, and worthless. Larger than a turkey, this ash-gray bird had a 50-pound body that was fat and lumpy. Its tail was a ridiculous tuft of curly feathers, and its stubby wings sported no more than three or four black feathers. It had a hooked beak, large legs, and heavy feet. The dodo lived in obscurity on three islands in the Indian Ocean until settlers came along and wiped out the defenseless birds. Even in death they seemed destined for ridicule. Their discoverer wrote of them in his journal -- "We called these birds walghvogels (disgusting birds) for the reason that the more and longer they cooked, the less soft and more unpalatable their flesh becomes."

But then came a surprising development. In 1977 it was discovered that the beautiful calvaria tree that grows on the dodo's native island was dependent on the bird for its survival. The tree's seeds had such thick hulls that they could sprout only after being run through the rigors of the dodo's digestive system. Just in the nick of time, some turkeys were imported to take the dodo's place and perpetuate the 13 dying calvaria trees that remained.

In the church, as in nature, the Lord doesn't make worthless things. Every one of us is an important part of the body. Some of us might not look like much, but God has placed us "just as he pleased." Each has a purpose, and in Christ that purpose is eternal.

The history books are full of stories of gifted persons whose talents were overlooked by a procession of people until someone believed in them. Einstein was four years old before he could speak and seven before he could read. Issac Newton did poorly in grade school. A newspaper editor fired Walt Disney because he had "no good ideas". Leo Tolstoy flunked out of college, and Werner von Braun failed ninth-grade algebra. Haydn gave up ever making a musician of Beethoven, who seemed a slow and plodding young man with no apparent talent -- except a belief in music.

Michael Jordan announced his retirement from professional basketball on January 15, 1999. “My responsibility has been to play the game of basketball and relieve some of the pressure of everyday life for people who work 9 to 5,” he said at his retirement press conference, “and I’ve tried to do that to the best of my abilities.”

Yes, he played the game better than anyone ever has. The incredible moves, the clutch shots, the fans he created for the game - he was the ultimate “superstar” to his sport. But there’s a downside to all this as well.

What do the Chicago Bulls do now? Remember them? Michael’s *team*?

It wasn’t long ago that Larry Brown spoke to one of the weaknesses of modern sports. Games that were originally designed to be played by squads of people using their talents in partnership have become showcase events for a few stars.

Coach Brown put it this way: “The NBA promotes individuals, not teams. When the Bulls are playing Miami, it’s Alonzo Mourning against Michael Jordan, instead of the great Chicago Bulls against the great Miami Heat. It sends a bad message. Why play a team sport and not help your teammates?”

I leave it to you to weigh the merit of what the coach said about pro basketball as it is played today. Perhaps you are a devoted fan who likes things as they are -- and can’t wait for the next Michael Jordan to appear. On the other hand, you may be ready to cite the 1998 New York Yankees as a club without a single superstar that won a world championship with teamwork.

I bring up the matter to make the point that many of us could benefit from a reminder about valuing others, affirming their abilities, and passing them the ball. Families, businesses, churches -- all work best when their members work together.

One group that was too caught up in the superstar syndrome was reminded how a healthy human body works as an integrated system. “The eye cannot say to the hand, ‘I don’t need you!’ And the head cannot say to the foot, ‘I don’t need you!’” (1 Corinthians 12:21ff).

Some CEOs would be dead in the water without their administrative assistants or a competent appointments secretary. Yet they are sometimes rude and uncivil to them. The same goes for some mates and parents, pastors and teachers.

Hey, we really do need each other because life is a team sport.

Imagine that we are TV sportscasters standing on the sidelines of a football game to give the play-by-play. Scene #1: The team nearest us is standing together, heads bowed in prayer, with the coach in the center. Suddenly they give a great cheer, and the coach trots out onto the field by himself. The players go sit on the bench. "What's going on?" we ask as we stick a microphone in front of a 250 pound guard. "What's the coach doing out there?" "Oh, he's going to play today." "All by himself?" "Sure, why not? He's had a lot more experience and training than the rest of us. We've got a lot of rookies on this team, and we might make mistakes. Anyway, they pay the coach well.

We're all here to cheer and support him -- and look at the huge crowd that's come to watch him play!" Bewildered, we watch as the opposing team kicks off. The coach catches the ball. He valiantly charges upfield, but is buried under eleven opposing tacklers. He's carried off half-conscious... You think that's ridiculous? But isn't it the picture many of us have of the church? The members expect the minister to do the preaching, praying, witnessing, and visiting because he's paid to do the Lord's work and he's better trained.

But listen to God's Game Plan. According to Ephesians 4:11-12, Christ has given the church apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors, and teachers "to prepare God's people for works of service." God gives leaders to the church, not to do all the work, but to help all of God's people to do it! Lay people are not there simply to pay pastors and evangelists to do the Lord's work. Rather, pastors, evangelists, and teachers are to equip the so-called lay people to be ministers! Your pastor is meant to be a kind of playing coach. His main function is to help you as a Christian discover your spiritual gifts, develop them, and use them to build up the Body of Christ.

Now look at Scene #2: The team realizes they've all got to play, so they're on the field in a huddle. They huddle...and huddle...and huddle. The referee calls a penalty for delaying the game and moves the ball back five yards. Still the team huddles, huddles, and huddles. The referee calls penalty after penalty, until finally the ball is moved all the way back to their own goal line. "Hey coach!" shouts the quarterback to the sidelines. "This is the greatest huddle I've ever been in. What a group of guys! We have the best fellowship...and some of these guys are amazing students of the play book. Some have memorized over a hundred plays and can analyze them precisely. We learn so much in this huddle!" "But why don't you get up on the line and play?" "Why should we? What we want are bigger and better huddles! Besides, we might get hurt. No one ever got hurt in a huddle!"

Your church and mine are in big trouble if they become a "holy huddle" a band of saints gathered Sunday after Sunday, singing, praising, enjoying each other -- but never setting out on the line to apply what they learn. The church is supposed to be Christ's body -- his hands, his feet, his voice -- by which he carries out his plans in the world. God intends that "through the church, the manifold wisdom of God should be made known" Ephesians 3:10. The church is to be God's light in a dark, corrupt society. The Christian life was never meant to be lived only in church for a couple of hours on Sunday. It's meant to be lived in the public arena -- on the firing line at school, the office, and in the neighborhood, seven days a week. Of course, we need worship and training and fellowship with other Christians -- a football team needs the huddle. But it's what happens after the huddle that the game is all about.

Here's scene #3: the team breaks out of the huddle. But instead of lining up against the opposing squad, they break into groups of two or three, arguing with each other. Soon they start shoving, and two of them actually get into a fight. "What's wrong now?" we ask as one of them walks off the field in disgust. "That bunch of malcontents can't agree on anything," he says. "Those two over there are arguing over the color of the uniforms. A couple of others are quarreling over the right way to kneel in the huddle. Those two guys are arguing because one believes in what he calls 'personal' football, and the other believes in 'social' football. They can't agree whether the individual or the team is more important. Some of the white players say the blacks should go play on their own field, and some of the black guys don't like the band music. A couple are fighting over whether women should be allowed to play. And I'm quitting because I can pass a lot better than that other guy, and they won't let me be the quarterback."

The Game Plan says that Christ "is our peace...His purpose was to create in himself one new man out of the two [Jew and Gentile], thus making peace...to reconcile both of them to God through the cross, by which he put to death their hostility" (Ephesians 2:14-16). Christians talk a lot about the peace of Christ. Can the world see that peace in our church relationships? Within the Body of Christ there is plenty of room for diversity of gifts, but underlying that diversity is unity. "Be completely humble and gentle," writes Paul, "Be patient, bearing with one another in love. Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace. There is one body and one Spirit...one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all..." (Ephesians 4:2-6).

Isn't it time to show our oneness in truth and love to a watching world? So the first half ends. The team drags off to the locker room defeated, demoralized, beaten. But when the second half begins, we see a different team. Suddenly they're playing together with a new spirit. They huddle, slap each other on the back, and take the line. They're off the ball with split-second timing, there is no hesitation, they know where they're going. Each player carries out his assignment, and soon they score a touchdown, then another, and another. When the game ends, they've won! Afterwards in the locker room the players are exhausted, cut and bruised, but happy. "What happened at halftime to change this team?" we ask, the coach. "We were sitting here beaten," he says, "and suddenly a kind of presence seemed to come over us.

I started talking to the players, pointing out my mistakes, and theirs, and they started talking. Everyone was honest. Nobody blamed the others. We took a good look at ourselves. Then someone recalled that the Great Coach, the one who invented the game, also wrote the Master Game Plan. Wouldn't it make sense to see what he said? "We remembered how he literally gave himself to get the game started and to teach that first team everything he knew. So we got out the original Game Plan and read about basics such as each player knowing his place and dedicating himself to it, about pulling together, being willing to sacrifice, knowing the aim of the game, and using the proper equipment he designed. "Well, we were quiet. It felt as if the Great Coach was with us, as if somehow his Spirit got inside us. Suddenly, we were up! Motivated! Ready to go! We can't take the credit. It goes to Him!"

The late Dr. Paul Quillian was the beloved pastor of First Methodist Church of Houston, Texas. In his fifteen years of ministry the church grew from 2,500 to 6,000, an effort that he called a labor of love. Not many knew that Dr. Quillian as a young man had little thought of ministry and was working in Pine Bluff Arkansas at a bottling plant when his minister paid him a call. His pastor started with the question, “How old are you?”

“Thirty.”

Quillian's preacher then said, “When you stand finally before the Lord God, what will you tell him you did on earth -- made red soda water?”

The young man snapped back, “And what is wrong with red soda water?”

“Nothing, my son, except you happen to be endowed with great talents and abilities which I cherish for God and the Christian ministry.”

Consequently, the young man went back to school and prepared for the preaching ministry. He itinerated in Arkansas. Finally he was called to the First Church in Houston. He became a wonderful leader for Christ because someone recognized the gifts and talents within him and took a few minutes out of the day to tell him so.

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A similar story is told from the history of Apple Computer. Apple's co-founder Steve Jobs wanted to hire CEO John Sculley from the Pepsi company. Sculley was hesitant because the computer industry seemed so volatile, but Jobs reportedly challenged him with, “Do you want to spend the rest of your life selling sugared water or do you want a chance to change the world?"

[see also HolwickID #2020]

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[Original illustration at this number was a duplicate of HolwickID #452]

In Argentina everyone is required by law to spend two years in the military service. One fellow showed up at the induction center objecting, "What good would I be? I have no arms!" They put him in the army anyway. At basic training camp his commanding officer said, "See that fellow up there on the hill pumping water? Go tell him when the pail is full. He's blind." Both men were needed in order to get the job done properly.

"The greatest good you can do for another is not just share your riches, but reveal to them their own."

-- Benjamin Disraeli

Napoleon once pointed to a map of China and said, "There lies a sleeping giant. If it ever wakes up, it will be unstoppable." Today the American church is a sleeping giant. Each Sunday, church pews are filled with members who are doing nothing with their faith except "keeping" it.

The designation active member in most churches simply means those who attend regularly and financially support the church. Not much more is expected. But God has far greater expectations for every Christian. He expects all Christians to use their gifts and talents in ministry. If we can ever awaken and unleash the massive talent, resources, creativity and energy found in the typical local church, Christianity will explode with growth at an unprecedented rate.

I believe that the greatest need in evangelical churches is the release of members for ministry. George Gallup once took a survey and discovered that only 10 percent of American church members are active in any kind of personal ministry. He also discovered that 40 percent of all members have expressed an interest in having a ministry. They would like to be involved in ministry but they have never been asked or they don't know how.

I think healthy leadership nurtures a healthy church by creating an intentional, well-planned system for uncovering, mobilizing and supporting the giftedness of its members. People must be given a simple process that they can follow which will lead them to deeper commitment and greater service for Christ. They need a track on which they can move forward.

Get them into the ballgame!

At Saddleback Valley Community Church, we call this our "Life Development Process." By using the baseball diamond as a visual illustration of where people are in their spiritual progress, everyone can know how far they've come and how far they have to go. Do you remember Abbott and Costello's famous routine "Who's on First?" Many churches have no idea. At Saddleback we know exactly who's on first, on second, on third, and who has made it home. We celebrate every time someone moves forward to the next base. This encourages commitment.

At first base, we teach the basics of membership; at second base, we teach the basics of spiritual discipline; at third base, we teach people how to identify their "shape" for ministry; and when they hit home plate, we get members involved in missions. Our entire structure is purpose driven, designed to nurture a healthy church.

Your coaching must provide application

Many churches make the common mistake of emphasizing Bible knowledge to the exclusion of teaching the practical application of that knowledge. For instance, church members are made to feel guilty for a weak prayer life but no one takes the time to explain how to make a prayer list, how to praise God's character by using his names, and how to intercede for others.

Exhortation without explanation leads to frustration. Whenever we exhort people to do something, we are responsible to explain exactly how to do it.

Here are five questions you need to ask about your Christian education program:

1. Are people learning the content and meaning of the Bible?

2. Are people seeing themselves, life and other people more clearly from God's perspective?

3. Are people's values becoming more aligned with God's values?

4. Are people becoming more skilled in serving God?

5. Are people becoming more like Christ?

Don't put a pitcher in the outfield

One of the most common excuses people give for not getting involved in ministry is "I just don't have any abilities to offer." Nothing could be further from the truth. Many national studies have proven that the average person possesses from 500 to 700 skills!

The real problem is twofold. First, people need some process of skill identification. Most people are using abilities they are unaware they have. Second, they need a process to help them match their abilities with the right ministry.

There are people in your church with all kinds of abilities that are not being put to use: recruiting, researching, writing, landscaping, interviewing, promoting, decorating, planning, entertaining, repairing, drawing, and even feeding. These abilities should not be wasted. "There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord" (1 Corinthians 12:5).

Your placement process should focus on empowering people, not filling positions. Focus on the shape of the individual, not the needs of the institution, and you'll have a much higher success rate with those you place in ministry. Remember, ministry is about people, not programs.

The best way to learn the game is to play it

Once people begin serving in a ministry, they need on-the-job training. On-the-job training is far more important and effective than pre-service training. At Saddleback we require only minimal pre-service training. We feel that people don't even know the right questions to ask until they are actually involved in ministry.

In our church we want to involve people as quickly as possible in ministry. A long, drawn-out pre-service training course causes most people to lose their initial enthusiasm. We wear them out even before they get started. I've found that the kind of people who are willing to train for 52 weeks before beginning to serve are usually not very effective when they finally start serving. They tend to be professional students who enjoy learning about ministry more than doing it. We want people to dive in and get wet. Then they are highly motivated to learn how to swim! The best way to begin is to begin!

The best-kept secret in the church is that people are dying to make a contribution with their lives. We are made for ministry! The church that understands this, and makes it possible for every member to express his or her shape in ministry, will experience amazing vitality, health and growth. The sleeping giant will be awakened and it will be unstoppable.

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Although evangelism is sometimes thought to be a spiritual gift, it actually underlies every spiritual gift that God bestows on a person, notes Southern Baptist evangelism leader and biblical scholar Darrell W. Robinson.

Every spiritual gift -- be it one of service, signs or support -- is designed to help fulfill the Great Commission through individual people, Robinson writes in a new book, “Incredibly Gifted: A Fresh, Biblical Look at Spiritual Gifts,” recently released by Hannibal Books.

For example, Robinson describes the gift of exhortation (encouragement) as one that strongly prepares a person for effective personal witnessing. Someone who is an encourager is usually talkative, enthusiastic and knows how to reach out to others in a positive way. A person's gift of encouraging others in a practical way can be used powerfully to share Jesus with the lost.

Someone with the gift of mercy, through his or her sensitivity to others, can be alert to the spiritual condition of the lost as well as feeling for their physical needs, Robinson writes. He contends that each person, regardless of his or her gift, can be taught how to intentionally witness so that he or she can promptly respond to open doors to share Christ.

Many ministries of the church sometimes go begging for helpers because believers feel incapable and fail to rely on God to supply whatever spiritual gift is needed for that assignment, Robinson writes.

Many people flock to take a “spiritual gift inventory” or “spiritual gift assessment” to help identify the gift or gifts God has given them, so that they can adequately serve other members of the body of Christ, he recounts. “These sometimes lead to abuse when people overemphasize their gift or refuse to meet a need because they don't have a particular gift,” he notes. “That approach then becomes a barrier to what God wants to do through us.”

In the book, Robinson tells the story of a church member named Jean, whose pastor asked her to start a ministry to senior adults and homebound persons.

Jean responded, “I am not a leader! I do not have that gift.” The pastor replied, “I believe you can do it and I will help you. This is a real need within our church.”

The pastor kept his word, and Jean's program became a flourishing ministry. Jean found herself using gifts she did not know she possessed: administration and leadership, mercy, giving, hospitality, exhortation, and teaching to meet the needs she observed.

Jean discovered multiple gifts by seeing a need and obeying Christ to help meet it. “Obedience is the key,” Robinson writes. “To simply step out in faith and be available and obey Christ was the critical factor.”

Today's elevated emphasis on “sign gifts” has led to many excesses, misunderstandings and even rejection of the idea of spiritual gifts by some, Robinson writes. “Whenever the term 'spiritual gifts' is used, many think of the excesses they have observed through the emphasis on sign gifts. Others are caught up in the desire for sensational experiences. Consequently the utilization of spiritual gifts in our ordinary, everyday lives has been neglected.”

Regarding the spiritual experience of glossolalia (speaking in unknown tongues), Robinson contends that the legitimate gift of tongues, mentioned in the Book of Acts, provides the ability to speak and communicate the gospel in another language. The interpretation of tongues is the ability to understand a language and convey its meaning to listeners. God indeed still gives the gift of tongues for the communication of the gospel, Robinson writes, explaining, “When the ability to speak in another language to communicate the gospel in order to bring a person to Christ occurs, God gives that ability.”

The apostle Paul wrote the Corinthians not to teach the practice of tongues but to correct the Corinthian church's perversion of the true biblical gift of tongues, Robinson writes. In 1 Corinthians 14 Paul taught these believers to “be zealous for gifts that edify the church.” Believers who elevate the tongues experience to being “The Gift” and contend that those who do not participate are spiritually inferior act in a way that does not build up the body of Christ, Robinson says.

“Those who speak in tongues are not under the control of a force outside of themselves. They are responsible for their behavior,” he writes. “They can control what they do and say, and they are accountable for it. Anything done in church should be orderly and done for the building up of the body.”

Without questionnaires or assessment materials, Robinson's book examines each of the spiritual gifts listed in the New Testament and demonstrates that through Christ believers have the potential to possess any gift the church needs. Christ, the source of all gifts, surfaces whatever is necessary for a person to fulfill his will through that person, he writes.

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