. Discover Your Spiritual Gifts




  • What is YOUR gift? We all have them. Sometimes, it is not even obvious to us ourselves!
    BE SURE TO VISIT THE ELCA WEBSITE TO TAKE THE ASSESSMENT BEFORE FILLING OUT THE PROFILE.
    You may take this online, or print it out and determine the results. You may be surprised at some of the results!

First GO TO http://www.elca.org/evangelism/assessments/spiritgifts.html

THEN CLICK HERE TO Download your PDF Ministry Profile* and if you like, also CLICK HERE TO Download your PDF Gifts Supplement*.

*Note:Adobe Acrobat Reader is required to view and print these files. Click on the icon to download the FREE Adobe Acrobat Reader.

Please Print out and complete our Ministry Profile and mail back to:

Holy Cross Lutheran Church, attn: Stewardship Team, 30650 Six Mile Rd., Livonia, MI 48152

If you would like the forms mailed to you, please call the church office at (734) 427-1414.



BEFORE YOU FILL OUT YOUR MINISTRY PROFILE

PRAY that God will deepen your understanding of how you are uniquely endowed with gifts and called to use those gifts to build up the Body of Christ and to BE the Body of Christ in the world. Several things might be considered first:

Your spiritual gifts (See the booklet, "Opening Your Spiritual Gifts" available in the office OR online at www.elca.org/evangelism/assessments/spiritgifts.html Your gifts will help determine WHAT you do when you serve.

Your passion: You can't care about everything equally. To what is your heart drawn? What do you care about the most? Your passion will help determine WHERE you serve, for example, with youth, or in the arts, or social ministry. If you have the gift of administration and a passion for mercy, you might co-ordinate the pastoral care ministry, for example.

Your skills and experience: You may have developed expertise in a particular area through a hobby or your life's work. You may have been through some trying times and have experience to share with others. God wastes nothing -- even the worst of your past can be "composted" and used to build up the Body of Christ. Like gifts, skills and experience will help determine WHAT you will do.

Your personality style: How you prefer to relate to the world around you will help determine HOW you will minister. ALL types are needed to effectively build up the Body of Christ. What's your dominant style? Secondary? (Note that your personality style explains behavior, but it does not excuse it. J ) Awareness of personality styles helps us understand how we complement one another. Leaders can have any of the styles depending on the team's goals. The best teams will have members with all of these styles.

  • Socializers like to be appreciated. They are fun, energetic, and friendly. They prefer an environment that is exciting, easy, and interactive.
  • Relaters like to get along. They are friendly, helpful, and supportive, want to get to know you, what to expect, want things to be safe, pleasant.
  • Directors want to get it done. They are fast paced, bottom line, results oriented. They want practical information, and no "fluff"
  • Thinkers want to get it right. They are detail oriented, methodical, and logical. They want specifics, want things clear and organized.

Other factors: availability, maturity, season of life, level of commitment: Having time means making time and prioritizing. These factors will help determine WHEN you serve.

Sphere of service: Long term or short-term commitments?

  • Organizational ministries are structured and ongoing, meet regularly, organized to meet ongoing needs. Lead to meaningful relationships.
  • Projects are periodic or short-term and meet special needs that arise from time to time. When the task is completed, the team disbands.
  • Promptings are spontaneous and personal as you learn to listen to the Spirit. You will find yourself serving in unexpected and exciting ways.

Motivation: What is driving you -- REALLY?

  • A heart of servanthood: serves with love and out of obedience; motivated by what GOD sees. "Whatever it takes."
  • A spirit of servility: serves with resentment and out of obligation; motivated by what others see. "It's not my job."


    Sources: Relationship Strategies by Tony Allesandra; What You Do Best in the Body of Christ: DiscoverYour Spiritual Gifts, Personal Style, and God-Given Passion by Bruce Bugbee; Developing Your SHAPE to Serve Others by Brett and Deanna Eastman, Todd and Denise Wendorff, and Karen Lee-Thorp.


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