Spiritual Gifts? People Eager for More

"Gifted for More" is a new resource on spiritual gifts with convincing evidence that the time is right for churches to help people identify, develop and share their unique, God-given unique abilities. Subtitled "A new framework for equipping Christians to share their abilities and skills in everyday life," the 140-page monograph comes from a partnership between Lutheran Hour Ministries, a trusted and Gospel-focused leader in global media, and Barna, a research firm dedicated to providing actionable insights on faith and culture. Here's a glimpse of the many fascinating statistics, about both Christians and non-Christians, included.

Only 50% of practicing Christians use terms like 'giftings' and 'callings' as one of the top three words when thinking about their strengths and skills. (pg13)
"Younger respondents have bigger and more emphatic responses to almost anything on the topic of gifting." (pg. 21)
“Most practicing Christians feel growing in gifts means growing closer to God” (pg 58).
Of those who express interest in developing their gifts, Christian and non-Christian alike, over 40% prefer to do so in a small group with friends (pg. 41).

The researchers also identify two “worrrisome” trends. Read more.

Open forum on Giftedness

Tuesday, March 21 at 2pm Central time I'm hosting an online open forum on helping people discover and use their spiritual gifts and natural talents. I can talk about what my church is planning for this spring, but the main purpose is sharing ideas and encouragement. Contact me for the zoom link.

Giftedness Resources on The Equipper

Free resources on The Equipper

Using 'time and talent' and spiritual gift surveys - article on important questions to ask before handing them out!
"Ten Years of Conversations" is an overview of how we discover the gifts and interests of new members
Using our spiritual gifts includes church volunteering, but also more. Growing in serving is more than simply doing more. "A Look at My Serving" is a self-assessment to help us ponder what growing in serving actually looks like!

In the Equipper store:

Putting Spiritual Gifts to Work - an 80-page book (download or print) on creating healthy serving within and beyond the church
"It's About Time," a 6-session small group discipleship resource, approaches serving issues from the perspective of time as a gift, but also gives good opportunity to discuss using the gift of our abilities.

Did you know?

Do your volunteers know that If they itemize deductions on their federal income tax, they can include mileage driven to volunteer? The miles can add up; a volunteer at our church drove over 1000 miles in 2022 to make calls on elderly homebound and people in hospitals and rehab centers. Ask a tax consultant for details.

Subscribe here if you received this from a friend. To unsubscribe, use "Manage your subscription," below.