Spiritual Gifts Inventory					

1 Cor. 12:1 (RSV)  Now concerning spiritual gifts, brethren, I do not want you to be uninformed.  

The 20 Spiritual Gifts Identified By Paul

Romans 
12:4-8
	1 Corinthians 
12:4-11
	1 Corinthians 
12:27-30
	Ephesians 
4:7-12
	
Prophecy	Prophecy	Prophecy	Prophecy	
Serving				
Teaching		Teaching	Teaching	
Exhortation				
Giving				
Leadership				
Compassion				
	Healing	Healing		
	Miracles	Miracles		
	Tongues	Tongues		
	Interpretation	Interpretation		
	Wisdom			
	Knowledge			
	Faith			
	Discernment			
		Apostleship	Apostleship	
		Helps		
		Administration		
			Evangelism	
			Pastoring	

· Spiritual Gifts In Brief

Administration  is a gift that provides insight into other people’s spiritual gifting as well as natural talent, which allows for placing people who want to minister in a particular way together with those who need just this ministry.  These are "well connected" advisors in the body.  (The Septuagint uses this same word in Prov 24:6 & 11:14.)

Apostleship  is the ability to communicate across cultural barriers and plant churches where there is no knowledge of the gospel.  It is usually accompanied with a distinct calling and a miraculous lifestyle.  In Greek (apostolos) "a sent one", or "a messenger", a Missionary. 

Compassion  transcends both natural human sympathy and normal Christian concern, enabling one to sense in others a wide range of emotions and then provide a supportive ministry of caring and intercessory prayer.  Also called the gift of Mercy.  

Discernment  is the heightened ability to read or hear a teaching, to encounter a problem, or to consider a proposed course of action, and then determine whether the source behind the teaching, problem, or action is divine, merely human, or satanic.  This will be a much needed gift near the End of the Age.

Evangelism  is a special ability to lead unconverted persons to a saving knowledge of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.  The person with this gift has the wisdom to know when, who, and how to call the rebellious into the Kingdom of God.  Evangelists are the spiritual "obstetricians" in the church.

Exhortation  is the gift of being able to encourage others by well timed and wise counsel.  This gift builds the Body of Christ by helping new, young and adolescent disciples to turn from sin and believe in the power of the Holy Spirit.  Also called the gift of Counseling, or the gift of Encouragement.

Faith  as a gift is an extraordinary confidence in God that is unshakable by situations, pain, apparent failure, or ridicule.  This gift strengthens the individual and other believers (by example) to endure persecution and wait upon the Lord.

Giving  empowers one in a sensitive way to detect material or financial needs and meet those needs with Spirit inspired generosity.  Recipients of help from Christians with this gift have a clear sense that God has provided, not man. 

Healing  is a "sign gift" which enables one to function as an instrument of God's healing grace in the lives of hurting people.  The gifts of healings (double plural in the Greek text) include miraculous healing of the body, the mind, the emotions, and relationships.

Helps  enables one to assist people in skilled ways that are supernaturally enhanced by the anointing of the Holy Spirit.  The helped person has the impression that they have been touched by God.  Those with this gift should be highly esteemed in the Body.

Knowledge  is an ability to remember Scripture or have it supernatural quickened, or to know a fact or truth about a person or situation revealed directly by the Holy Spirit.

Leadership  in the Greek is actually "he who provides leadership in giving aid".  These go first  and lead by example, so that others are motivated to follow.  (1Cor 11:1)  Those with the gift of leadership are quick to identify problems and show by doing how to minister to those in need.

Miracles  is another "sign gift" where the gifted person is able to cast out demons, show a supernatural sign to unbelievers, or perform a public healing--even in a hostile and unsupportive situation--all to the glory of God.  Those with this gift will be humble, broken people, full of the fear of God.

Pastoring  is the collective (plural in Greek) ministry of the Elders to "shepherd" an individual or community of Christian believers.  This gift is a special passion and empowering to lead people into green pastures, steer others away from danger,  fight off predators, and bind up wounds. 

Prophecy  is speaking what God wants said with clarity, creativity, and power.  It is also called the gift of Preaching.  The primary ministry in this gift is not prediction, but in confronting people with the truth about God and man--with conviction and repentance as the result.

Serving  is a gift which expresses the love of Christ by taking care of lowly or time-consuming tasks to allow others to be more effective ministers.  Similar to the gift of Helps, but here the work performed is menial rather than skilled.  Those with this gift are the truest and highest leaders in the church, and ought to be recognized as such.

Teaching  is the ability to understand and communicate the Christian faith so as to make the truth clear to others.  The result of this gift is the equipping and maturing of others in the body of Christ so that they will grow in grace and be more effective disciples.  

Tongues  enable some Christians (1 Cor 12:30) to praise God either in another language not learned (Acts 2) or in ecstatic utterance which is not an earthly language (1 Cor 14).  In either case, one's prayer is directed to God, not to other people (1 Cor 14:2).  

Interpretation of Tongues  is required if speaking in tongues is exercised publicly in a loud voice.  This gift allows one to declare to others the intent or meaning of the public ecstatic utterance, so that the entire Body is built up.

Wisdom  is special illumination that enables one in a specific instance to grasp divine insight regarding a fact, situation, or context.  This gift is useful in directing the Body in what to do next; in making God's will known.

· Talents vs. Gifts

Quibbling over the distinction between gifts and talents has little value in discovering what gifts we have.  It would be odd for God, who made us, not to "build into" some of us natural talents that would later be used as gifts.  On the other hand, neither should we be surprised if the Holy Spirit gives gifts to make up for a lack of natural ability.  The value of understanding the difference between gifts and talents comes after discovering a spiritual gift--in understanding the temptations and pitfalls of obedience if natural talent is present, or absent.

For those with spiritual gifts that intersect with natural talent, there is always the temptation to minister in the power of the flesh.  If this is the situation, we must be careful not to produce "Ishmael's" with the natural ability God has given us (Gal 4:23).  We must wait upon the Lord to use our natural talent with supernatural results.  Natural talent, after all, won't last long.  But those who have learned to trust in God and are strong in the Lord will live forever (Luke 8:18).

For those who are gifted in areas where they have no talent, fear of failure can paralyze the spiritual gift.  But if we are obedient to the Spirit's low-risk promptings, God will confirm the gift in us with power, and our confidence in God will grow into full maturity.  (If pride grows as well, God will let us fall to remind us where the power comes from.)  Those who excel in gifts where they have no talent bring glory to God and remind everyone just how gracious He is.

Body Building--We Need Each Other

1 Cor. 1:4-9 (NIV)  I always thank God for you because of his grace [Greek: charis] given you in Christ Jesus.  For in him you have been enriched in every way...  Therefore you do not lack any spiritual gift [charisma] as you eagerly wait for our Lord Jesus Christ to be revealed.  He will keep you strong to the end, so that you will be blameless on the day of our Lord Jesus Christ.  God, who has called you into fellowship with his Son Jesus Christ our Lord, is faithful. 

1 Cor 14:12 (RSV)  ...Since you are eager for manifestations of the Spirit, strive to excel in building up the church.

1 Tim. 4:14 (NIV)  Do not neglect your gift...

Desire The Gifts of The Spirit!  

1 Cor 12:29-31 (Phi) As we look at the body of Christ do we find all are his messengers, all are preachers, or all teachers?  Do we find all wielders of spiritual power, all able to heal, all able to speak with tongues, or all able to interpret the tongues, you should set your hearts on the best spiritual gifts.

1 Cor 14:12 (Jer)  ...Since you aspire to spiritual gifts, concentrate on those which will grow to benefit the community.  

1 Cor 12:31 (NIV)  ...Eagerly desire the greater gifts. 

The Gifts In Full Concert

Eph 2:21 (Phi)  In him each separate piece of building, properly fitting into its neighbor, grows together into a temple consecrated to the Lord.

Eph 4:16 (Phi)  For it is from the head that the whole body, as a harmonious structure knit together by the joints with which it is provided, grows by the proper functioning of the individual parts, and so builds itself up in love. 

GIFT INVENTORY TEST	(see instructions and place responses on page 7)

1.  I feel empowered to stand alone for Christ in a hostile, unbelieving environment.
2.  Often I have a burning desire to speak God's word when I know it will not be well received.
3.  I seem to have insight on when people are ready to give their lives to Christ.
4.  God has shown me sources of sound teaching and rich fellowship, and I guide people to such.
5.  I love to meditate on the patterns of God and His ways, and speak to others of such things.
6.  I enjoy serving others so that they, in turn, may perform their ministries.
7.  I can identify with weakness and temptation so as to encourage people to repent and believe.
8.  When I give to others, they do not feel as if they owe me anything.
9.  Other Christians have imitated me when I have led the way in serving the needs of others.
10.  I often am overcome with emotion for the person I am praying for.
11.  God sometimes prompts me to pray for the total healing of others in body, mind, and emotions.
12.  I find it easy to believe that God can miraculously alter circumstances if we pray.
13.  I often speak in tongues.
14.  I have interpreted tongues so as to help others worship God without confusion.
15.  Sometimes God gives me an insight into the proper course of action others should take.
16.  God often quickens Scripture to my mind that is useful for the moment.
17.  I have an extraordinary confidence in God and an ability to embolden others.
18.  I usually detect spiritual truth from spiritual error before fellow-believers.
19.  The Spirit often leads me to do a favor for someone that touches them deeply.
20.  I can serve others by organizing and harnessing their gifts to solve a particular problem.
21.  I often think that God is calling me to be a missionary.
22.  My words often bring conviction to others, leading to repentance.
23.  I find it easy to ask people to believe in and commit to Christ
24.  I tend to be patient with Christians who are making slow spiritual progress.
25.  I think it is very important to use words accurately and in context.
26.  I believe my ministry in life is to be humbled before men by being obedient in service.
27.  I have a special gift of helping others get "reset" emotionally, mentally, and spiritually.
28.  I believe God has given me the ability to make and share money.
29.  I am willing to "go first" when it comes to meeting the needs of others.
30.  I believe that God wants to reach out to people by using me to share in their suffering.
31.  I am irritated when the physical pain of others is overlooked or ignored. 
32.  I believe God wishes to use me to publicly cast out demons.
33.  Praying in tongues has been meaningful to me in my personal prayer life.
34.  When others have prayed in tongues, I felt that I understood the meaning of their prayer.
35.  Other Christians seek my advice when they are uncertain of their direction.
36.  God has made me aware of a deep need in someone that they were careful to hide.
37.  I am not moved from my personal belief in the truth by ridicule, apparent failure, or pain. 
38.  God has often used me to encourage others to accept difficult, but biblical teaching.
39.  People often try to give me glory for helping them, which I am able to direct to God.
40.  I can recognize talents and gifts in others, and find ways of using these for God.
41.  I desire to learn another language, culture, or religion so that I could be a better witness.
42.  Ridicule or rejection for speaking forth the truth, by family or friends, does not effect me.
43.  I tend to conclude my vocal witness with an appeal for others to become Christians.
44.  I want to be in unity with other mature believers to earnestly seek God's will for the body.  
45.  I get troubled by "testimonies" which contain false teaching or unsound advice.
46.  I often recognize ways that I can minister to others indirectly without speaking or teaching.
47.  I can challenge others without making them feel condemned.  
48.  I have strongly sensed the Spirit leading me to give money to a specific person or cause.
49.  Obeying Christ now is my passion in life.  It is not about mere words, but deeds.  
50.  Sometimes God gives me a taste of other people's pain.

1 Cor 12:4 (KJV)  Now there are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit.

GIFT INVENTORY TEST, continued

51.  Often I have a strong sense that God wants to heal someone through my prayers or words.
52.  I believe God will use me to speak forth a miracle when the situation looks most hopeless.
53.  I never publicly speak forth in tongues unless I strongly believe it will be interpreted. 
54.  I feel that God wishes to use me to build the fellowship with the interpretation of tongues.  
55.  God uses me to dispel confusion about God's will with supernatural insight.
56.  I often find I know things that I have never learned, which are confirmed by mature believers.
57.  I am totally convinced God will fulfill his word even if He is not doing so yet.
58.  I often sense when people are moved by the Holy Spirit, evil spirits, or by their own flesh.
59.  In the church, I gravitate to undone work, even if unpopular.
60.  People often look to me for guidance in coordination, organization, and ministry opportunities.
61.  Strange customs, cultures, and unusual behavior don't offend me or my faith.
62.  I love to find creative ways to confront people with the truth of God.
63.  I minister better to the spiritually "unborn" than baby, adolescent, or mature believers.
64.  God has shown fruit in my life in the effective discipling of other believers.
65.  I love to learn Biblical principles from my studies and then share them with others.
66.  I don't mind helping others even if they are not deserving or if they take advantage of me.
67.  People will take correction from me because they know I am on their side.
68.  I strive to seek ways to give to others without calling attention to myself.
69.  God has given me an ability to "rally the troops" in giving aid to others.
70.  Sometimes I feel so much love for others that I am at a loss for words.
71.  Though prayer, God sometimes helps me to impart physical healing to others.
72.  I believe that if we trusted God more, we would see dramatic, public miracles.
73.  When I first prayed in tongues, no one pressured me to do so.
74.  When I hear others speak in tongues, I am compelled to explain the meaning.
75.  My advice to others has led them into mature Christian living.
76.  God has given me words to say in witnessing situations that surprised even me.
77.  I seem to be less "shakable" than most Christians.
78.  I sometimes get the sense that what I am reading or hearing is divinely inspired.
79.  God often supernaturally enhances my service to others.
80.  I have a knack for getting people together in the body of Christ, and enjoy doing this.
81.  I have a deep understanding of the Gospel, and I want to tell others about the good news.
82.  I am more interested in saying the right thing than making people feel good.
83.  I'm troubled when salvation is not emphasized. 
84.  I feel that I am responsible to help protect weak Christians from dangerous influences.
85.  I reflect on my own life so that I can learn to help others to grow and know what to expect.
86.  I would rather work in secret than have my work recognized publicly.
87.  The Spirit gives me the ability to call forth the best that is in others.
88.  Everything I own is Christ’s, and this is no secret among the brethren.
89.  I can motivate others to obey Christ by the living testimony of my life.
90.  I have a desire to visit prisons and rest-homes in order to minister comfort and hope.
91.  When I pray for healing, I check to see if it really happened, and I don't give up until it does.
92.  The Holy Spirit leads me to pray for impossible things that really come true.
93.  Praying in tongues does not make me feel superior to other Christians who do not.
94.  My interpretations of tongues are confirmed by mature believers.
95.  God uses me to bring clarity to other believers when they are uncertain what to do.
96.  I often know about a real problem another person is hiding through a layer of deception.
97.  My hope in God, against all odds, is inspiring to others.
98.  God has used me to warn others of the danger of a certain teaching.
99.  I cannot stand idly by while things go undone.
100.  People come to me when they need help in desperate situations, and I know people who can help.

1 Cor 12:31 (Jer)  Be ambitious for the higher gifts. 

· The next column of questions are a self-rating of God-placed desire to exercise a particular gift.   Unfortunately, this can often be detected by "vain imaginings" surrounding fantasies of exercising the gift.  These fantasies of self-glory must be repented of before the gift will be actuated by the Holy Spirit.  God will not share His glory.  We should use our imaginations to think about how to give God the glory if/when the Holy Spirit gives us an increased measure of a particular gift.  In any case, dreams and desires can be useful clues to the reality of a latent gift.  Rate your relative agreement from 0 to 5.

101.  I dream of being a missionary to some group of people who have never heard the gospel. 
102.  I dream of God speaking through me in a powerful way.  
103.  I dream of winning many souls to Christ.
104.  I dream of myself and other leaders working together in unity, love, sound doctrine, and mutual submission.
105.  I dream of teaching God's Word so as to help others in the way of faith.
106.  I dream that I will experience the presence of God by serving others.
107.  I dream of speaking words of hope that God will confirm in others by the Holy Spirit.
108.  I dream of being used of God to meet someone's financial or material need.
109.  I dream of being first to lead the way in finding new ways to minister to others.
110.  I dream that God will use my emotions to feel His feelings for others.
111.  I dream of being used by God to radically heal hurting people.
112.  I dream that God will use me to perform awesome miracles.
113.  I dream of praising God by speaking in tongues.
114.  I dream of publicly interpret tongues so that the Body may be edified. 
115.  I dream of being used of God to help people know what God's will is.
116.  I dream that God will give me the knowledge needed to help at just the right moment. 
117.  I dream that I will be stronger than others when persecution comes.
118.  I dream that I could help those who are confused about teachings, spirits, and events.  
119.  I dream that God would anoint my every move as I give help to others.
120.  I dream of coordinating the gifts of others so that they will be at their best in Christ. 

· What gifts are lacking among the believer's you know?  You may be surprised at how differently people perceive these needs.  This can be a useful clue as to what problems God wants you to solve by allowing the Holy Spirit to give you grace.  What requirement has God put on your heart to meet?  Rate from 0 to 5 the relative intensity of need in the Body of Christ from your perspective.

121.  We need more people to take what we have and go out as missionaries. 
122.  We need more prophets in the Church to preach against sin and of the coming judgment.
123.  We aren't spending enough time trying to win souls to Christ.
124.  We need more people who are willing to take care of the spiritually newborn and young.
125.  We need more, and better teaching.
126.  We lack people willing to be humble and serve the brethren and outsiders.
127.  We need more exhortation and encouragement to do the right things.
128.  We have un-met, real financial or material needs among us.
129.  We need someone to take the first step in starting a new initiative to help others.
130.  We lack compassion for the hurts, pains, and struggles of people.
131.  We need more believers with the true gift of healing in the Church.
132.  We, or unbelievers, need to see a miracle.
133.  We need more speaking in tongues to build up the individual believers.
134.  We need interpretation so that we can be obedient to Scripture concerning public tongues.
135.  We need wisdom from above to know what God would have us do next.
136.  We need the gift of divine knowledge to make up for our deficiencies. 
137.  We need more examples of faith that has stood the test of adversity.
138.  We lack discernment in identifying unclean spirits, the flesh, and false teaching.
139.  We need to stop talking and start really helping people in practical ways.
140.  We need someone to direct the spiritual gifts of our group more effectively.

GIFTS INVENTORY RESULTS FOR:        					

· For this test to be valid, do not respond on the basis of what you think you ought to say, but rather on the basis of your interest and experience.  Do not let modesty hinder you from answering honestly.
	
	0    -    The statement is not relevant to my experience, or not true of me
	1    -    Not quite zero, but close
	2    -    Only a slight response
	3    -    Medium or moderate response
	4    -    Greater than average response
	5    -    Strong agreement with statement
					I  Dream  Of	We Need	Spiritual  Gift	Totals	
1	21	41	61	81	101	121	A		
2	22	42	62	82	102	122	B		
3	23	43	63	83	103	123	C		
4	24	44	64	84	104	124	D		
5	25	45	65	85	105	125	E		
6	26	46	66	86	106	126	F		
7	27	47	67	87	107	127	G		
8	28	48	68	88	108	128	H		
9	29	49	69	89	109	129	I		
10	30	50	70	90	110	130	J		
11	31	51	71	91	111	131	K		
12	32	52	72	92	112	132	L		
13	33	53	73	93	113	133	M		
14	34	54	74	94	114	134	N		
15	35	55	75	95	115	135	O		
16	36	56	76	96	116	136	P		
17	37	57	77	97	117	137	Q		
18	38	58	78	98	118	138	R		
19	39	59	79	99	119	139	S		
20	40	60	80	100	120	140	T		

· After responding to all of the statements, expose the Key by folding along the line at the bottom of this page.  Now write in the specific spiritual gift next to the appropriate letter. 

· Next, add the scores in each horizontal line and place total in the far right column.  Since some people tend to respond more conservatively than others, the important thing is the relative scores.  Highlight or check the five highest gifts, taking note of the highest value. 

Rom. 12:6 (NEB)  The gifts [charisma] we posses differ as they are allotted to us by God's grace [charis], and must be exercised accordingly. 

1 Peter 4:10 (TEB)  Each one, as a good manager of God's different gifts, must use for the good of others the special gift he has received from God.

2 Tim. 1:6 (NIV)  For this reason I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God... 

Luke 19:12-27 (Read from the NIV the parable of the talents)

· The gift definitions and questions in the Spiritual Gifts Inventory are based in part on K. C. Kinghorn's Discovering your Spiritual Gifts, 
A. Jordan's Spiritual Gift's Outline, integrated with our expanded studies on each gift.  The gift table and test format are derived from 
Kinghorn's Gifts of the Spirit.

A = Apostleship, B = Prophecy, C = Evangelism, D = Pastoring, E = Teaching, F = Serving, 
G= Exhortation, H = Giving, I = Leadership, J = Compassion, K = Healing, L = Miracles, 
M = Tongues, N = Interpretation, O = Wisdom, P = Knowledge, Q = Faith, R = Discernment, 
S = Helps , T = Administration.