Spiritual Gifts

Pre-Work: (To be completed prior to the first day of class)

• Reading: (Read both the KJV and NLT versions.)

  • • 1 Corinthians 12:4-11, Romans 12:4-8, and Ephesians 4:11-16).
      • Be prepared to talk about the biblical basis for spiritual gifts.
      • Be prepared to discuss the three main categories of gifts and how they function within the Church.
      • Be prepared to apply these to your work within the Church and the community? Where do you see these gifts at work in yourself and others? Where do you see a strength in your church? Where do you see opportunities for growth? Be prepared to defend your answers.
  • Read this link on spiritual gifts https://bible.org/seriespage/6-spiritual-gifts-1-corinthians-121-11.
    • Be prepared to discuss this article and its implications in your life and ministry, both inside and outside of the Church.
  • • Complete the following assessments regarding your spiritual/natural gifts.
    • • Spiritual Test https://spiritualgiftstest.com/
    • • 7 mountain assessment https://ivlv.me/L9UmR

Spiritual Gifts Class Syllabus

Course Duration: 90 minutes
Class Overview: This class provides an introduction to spiritual gifts, helping participants understand the biblical foundation, identify their own gifts through assessment, and discover how to apply these gifts in ministry and daily life.

Course Goals:

• Understand the biblical foundation and purpose of spiritual gifts.
• Identify and explore the different types of spiritual gifts.
• Complete a spiritual gifts assessment.
• Learn how to apply spiritual gifts in service to the church and community.
• Assign a practical task to encourage participants to use their gifts.

Class Outline

1. Introduction to Spiritual Gifts

• Welcome & Opening Prayer
• Icebreaker Activity: “What Does Ministry Look Like?” (Participants discuss examples of ministry work they’ve witnessed or been a part of).
• Overview of the Class Objectives
• Definition of Spiritual Gifts:
  • Biblical basis for spiritual gifts (1 Corinthians 12:4-11, Romans 12:6-8, Ephesians 4:11-13).
  • Purpose: For the edification of the church and the glory of God.

1. Types of Spiritual Gifts

• Three Main Categories of Gifts:
  • Motivational Gifts (Romans 12:6-8): Prophecy, Serving, Teaching, Encouragement, Giving, Leadership, Mercy.
  • Ministry Gifts (Ephesians 4:11): Apostle, Prophet, Evangelist, Pastor, Teacher.
  • Manifestation Gifts (1 Corinthians 12:4-11): Word of Wisdom, Word of Knowledge, Faith, Gifts of Healing, Miracles, Prophecy, Discerning of Spirits, Speaking in Tongues, Interpretation of Tongues.
• Explanation of Each Gift:
  • Briefly explain the characteristics, examples, and functions of each gift in the church and how they serve the body of Christ.
• Discussion Question:
  • “Which gifts resonate with you and why?”

III. Spiritual Gifts Assessment

• Introduction to the Assessment:
  • Spiritual Gifts BINGO

• • Explain the purpose of the assessment as a tool to identify participants’ spiritual gifts.
• Assessment Activity:
  • Participants will come to the class with their completed Spiritual Gifts Inventory. 
  • Those who did not complete this homework prior to the course will be provided with a link and allowed to fill out the assessment.
• Interpretation of Results:
  • Once the assessments are completed, guide participants in interpreting their results.
  • Group discussion on how the identified gifts match their current service in the church or community.

1. Application of Spiritual Gifts

• How to Use Your Spiritual Gifts in Ministry:
  • Discuss how participants can apply their gifts within the church, community outreach, small groups, etc.
  • Emphasize the importance of aligning gifts with God’s purpose for their lives.
• Examples of Application:
  • Share testimonies or stories of how individuals used their spiritual gifts to serve in practical ways.
  • Small group discussion: “How can you start using your gift in the church right now?”

1. Assignment

• Assignment:
  • Each participant will commit to using their identified spiritual gift in a specific ministry or activity over the next 4 weeks.
  • Have participants write down one action they will take to activate their gift, such as volunteering in a ministry that aligns with their gifts or creating a plan for outreach.
  • Homework: Reflect on their experience and journal how using their gift impacted their spiritual growth.
• Closing Prayer & Final Thoughts

Materials Provided:

• Handouts:
  • Spiritual Gifts Assessment (online link).
  • Reflection Journal Sheet for tracking their assignment progress.

Follow-Up:

• Optional Small Group Discussion:
  • After 4 weeks, reconvene for a small group discussion or have participants share testimonies of how they applied their gifts in ministry.