BLOSSOM MINISTRIES
Preparing women to bear fruit...
A Passionate Life
A Passionate Life ~ Pentagon
“God does not expect you to be who you are not!”
Rejoice! All of us have, at one point or another, tried to fill another person's expectations for us. Young or old...now is the time to start being who GOD wants you to be! The 5th shape in our LifeShapes series is discovering what spiritual gift you operate in most of the time. It is designed after the 5-fold ministries set out in Ephesians 4:7, 11-13:
“But to each one of us grace has been given as Christ apportioned it...it was he who gave some to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to be evangelists, and some to be pastors and teachers, to prepare God's people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.”
Make special note here since I am treading on much-preached about grounds, that your spiritual gift is the primary role or function that you God uses you to operate in. In contrast, other passages of scripture with lists of spiritual gifts are areas that believers move in and around in as needed. As my pastor regularly says, “What is the most important spiritual gift? The one needed at the time.” This goes for speaking in tongues, having a word of knowledge, operating with the gift of mercy and so on. But the 5-fold gifts are for EVERYONE and represent a distinct way that the Holy Spirit uses you in a primary way. Remember, our personalities weave together all the aspects of our lives. Of the 5 ministries, 1 of them is your primary “base” ministry and the others will weave in and out of your life as God shapes your experiences.
Apostle: Do you always see the bigger picture? Do you find change exciting and feel antsy when you've been in one place too long? You may be an apostle! Apostles are visionaries. They like to establish new churches or ministries and they are always thinking of new, creative ways to do things. Apostles are pioneers. You can count on them to push the boundaries of what is known into brand new things!
Prophet: Are you a creative person? Are you a musician, artist, photographer, or writer? You may be a prophet. Prophets can step outside of a situation and perceive what may be underneath the obvious. If you find
yourself seeing more than meets the eye, be sure and spend lots of quality alone-time with God so that your perceptions are based in wisdom and your words are spoken with clarity and sensitivity.
Evangelist: Are you a people-person? Do you enjoy spending time with non-Christians? When you walk into a room do people tell you that you tend to draw the attention of the room? You may be an evangelist! Don't be caught up in looking like Billy Graham…instead, simply remind other believers that there are lost souls out there and be open to any opportunity to share your faith! Be sure to spend lots of time in the Word so you are always ready with answers for those who are seeking!
Pastor: Do you have a tender spirit? Are you an encourager and a comforter? Are you a counselor, social worker, nurse or mother? You may be a pastor! Pastors are easy to talk to and approachable. They have a knack for speaking truth in love and are great listeners. Do not be afraid to see where God has placed people in your world for you to shepherd!
Teacher: Are you easily excited by truth and learning new things? Do you love to read and share with others what you have learned? You are probably a teacher! Spend time in the Word so you can teach others what it says and how to apply it in every day life!
One of the preceding 5 ministries is your base ministry in that it is the area you will spend most of your life operating in. However, God always stretches us and helps us grow so in different seasons we will find ourselves moving in and out of other spiritual gifts and in these other 4 base ministries. When this happens you are operating in a phase ministry. This means God is using you in an area that might feel uncomfortable at first but is stretching you in new ways. When you find yourself frustrated or worn out see if you have been working in a phase ministry. It may be time for you to get back to your base ministry for some rest. When you are “filled up” again it's time to stretch your wings and let God reveal new growth in your walk.
~ Jana Waddell
To take your own 5 Fold Survey use the link below:
www.stthomaschurch.org.uk/