It is our belief, and truly a reason to celebrate, that everyone is gifted by God, that each person is uniquely and beautifully equipped for ministry and with encouragement empowered to be in mission to our community and our world!
Giftedness is not about privilege or special skills and talents. It is about listening more deeply to, and following more fully, the deepest desires of our hearts and God's leading in our lives.
As we seek to grow as disciples of Jesus Christ, we need encouragement, tips and tools to assist us along the way. On this page you will find examples of others living their faith every day, helps for your devotional times, and practical advice on how to love and serve your family, neighbors, friends and strangers out of the gifts that God has given to you.
The first step to better understanding ourselves, and our potential, as a disciple of Jesus is to take a Spiritual Gifts Assessment. There are many ways to learn about spiritual gifts, including books and small group studies listed below.
Here is a Spiritual Gifts inventory you may take online from UMC Discipleship.
(Be sure to email your results to yourself so that you may speak with your pastor or other spiritual friends about the results so that you make take the next steps in exploring your spiritual gifts!)
Why these twenty gifts?
The twenty gifts covered by the Spiritual Gifts Online Assessment are those listed within the Pauline epistles to Rome, Ephesus, and Corinth, and recognized by the first-century church. While all of life is a gift from God, these twenty gifts are lifted up within Scripture as the gifts of the Spirit, given specifically for the upbuilding of the body of Christ (Ephesians 4; I Corinthians 12 & 13; Romans 12).
Follow this link for Frequently Asked Questions about Spiritual Gifts.
Follow this link to read the stories of laity and clergy of all ages from across the West Virginia Conference who have identified their Spiritual Gifts and who are inspired to serve their church and community out of their gifts.
There is a new Portico Class that helps you identify your SHAPE for ministry - your unique design from God!
As you take the course, you will begin to see how your SHAPE can influence your calling to serve in ministry. (S) Spiritual Gifts; (H) Heart; (A) Abilities; (P) Personality; (E) Experiences
Follow this link to enroll in this FREE course and be prepared for a new way of seeing your faith journey!
Held by her parents in her long white gown, little Nora Grace splashed her tiny hand into the baptismal font as her grandfather Rev. Greg Godwin and Bishop Sandra Steiner Ball laid their wet hands on her head...
...In those precious moments with water and spirit, a family celebrated the Holy Spirit’s gifts to Nora Grace, and the priesthood of all believers became responsible for helping her grow into those spiritual gifts. They promised to nurture her and pray for her to be a true disciple, giving the act of baptism both a personal and a corporate purpose...
What does it mean to be called and claimed by God? Follow this link to learn more.
As director of Young Disciples and Outdoor Ministries for the West Virginia Conference of the United Methodist Church, Rev. Shea James uses creative ways to challenge students and campers to grow in faith. Sometimes it’s a song. Sometimes it’s a game. And at this year’s Fall Workshop, she’ll be asking youth to complete a spiritual gifts inventory.
They will answer a series of questions to help them determine which of the 20 spiritual gifts — named in the New Testament — God has freely bestowed upon them to help them grow in relationship with God and fulfill their call to discipleship and ministry.
“Spiritual gifts are God’s generosity poured out,” Shea said. “They are diverse and unique to each believer, and best understood, expressed, and strengthened in Christian community. Spiritual gifts are how we respond to God’s work in our lives, enabling us to be channels of God’s grace towards others.” Follow this link to learn more!
The next step as we grow as a disciple is to nurture our gifts to the glory of God and for the benefit of others.
And that’s something that requires help from a church family — not only to carry out God’s work within a church but to carry out his work throughout the world.
“Paul says in 1 Corinthians 12 that ‘the body does not consist of one member, but of many,’ ” said Kim Matthews, CLM, vice president of the United Methodist Foundation of West Virginia and chair of Lay Servant Ministries for the WVUMC. “So it is with spiritual gifts and the church. Spiritual gifts are important because, together, they equip us to BE the church in the world, and to do God’s work among God’s people.”
Follow this link for more!
“He handed out gifts of apostle, prophet, evangelist, and pastor-teacher to train Christians in skilled servant work, working within Christ’s body, the church, until we’re all moving rhythmically and easily with each other, efficient and graceful in response to God’s Son, fully mature adults, fully developed within and without, fully alive like Christ.” — Ephesians 4:11-13 (The Message)
In her book, “The Equipping Church,” Sue Mallory sums up those words from Paul like this: “When the church is healthy, she dances.”
Only these dance partners are partners in ministry — like Cheryl Davis, who helps her church, Elizabeth Memorial UMC in Charleston, dance by using her spiritual gift of administration.
“I think there’s a reason we all have different gifts,” Davis said. “Some people are very conceptual and creative. Then, on the other hand, there has to be someone who makes those things happen, who brings those creative, conceptual ideas to fruition. … It’s a partnership.”
Follow this link for more!
One of the most important ministries during times of isolation is communication and connection. Laity are well-equipped to take on this ministry.
Here’s a new way to look at being the church.
As we discover our spiritual gifts, we are given the power to live into God’s call as the Holy Spirit shapes our understanding of ourselves.
This article from UMC Discipleship shares information about where spiritual gifts come from, how to discover your unique spiritual gifts, and the next steps for growing as a follower of Jesus!
Learn how to energize your congregation or small group with these resources, including The Spiritual Gifts Assessment Inventory tool, which can help people learn how to use their God-given spiritual attributes to become intentional disciple-makers.
Here you’ll find additional resources to help you, your church, or your small group explore spiritual gifts more deeply.
Download and read this list of 20 spiritual gifts so you might be ready to see the spiritual gifts in others.
Spiritual gifts are not our talents or skills. They are the grace of God at work within us, empowering us to match our deep passions with the world’s deep need. This video points to the work of the Holy Spirit within every child of God.
Resources for individuals, small groups, youth and the local church:
Young people have spiritual gifts, too. Help them explore them with this icebreaker activity. For youth and youth leaders.
Who you are is a gift from God and can be used by God. This is part of an Epiphany lesson for youth that also works well on its own.
Spiritual gifts are not given for personal gain, but for ministry in the world. Learning about the spiritual gifts we have, as well as helping our congregation learn about their gifts, can be useful when we pair it with opportunities to engage our community. 
How do the spiritual gifts of members play into the development of a church's identity? Take a look at these clusters of gifts and see where your church fits in.
While identifying spiritual gifts should not be used as a recruitment tool to fill church vacancies, it is often helpful in identifying persons who have not held leadership before and may feel energized and more deeply connected to the church when placed in a role that utilizes their gifts.
While most United Methodists can articulate what they believe about Jesus and are reasonably comfortable talking about God, our confidence might waver when talking about the Holy Spirit. This article and the links within it provide a Wesleyan perspective on the Holy Spirit.
Are spiritual gifts supernatural? Try on the lens that includes both the unseen and seen world as you explore this article.
Where in the Bible do we find a mention of the various spiritual gifts, and are the gifts listed in one passage?
Former Discipleship Ministries staff person Rev. Dan Dick has provided a translation of where the 20 spiritual gifts used in the Spiritual Gifts Inventory can be found in scripture.
Dan and Barbara Dick’s blog about Spiritual Gifts contains helpful articles and a download-able brochure about “Equipped for Every Good Work,” their project that employs four tools to help individuals and groups discover and understand the spiritual gifts, attitudes, beliefs, and behaviors that influence their ability to live as Christian disciples and to lead within a community of faith.
Spiritual gifts are not given for personal gain, but for ministry in the world. Learning about the spiritual gifts we have, as well as helping our congregation learn about their gifts, can be useful when we pair it with opportunities to engage our community.
God tailored you to fit exactly where you are! Find the uplifting encouragement you seek in this 90-second audio message from See All the People.
Additional Articles to consider:
While it is highly recommended that the Spiritual Gifts Inventory be used whenever possible, the Interview Method is provided here as an alternative for those who feel the Spiritual Gifts Inventory is simply too long or detailed for a particular group.
Learning about our own spiritual gifts as well as those of our congregation can be useful when we pair that knowledge with opportunities to use those gifts. Learn how one pastor helped his congregation engage its community in relationship building in care and love.
This patchwork approach uses biblical reflection, free online tools, reflection questions, discernment, and affirmation to help launch people into ministry who had been on the sidelines or were wondering if simply "being in church" was all there was to Christian discipleship.
What are the top five spiritual gifts that would be helpful to church planters? Find out here.