DISCOVERING MY GIFTS AND MINISTRIES
 Session 1

 The Spiritual Gifts class builds on the material covered in other discipleship classes offered at Washington Cathedral.  For best results, you should have completed the Discovery 1 and 2 membership classes.   You should also have completed the Essentials of Christianity class (available online).  You must first be committed to membership in a church family and committed to the habits for spiritual maturity before you are ready for ministry.  Membership and Maturity are the foundations for Ministry.

After you have finished this session, click on the "Submit" button at the end of the lesson.  Submitting the form will email it to Pastor Bill Payne at Washington Cathedral and give you credit for this session.

(You can use the TAB key on your keyboard to move to each answer box.)

INTRODUCTION 

 

The Work of Ministry (select the best answer for each box)


 “God) has given . . . pastors and teachers to prepare God’s people for works of ministry, so the body of Christ may be built up. (Ephesians 4:11-12)

 

1. The pastors are the                                      

2. The people are the                                                           

 

God is consistent in his plan for each of our lives.  He gives us inborn talents and temperaments, spiritual gifts, and all sorts of life experiences to serve His unique purposes for each of us.  By reviewing and studying our life characteristics,  we can discover the ministry God has for us.

 

If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be given you.  This is to my Father's glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples. (John 15:7-8)

 

3. Two results of discovering the ministry I’ve been created for are:    and 

 

 

The Focus Of This Class
 

At Washington Cathedral we focuses on individuals doing ministry rather taking an institutional approach.

 

 “If ministry is going to cause you to grow distant from God, then we don’t want you in that ministry.”
                                                                                                                                (Pastor Tim White)

  

 

The Goals Of This Class
 

1.  Begin to discover your unique spiritual gifts

2.  Commit to start using your gifts in a ministry

 

 

WHAT THE BIBLE SAYS ABOUT MINISTRY

 

What is Ministry?

 

1. Definition: (Greek “diakonos” = “to serve”)

 

2. Ministry is using whatever God has given me to serve him and the needs of others.

 

 

We Minister in Three Directions (fill in the boxes based on the hint given)

 

To    (see Acts 13:2a)

To    (see Hebrews 6:10)

To    (see I Peter 3:15-16)

 

 

We Minister To Three Areas of Need (fill in the boxes)

 

1.  To people’s  needs.

Jesus said,  I was hungry and you fed me . . . thirsty and you gave me a drink . . . needed clothes and you clothed me . . . sick and you cared for me . . . in prison and you visited me . . . Whenever you have done this to the least person, you did it to me. (Matthew 25:35-36, 40)

 

If, as my representative, you give even a cup of cold water to a little child, you will surely be rewarded.

(Matthew 10:42 - Living Bible)

 2.  To people’s     needs.

. . . Warn the idle, encourage the timid, help the weak, be patient with all.

                                                      (1 Thessalonians 5:14 - Good News Bible)

 

 3. To people’s     needs.

 

God reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation.”( Corinthians 5:18)

 

We proclaim Christ, counseling and teaching everyone with all wisdom, so that we may present everyone mature in Christ.  (Colossians 1:28, 29)

 

 

The Main Purpose of Ministry (fill in the boxes)

 

There are different kinds of service to God, but it is the same Lord we are serving.  The Holy Spirit displays God’s power through each of us as a means of helping the entire church.  All of you together are the one Body of Christ and each of you is a separate and necessary part of it.        (I Corinthians 12:5-6 – Living Bible)

 

God wants to use each of us to build up His .  

                                                    .

 

 Your Primary Identity (read the scriptures under each item and fill in the boxes)

 

1. I’ve been       for ministry!

 

For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do. (Ephesians 2:10)

 

2. I’ve been      for ministry!

 

God in his grace, chose me even before I was born, and called me to serve him.       
                                                                        (Galatians 1:15 - Good News Bible)

 

It is He who saved us and chose us for his holy work, not because we deserved it but because that was his plan long before the world began.  (2 Timothy 1:9 - Living Bible)

 

 . . . You have been chosen by God himself – you are priests of the King . . . you are God’s very own – all this so that you may show to others how God called you out of darkness into his wonderful light!  Once you were less than nothing; now you are God’s own!   ( Peter 2:9-10 - Living Bible)

 

3.  I’ve been    for ministry!

 

God has given each of you some special abilities; be sure to use them to help each other, passing on to others God’s many kinds of blessing. (1 Peter 4:10 - Living Bible)

 

4. I’ve been     for ministry!

 

(Jesus said) All authority in heaven and earth has been given me.  Therefore, go and make disciples . . .

                                                                                                                                 (Matthew 28:18-19)

 

(Jesus said) Your attitude must be like my own, for I, the Messiah, did not come to be served, but to serve . . .    
                                                                                                                          (Matthew 20:28 - Living Bible)

 

Take heed to the ministry you’ve received from the Lord and fulfill it.”  (Colossians 4:17 - KJV)

 

 

5. I’m to be   for ministry!

 

God gave . . . pastors and teachers to prepare God’s people for works of ministry, so that the Body of Christ may be built up.  (Ephesians 4:11-12)

 

6. The body of Christ     my ministry!

 

All of you together are the one body of Christ and each of you is a separate and necessary part of it.

(1 Corinthians 12:27 - Living Bible)

 

7. I am   for my ministry!

 

So then each of us will give an account of himself to God.

                                                                   (Romans 14:12)

 

 

8. I will be  for my ministry!

 

Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not men, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward.    (Colossians 3:23-24)

 

Well done, good and faithful servant!  You have been faithful with a few things: I will put you in charge of many things.  Come and share your Master’s happiness!   (Matthew 25:23)

                                                                                               

 

Provide your name and email to receive proper credit for completing this online class.

 

Name      Email (if available)

                 

You may want to print this page before submitting it. After you have indicated your choices, click on the "Submit" button to send this form to Pastor Bill Payne at Washington Cathedral.  By submitting the form you will have completed the requirement for this session of the Discovering Your Gifts and Ministries class.