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Post by anfauglith on Nov 6, 2018 10:51:04 GMT -6
Good evening all together! Now and then I wonder about the gifts given by the holy spirit and about what gift the spirit might have given me. In the church I visit, those gifts do not play a larger roll in our services and so on... regretably. So... today I stumbled upon this article on the website of the United Methodist Church (of which my church is a part) and did the assesment linked there. Just to find out (even if that small assesment of course is no scientific-theological-power-tool-whatsoever...), that I could have an inclination towards evangelism... which made me wonder. On the one hand I am not a great speaker when it comes to speak in front of an audience. On the other hand I enjoy personal conversations about the meaning of live and such and I think I also like talking about my faith... given that my conversational partner is not just waiting for the first opportunity that comes along to shout at me and starting an atheistic rant... and even if I have not all the answers... and so far no person of which I know was converted by talking to me... Anyway I found this interesting. Have you thought about special talents or spiritual gifts, that God has given you and how to use them for his glory and for serving him and people around you?
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Post by _ on Nov 6, 2018 13:03:23 GMT -6
I took a quiz years ago and it came out to either encouragement or giving, which both make sense to me. I need to do a better job at stewarding these gifts.
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Post by nocturnaliridescence on Nov 6, 2018 21:42:21 GMT -6
I don't think spiritual gifts necessarily need to play a role in church services, except perhaps with sermons. Everything else could be done with natural talents (singing, reading the Bible, etc). As for my own gifts, I think of evangelism a lot as well. I have very bad social anxiety, and feel stressed out VERY easily in social situations, including online. God seems to give me ways to evangelize anyway. For example, I once messaged a secular artist who used to be involved in the Christian scene. (I run a website/blog about Christian/unblack metal, and I had some questions for him about his past work.) While talking to him, I had a chance to explain some concerns he had with Christianity. In cases like this, we hardly ever know how much of an impact we have. Maybe a lot. Maybe nothing at all. But maybe it will "plant a seed" that will grow into something later. There were a bunch of "small" things that helped me grow into the spiritually/theologically mature person I am today. Also, God has just helped me be more comfortable around others for the sake of evangelism. I still have a long way to go, but I've also come a very VERY long way from where I was. So, who knows. Pray, follow where God leads you.
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Post by Deleted on Nov 7, 2018 0:03:03 GMT -6
Evangelism could very well be mine, but I don't know for sure. My personality has changed a lot since I've started college and I'm way less shy and more extroverted now. At my Christian university, I'm part of a ministry in which we visit other (non-Christian) universities to strike up conversations with students and share the gospel. It's understandably awkward a lot of the time but it's a really good experience and I always return to my university feeling overjoyed.
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Post by Thomas Eversole on Nov 7, 2018 10:23:50 GMT -6
I took the quiz. (only takes a few minutes) Scored highest on "Wisdom" - scored lowest on "Healing, Faith, Teaching".
I have no idea what that means, even after reading the information in each category. It just seemed to be their questions were answered with more questions?
Its easy for me to talk to people. I wouldn't be able to work hours a day for my job if I couldn't. I do great at relating to people on an emotional level. (empathy)
...but there's a few things about me that make me think "my gifts" would be of very little use to anyone. Some of those things are related to my health. (or I should say, lack of health)
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Post by anfauglith on Nov 7, 2018 10:40:46 GMT -6
For me this question has very much to do with asking oneself "what is God's plan for me? What does He want me to do?". Been asking me that quite often. There are those people (at church or somewhere else) which are doing incredibly well with people, lighting up fireworks of good ideas everywhere etc. etc., and I guess they have no hard time finding out, what talent they can and shall use to serve the people around them. Don`t know... I have some talents, but I don't know if I serve anybody by using them. Does God want me to use them anyhow, just to be myself? Having that kind of questions travel round and round in my mind some days. Experiences like inviting friends to come with me to church. And they don`t. Having conversations in which everybody seems to be so sure about their own points of view and so on. I'll stop now before it gets completely off-topic... There were a bunch of "small" things that helped me grow into the spiritually/theologically mature person I am today. What kind of things helped you to grow?
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Post by jazzhead on Nov 7, 2018 12:54:48 GMT -6
I took the quiz. (only takes a few minutes) Scored highest on "Wisdom" - scored lowest on "Healing, Faith, Teaching". Wow, Thomas Eversole are we the same person? That's what I got as well. I can relate well to others, I'm a good listener, but I suck at communicating ~ just ask my wife.
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Post by nocturnaliridescence on Nov 7, 2018 15:37:58 GMT -6
What kind of things helped you to grow? A lot of it was specific to my journey. I don't know how much it would help you. But I would find music that "felt" particularly evil and unpleasant. These helped me build up discernment. (I VERY much lacked discernment back then.) There were Christian albums that I could relate to in some way. (A big one was Torches in the Void's EP "Through the Black".) I would discover Bible verses that contradicted my beliefs at that time. I would also find things from Christians in my research that challenged me in a Biblical way. I'm sure there was more.
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Post by anfauglith on Dec 29, 2019 12:39:45 GMT -6
Lately this (or more the question of what God wants me to do in my life here and now) is once again an issue for me. I wonder... Does God only sends us to do things that are christian at first sight? Then I might be an epic fail. I don't know. I seem to be good at having ideas that other people don't have. Like I discovered this RPG system and liked it. I can't play it alone. So I started to look for people over the internet who might want to try it. It worked. Plus someone I got to know recently told me that she has been looking for a RPG group for a long time. She also joined my group. So there we have this bunch of different people who otherwise would never have met sitting in my living room, playing a game and giving me the opportunity to share what I have with them. People get to know each other. Having good times. I like that! I like bringing people from different walks of live together. That is of course not evangelism. But maybe God does also commission people to do something like that? Bringing things to people that they might not have found themselves. Communing. Just for the sake of communing? For me that would make sense. Evangelism always failed when I tried. Failed horrible! Giving people the opportunity to have a good time works. I'd like to serve God with that very much.
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Post by nocturnaliridescence on Dec 29, 2019 19:50:51 GMT -6
It's tough to say. God definitely isn't calling me to something like that, but it could easily be different for you. Sometimes subtlety is better, and that may be the case for you. That's why some Christians in black metal (eg this band) try to be less "direct" in their lyrics. Again, I could never see myself being "subtle" about what God has taught me, but it seems that some people are called to that!
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Post by anfauglith on Dec 30, 2019 5:11:47 GMT -6
The only reason I started to think about this again is because it was topic in one of Pastor Bob Beemans Videos. So I started wondering if I really know what God wants me to do. The issue with some of the spiritual-gift-tests is that one must choose things that other people say about oneself... (for myself, other people tend to ignore me most of the time. So... difficult to say.)
Evangelism... tried this a couple of times in the past. Invited people over for service at my church. Gave my brothers girlfriend wo showed interest in visiting some services by her own a bible as a present. Sent people greeting cards with biblical motives etc. It worked out really bad. Most people seemed to feel inclined to say something nice. Like "Oh, it`s a cool thing that people still gather in such a number for no practical reason but to think about something... I'll sure come again with you some day" (never did, not by themselves nor when I invited them to come) or "Oh, such a nice book. Most bibles are like... black or something. This one is white and looks... modern." (I am sure that I do not want to now where the bible is today and how it looks now). Or "Thanks for the card anyway. But the bible is not for me.". Or when I asked people if I can pray for them: "Sure. It is nice to know to have some positive energy sent over." (I am not sure if that is what praying is about. Anyway. I seem to be worse at normal evangelism and that frustrated the hell out of me and made me question my believes. "So... if it's christian to do things over and over again in which I suck and which seem to make people take their distance from me... maybe that is not the right thing for me." On the other hand I seem to be more or less goood at other things. Like I have this friend of mine. He is more like a pagan. We talk about spiritual questions. Not with the intention of converting the other person over, but as friends and people who care for each other and are interested in what the other believes and about where it might fit with things we believe to be true. That works. And maybe God uses this conversation for something. I do not know.
Or the RPG group I mentioned. I will not tell anyone there without being asked about my faith. But if the topic should arise... Mind: that is not the reason I have started the group for. I started it because I wanted to do the game and because after meeting those gals and guys in person I tended to like them all quite a bit. That is the reason. But that does not mean I will not talk to them about things like faith. When the topic arises. In a good manner. I think I am more good in sharing something with people. Or asking questions together with them. Maybe in showing them that there are christians like me that are not like one would imagine the stereotypical christian. Anyway... I do not know.
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