Congregations provide a place for people to discover and use God-given talents

The activities of the faith community emerge from the God-given abilities of its members. The congregation may offer programs to help members discover and appreciate their gifts. Often, the congregation keeps track of member talents in a talent database to be used when a need arises. A distinguishing feature of the gift-based congregation is trust that the skills and talents of its members will be sufficient to fulfill its program and ministry needs. In fact, such trust often leads to a rich abundance.

In some interpretations, clearly articulated by lay ministry expert Jean Traumbauer, scripture describes twenty gifts given in different measure by the Holy Spirit. These gifts are used by members as they serve the church.

Other interpretations emphasize the infinite and unique capabilities bestowed to each individual person by the Divine. These gifts may be used to serve the religious organization or society at large. For example, Joe is a gifted teacher. He may teach confirmation preparation classes in his synagogue or he may teach history in the public schools. In both cases, he is using his God-given talent for teaching.

Using individual gifts

Once individual gifts are identified, there are two primary models for how congregations use them. In the first, the abilities of congregants serve as the foundations for ministry. If a particular gift is not present in the congregation, the ministry or program will wait until someone with a specific gift for that program emerges. This contrasts to congregations that envision ministries and then recruit members with matching gifts to lead or participate in them.

In the first instance, the gift-focused congregation, the program to feed the homeless isn’t created until someone with the passion and ability to start the program is discovered. He or she then works with the leadership to create and oversee the program. In the second, the gift-matching congregation, leadership starts with the goal of creating a feeding program and then recruits program leaders and participants with the required gifts for the program.

Implications for congregational leaders

Gift-based programs encourage people to use their talents and abilities. They may also encourage individuals to discover and appreciate their untapped talents. Congregations may also provide opportunities to develop and test out new talents. This may lead to a deeper understanding of becoming the people God has called them to be—both as a collective faith community and as individuals. Waiting for leaders with appropriate gifts to begin ministries can frustrate congregations. Advocates of gift-based ministry emphasize, however, that this anxiety rarely materializes into a real scarcity.

In gift-matching congregations, there is a danger that obvious gifts and talents will pigeonhole people. Discovering and nurturing new gifts may not be encouraged and thus opportunities for personal growth may be lost. This may be difficult for congregations committed to helping people discern and fulfill God’s purpose for their lives. Consider Alice, a staff nurse at a local hospital. She is a seasoned medical professional recruited to serve on a medical mission trip. Her participation is based on her existing talents; her undiscovered gift for facilitating small groups might never be discovered or used.

In thriving gift-based and gift-matching congregations, the abundant talents and abilities lead to an abundance of resources available for ministry. Members are more likely to "own" the activities of the congregation. They are more likely to participate and do what is needed to sustain those activities. Gift-based programs affirm the talents within a congregation and move away from relying on the expertise of the professional staff.

Gift-based ministries are flexible and can be used in a variety of congregational settings. Assessment tools, inventories, asset-mapping programs and a host of other methods exist for cataloging and recording gifts. These resources are available in paper form or electronically.

The key is how these tools are used—they can provide a powerful means to transform congregations or they can stifle creative energy by limiting people’s contributions to proven skills and abilities.

Go to "Equipping Congregations" resources.