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 FINDING YOUR SPIRITUAL GIFTS
A SELF-ASSESSMENT INVENTORY

For each of the 60 questions which follow, choose the answer that corresponds with the responses that most closely match how you perceive yourself. You might also alsk a person who is close to you to score the inventory with, and for, you. Their perception of your strengths may be useful in identifying the gifts with which you have been truly blessed. After responding to each question, press the SCORE button at the bottom of the inventory.

1. When presented a goal, I immediately think of steps that need to be taken in order to achieve the desired results.
consistently true
 frequently true
 occasionally true
 infrequently true
 rarely true
2. I express myself through artistic means.
consistently true
 frequently true
 occasionally true
 infrequently true
 rarely true
3. My faith requires me to seek out God's will and purpose in all circumstances that arise in my life.
consistently true
 frequently true
 occasionally true
 infrequently true
 rarely true
4. I am able to convey the Gospel message to non-believers in ways that they are able to easily understand.
consistently true
 frequently true
 occasionally true
 infrequently true
 rarely true
5. I am moved by those who, through conflict or sorrow, are wavering in faith.
consistently true
 frequently true
 occasionally true
 infrequently true
 rarely true
6. I am certain of the Spirit's presence in my life and the lives of others.
consistently true
 frequently true
 occasionally true
 infrequently true
 rarely true

7. I am blessed by God each day and gladly respond to these blessings by giving liberally of my time and money.

consistently true
 frequently true
 occasionally true
 infrequently true
 rarely true
8. I enjoy meeting new people and becoming acquainted with them.
consistently true
 frequently true
 occasionally true
 infrequently true
 rarely true
9. I know that God hears and responds to my daily prayers.
consistently true
 frequently true
 occasionally true
 infrequently true
 rarely true
10. I feel compelled to learn as much as I can about the Bible and faith.
consistently true
 frequently true
 occasionally true
 infrequently true
 rarely true
11. I am a take-charge person. When others follow my direction, the goal or task will be completed.
consistently true
 frequently true
 occasionally true
 infrequently true
 rarely true
12. When I see a person in need, I am moved to assist them.
consistently true
 frequently true
 occcasionally true
 infrequently true
 rarely true
13. I love to sing and enjoy inspiring others through song.
consistently true
 frequently true
 occasionally true
 infrequently true
 rarely true
14. I find joy and express myself by playing a musical instrument.
consistently true
 frequently true
 occasionally true
 infrequently true
 rarely true
15. I am motivated to provide spiritual leadership to those who are on a faith journey.
consistently true
 frequently true
 occasionally true
 infrequently true
 rarely true
16. I like working behind the scenes to ensure projects are successful.
consistently true
 frequently true
 occasionally true
 infrequently true
 rarely true
17. I enjoy working with my hands in a trade or skill that required considerable experience to perfect.
consistently true
 frequently true
 occasionally true
 infrequently true
 rarely true
18. My great joy is to communicate biblical truth in such a way that it becomes real and understood by others.
consistently true
 frequently true
 occasionally true
 infrequently true
 rarely true
19 When a challenge is presented, I am usually able to identify an appropriate solution.
consistently true
 frequently true
 occasionally true
 infrequently true
 rarely true
20. I am able to take a thought or idea and put it into a clear and inspiring written form.
consistently true
 frequently true
 occasionally true
 infrequently true
 rarely true
21. I enjoy organizing thoughts, ideas, hopes and dreams into a specific plan of action.
consistently true
 frequently true
 occasionally true
 infrequently true
 rarely true
22. I can translate into artistic form what I first see in my imagination.
consistently true
 frequently true
 occasionally true
 infrequently true
 rarely true
23. I have assisted others as they sought to discern whether or not their personal decisions were helpful and in accord with God's will for their lives.
consistently true
 frequently true
 occasionally true
 infrequently true
 rarely true
24. I enjoy being with non-believers and like having the opportunity to encourage them to faith and commitment.
consistently true
 frequently true
 occasionally true
 infrequently true
 rarely true
25. When I know someone is facing a crisis, I feel compelled to provide support and care.
consistently true
 frequently 3true
 occasionally true
 infrequently true
 rarely true
26. My trust in the Spirit's presence, when I encounter times of personal crisis, is a source of strength for others.
consistently true
 frequently true
 occasionally true
 infrequently true
 rarely true
27. I manage my time and money so that I am able to give much of it to the work of the church or other organizations.
consistently true
 frequently true
 occasionally true
 infrequently true
 rarely true
28. I am often asked to open my home for small group gatherings or social occasions.
consistently true
 frequently true
 occasionally true
 infrequently true
 rarely true
29. I often become so absorbed in my prayer life that the door bell or phone can ring and I will not hear it.
consistently true
 frequently true
 occasionally true
 infrequently true
 rarely true
30. Not one day would be complete without biblical study and thought.
consistently true
 frequently true
 occasionally true
 infrequently true
 rarely true
31. When I am in a group, others will often look to me for direction.
consistently true
 frequently true
 occasionally true
 infrequently true
 rarely true
32. I feel an urgency to provide housing for the homeless, food for the starving, comfort for those in distress.
consistently true
 frequently true
 occasionally true
 incfrequently true
 rarely true
33. I have sung before groups and felt a real sense of God's presence.
consistently true
 frequently true
 occasionally true
 infrequently true
 rarely true
34. By my playing a musical instrument, inspiration has been provided for both myself and others.
consistently true
 frequently true
 occasionally true
 infrequently true
 rarely true
35. I have responsibility for providing spiritual guidance to an individual believer or group of believers.
consistently true
 frequently true
 occasionally true
 infrequently true
 rarely true
36. People tell me that without my willingness to do the unnoticed jobs, their work would be more difficult.
consistently true
 frequently true
 occasionally true
 infrequently true
 rarely true
37. I am good at building, repairing, or restoring things and find satisfaction in doing so.
consistently true
 frequently true
 occasionally true
 infrequently true
 rarely true
38. I want to express my faith by assisting others to discover the truths contained in the Bible.
consistently true
 frequently true
 occasionally true
 infrequently true
 rarely true
39. People come to me for help in applying Christian faith and values to personal situations.
consistently true
 frequently true
 occasionally true
 infrequently true
 rarely true
40. I often feel moved to write about my thoughts and feelings so others may benefit from them.
consistently true
 frequently true
 occasionally true
 infrequently true
 rarely true
41. I have been successful in organizing, directing and motivating people to achieve a goal.
consistently true
 frequently true
 ocasionally true
 infrequently true
 rarely true
42. My artistic work has given spiritual strength to both believer and non-believer.
consistently true
 frequently true
 occasionally true
 infrequently true
 rarely true
43. In the congregation, I am often asked if a direction being discussed is in accord with God's will and purpose.
consistently true
 frequently true
 occasionally true
 infrequently true
 rarely true
44. I do not find it difficult to share what Jesus means to me with non-believers.
consistently true
 frequently true
 occasionally true
 infrequently true
 rarely true
45. Those who are struggling with life questions have come to me for guidance and help.
consistently true
 frequently true
 occasionally true
 infrequently true
 rarely true
46. I can see great things happening in my congregation and am not derailed by the pessimism of others.
consistently true
 frequently true
 occasionally true
 infrequently true
 rarely true
47. When I receive money unexpectedly, one of my first thoughts is to share this gift through the church.
consistently true
 frequently true
 occasionally true
 infrequently true
 rarely true
48. I enjoy welcoming guests and helping them to feel at ease.
consistently true
 frequently true
 occasionally true
 infrequently true
 rarely true
49. Believers have asked me to pray for healing in their lives, and have evidenced God's healing power.
consistently true
 frequently true
 occasionally true
 infrequently true
 rarely true
50. My study of the Bible has proven helpful to others in their faith journey.
consistently true
 frequently true
 occasionally true
 infrequently true
 rarely true
51. People have said they like to work with me because the task will be successfully completed.
consistently true
 frequently true
 occasionally true
 infrequently true
 rarely true
52. People have been surprised by how at-ease I am while working with those who are suffering in mind, body or spirit.
consistently true
 frequently true
 occasionally true
 infrequently true
 rarely true
53. I am grateful and humbled that my singing has provided inspiration and hope for others on their faith journey.
consistently true
 frequently true
 occasionaly true
 infrequently true
 rarely true
54. Others have told me they were moved by my playing a musical instrument.
consistently true
 frequently true
 frequently true
 occasionally true
 rarely true
55. People have come to me for spiritual help and it has developed into a long-term relationship.
consistently true
 frequently true
 occasionally true
 infrequently true
 rarely true
56. When I turn out the lights, take tables down, work in the kitchen or put chairs away, I feel that I have served the Lord.
consistently true
 frequently true
 occasionally true
 infrequently true
 rarely true
57. My knowledge of building, maintenance or repair has been a special value to the church and others.
consistently true
 frequently true
 occasionally true
 infrequently true
 rarely true
58. Students have told me that I can take the most difficult ideas or concept and make it understandable.
consistently true
 frequently true
 occasionally true
 infrequently true
 rarely true
59. When direction is needed at work or in the congregation, i am generally asked for my opinion.
consistently true
 frequently true
 occasionally true
 infrequently true
 rarely true
60. My written work has been helpful to others in understanding life's truths.
consistently true
frequently true
occasionally true
infrequently true
rarely true


    

What types of ministry will you be most effective in?
A brief list of ministry examples is listed for each of your scores over 7. These examples have been provided merely as thought starters and should not be considered an exhaustive list. Use them as a starting point in exploring the possibilities for putting your gifts to use within your congregation and in your community.






















What should you do with this information?

Make a Spiritual Gift Cluster: Draw three circles. In each of the circles, write one of the spiritual gifts that had a total score of seven or more. Begin with the center circle, identifying the gift that had the highest score. In the event of a tie, select the gift you feel you have used effectively in the past, or the one you think you might be most effective in. Then fill in the other circles with a five of the remaining gifts. This group of gifts is your gift cluster.

Which gifts have you truly been blessed with? Discovering the answer to that question requires the following:
Prayer:
     Seek the Holy Spirit's guidance while evaluating your gifts.
Study:
     Become familiar with the scripture references, definitions, and how each gift functions within the Body of Christ. This will provide you with a solid foundation from which to further evaluate your gifts.
Self-Examination:
     Explore your feelings about each of the spiritual gifts in your cluster. Examples of how each gift may be utilized in the church are provided below. As you read these examples, ask yourself how you feel about the types of ministry activity identified for the gifts in your cluster. You may expect to feel fulfilled through the use of your gifts.
Track Your Results:
     As you use your spiritual gifts, pay close attention to the results produced through your efforts. You can expect to experience positive results from the use of your gifts.
Listen For Affirmation:
     As you use your spiritual gifts, listen for affirmation from other Christians. They will recognize and confirm your spiritual gifts, through genuine expressions of approval and thankfulness for a job well done!
Putting Your Gifts To Use:
     All Christians are to work together, supporting one another. However, our gifts make us better prepared and equipped to perform in some areas of ministry over others. A person who is working within a ministry area they are gifted for, will be more effective in that ministry than one they not gifted for.

click here for a printable pdf version of this Spiritual Gifts Inventory

Material written by Neal Boese and Patricia Haller. Produced by the Division for Congregational Ministries, ELCA


CHRIST THE REDEEMER LUTHERAN CHURCH
9201 Brecksville Road • Brecksville, OH 44141
440.526.2303 • FAX 440-526-2403 • office@crlcbrecksville.org

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