Using Your Spiritual Gifts

Michael Kinch · April 2012

I did a search in Logos on Spiritual Gifts. In the reading list it listed two books. " Using Your Spiritual Gifts" and "The Leaders Guidebook: Using Your Spiritual Gifts." When I clicked on them it took be to the Logos webstie but it couldn't find either of them. Does anyone have the link for these books or maybe they are not still available? Can you suggest any Logos books dealing specifically with determining and using your spiritual gifts?

Room4more · April 2012

Michael Kinch said:

I did a search in Logos on Spiritual Gifts. In the reading list it listed two books. " Using Your Spiritual Gifts" and "The Leaders Guidebook: Using Your Spiritual Gifts." When I clicked on them it took be to the Logos webstie but it couldn't find either of them. Does anyone have the link for these books or maybe they are not still available? Can you suggest any Logos books dealing specifically with determining and using your spiritual gifts?

I am a little lost, I did a - ‘basic’ search - of “spiritual gifts” in my - ‘Handbooks’ collection - and got 236 results in 11 resources.

Scott E. Mahle · April 2012

I’m sorry to say I do not know what they are either.

David Carter · April 2012

I rather suspect that the leaders guidebook referred to is this book:

It is published by AMG and I would guess that perhaps at one time it was available in Libronix format

Gary O'Neal · April 2012

I wonder if these are the books they were originally referencing:

http://books.google.com/books/about/The_Leader_s_Guidebook_Using_Your_Spirit.html?id=YJIJAAAACAAJ

http://www.christianbook.com/following-series-using-your-spiritual-gifts/eddie-rasnake/9780899572772/pd/72780

I am not familiar with either of these. Also not familiar with books in Logos on spiritual gifts. A search of the website had a number of interesting titles, though I assume you've already looked at these -- http://www.logos.com/products/search?q=%22spiritual+gifts%22

Rosie Perera · April 2012

I have these both. They were part of the Following God Workbook Series from AMG, and they were included in Portfolio (which is how I got them), but evidently Logos does not sell them anymore. You can get them in paperback from the publisher: Using Your Spiritual Gifts, Using Your Spiritual Gifts Leaders Guide.

As for other resources that are still available in Logos:

There's an article in Discipleship Journal, issue 90 (Nov/Dec 1995) titled "Discovering Your Spiritual Gifts"

There's a "Worksheet for Discovering Spiritual Gifts" in Small Group Idea Book by Cindy Bunch.

There's a small section (a few paragraphs) on "Discovering spiritual gifts" in The Big Book on Small Groups by Jeffrey Arnold.

There's a chapter called "USING YOUR GIFTS" which contains a section "How Can I Discover My Gifts?" in Balancing the Christian Life by Charles Ryrie.

There's a chapter called "Discovering and Using Our Spiritual Gifts" in Growing Toward Spiritual Maturity by Gary C. Newton.

There's a chapter called "Spirit-filled Spirituality: The Gifts of the Spirit" which contains sections "Discovering Your Spiritual Gifts" and "Developing Your Spiritual Gifts" in Handbook to Spiritual Growth: Twelve Facets of the Spiritual Life by Kenneth Boa.

There's a chapter called "THE DISCOVERY OF YOUR SPIRITUAL GIFTS" in The Holy Spirit by Charles Ryrie.

Here's a quote I found: "Spiritual gifts inventories may be of some value in discovering our place, but the more natural process of personal prayer, study of the Scriptures, and interaction with others will most often reveal what God has in mind. In addition, Pentecostals and Charismatics are quick to remind us that at any given moment any of us can be used in any particular spiritual gift according to the need being addressed." (quote from Ralph Dell Colle, H. Ray Dunning, Larry Hart et al., Perspectives on Spirit Baptism: Five Views [Nashville, TN: Broadman & Holman Publishers, 2004], 164.)

There's a section called "SPIRITUAL GIFTS TOOLS AND SURVEYS" with various recommendations in The Servant-Driven Church: Releasing Every Member for Ministry by Ray Fulenwider.

I found mention (in Global Journal of Classical Theology Volume 5, no. 3) of David Ewart's "Spiritual Gifts Inventory" which I was able to find online as a PDF Questionnaire here.

Other resources on discovering your spiritual gifts that I find mentioned in Logos (not Logos resources), using a search for discover NEAR "spiritual gifts" (with "Match all word forms" turned on):

1) From a 1991 issue of Discipleship Journal (so the contact info listed here might be outdated):

Resources For Spiritual Gifts And Role Assessment

Here are two spiritual gifts and role assessment packages worthy of consideration, both from their comprehensive scope and the broad arenas in which they have been used.

•Networking

A step-by-step guide for discovering spiritual gifts, personal temperament, individual abilities, and interests. Includes a leader’s guide, one-hour video, participant’s manual, and strategy tapes. This tool was developed and is being used extensively by Willow Creek Community Church in South Barrington, Illinois. It can be ordered through The Charles Fuller Institute in Pasadena, CA, or by calling 1–800-999–9578.

•BreakThru: Discovering Your Niche in the Body of Christ

A comprehensive diagnostic inventory for spiritual gifts and primary roles as well as a guide for determining individual interests and spiritual maturity. Includes a consultant’s manual, leader’s guide, and an IBM-compatible computer package that matches an individual’s design and interest to specific ministry jobs in a church or parachurch organization. It is especially helpful to leaders of ministries who want to coordinate large numbers of people in finding the appropriate ministry fit. This product has been used extensively among Navigator staff and other organizations and churches. It can be ordered from LEAD Ministries, P.O. Box 32026, Raleigh, NC 27622. Call 1–800-782–5711 or FAX (919) 870–0301.

Of the many books written about finding your niche, the following three are among the most balanced in the areas of practical and spiritual application.

•Bobby Clinton, Spiritual Gifts (Horizon House, 1985)

•Peter Wagner, Your Spiritual Gifts Can Help Your Church Grow (Regal Books, 1979)

•David J. Frähm with Paula Rinehart, The Great Niche Hunt (NavPress, 1991)

2) Mentioned in another Discipleship Journal article: Discover Your God-Given Gifts by Don and Katie Fortune (Revell)

3) Mentioned in Growing Your Church through Training and Motivation: "...systems for discovering spiritual gifts, such as the Trenton Plan or the Modified Houts Questionnaire published by the Charles E. Fuller Institute"

4) A short book review in Bibliotheca Sacra vol 132, no 528 (Oct 1975):

Discover Your Spiritual Gift and Use It. By Rick Yohn. Wheaton, IL: Tyndale House Publishers, 1974. 154 pp. Paper, $1.95.

Pastor Rick Yohn has done a great service to the body of Christ in writing this practical how-to-do-it book on spiritual gifts. He gives many illustrations of believers using their gifts. His practical suggestions on how to discover and use gifts are ones that even the newest babe in Christ can follow.

However, not everyone will agree with his position on the gifts of tongues and healing. While it is a short book, the usefulness would have been enhanced with either a detailed table of contents or a subject index. For example, he presents the gift of craftsmanship on page 19, but since there is no listing of it in the table of contents and no index one could miss this interesting gift by scanning the book.

5) A short book review in Bibliotheca Sacra vol 149, no 596 (Oct 1992):

Managing Your Restless Search. By Janet Chester Bly. Wheaton, IL: Victor Books, 1992. 156 pp. $8.99.

In this book Bly urges women to find their special place of ministry. She guides her readers through an examination of their spiritual gifts and provides numerous examples of opportunities to use those gifts in God’s service. The first step, she says, is a close relationship with God. Each chapter comes with thoughtful self-study questions and a list of resources. This book could be a helpful resource for a class on discovering spiritual gifts.

6) Mentioned in Trinity Journal Volume 13, 2 (1992): HEMPHILL, KEN. Mirror, Mirror on the Wall: Discovering Your True Self Through Spiritual Gifts. Nashville: Broadman, 1992.

There, that should be enough to keep you busy! [:)]