Utilizing the Giftedness of Others
Church planting is a transformative work that goes beyond mere launch team development, locating a space and meeting new people in the community. It is about cultivating a community of faith, purpose, and collective mission to advance the Kingdom of God. An important aspect to this new work is the idea of utilizing the unique gifts and talents of individuals within the launch team and church as a whole. As church planters embark on the journey of establishing a new church, recognizing and harnessing the giftedness of others can be a crucial component of their success. We always say that you never plant alone, its our job to develop people.
Every person within a new church community brings a unique set of skills, experiences, and perspectives. The Apostle Paul speaks of the church as one body made up of many parts. Each member has a different function, and together, they contribute to the health and strength of the church. In the context of church planting, understanding and utilizing these gifts can help create a dynamic environment that fosters growth, outreach, and spiritual development.
The Assessment team wants to see in the church planter candidate that they can delegate effectively in areas of personal weakness. Does the planter know their limitations and how to harness others to accomplish the mission of this new work? I have personally seen too many ministry leaders burn out because they weren’t good at delegating.
The model of spiritual gifts in the local church is well established in the New Testament.
1 Corinthians 12:4-11: Paul emphasizes that there are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit provides them. He illustrates how these diverse gifts contribute to the functioning of the entire body of Christ. The unity in diversity is essential for a thriving church, especially in the context of planting.
Romans 12:4-8: Paul reiterates the concept of the body in a slightly different context, emphasizing different functions and how they should work harmoniously together. He encourages believers to use their gifts in proportion to their faith, reinforcing the idea that each gift has a specific purpose in the context of ministry.
As an assessment team for the Church Planter Assessment Centers, we are looking for that candidate to exhibit the skillset to create an environment where members can discover and develop their gifts. It’s been my personal experience that a large percentage of people do not know what their spiritual gift set is.
For church planters, the first step in utilizing the giftedness of others is to identify those gifts. This can be accomplished through various resources. I see four important resources of discovery and development of gifts.
Gift Assessments: Implementing spiritual gift assessments can help people discover their strengths and how they can contribute to the church's mission. That is why we developed the PEAK assessment to help leaders and attenders discover their unique gifting. We promote that serving in the local church is the best way to discover spiritual giftedness.
Informal Conversations: Building relationships through conversations can provide insights into individuals’ passions and abilities. Listening to stories about past experiences in ministry, volunteer work, or professional life can reveal where someone might best fit. We want people serving in their gifted skill set and not just use people to fill slots on a team.
Observation from Others: Allowing church members to engage in different roles within early church gatherings can help both the planter and members identify unique talents and areas of effectiveness in others. When we do assessments its common to have a fellow member point out giftedness in another person.
Prayer: We encourage people to seek God’s guidance in identifying and using their gifts for the church’s ministry.
Once giftedness has been identified, church planters must create an environment that encourages collaboration and shared ministry. Here are some strategies to promote this culture:
Empowering Servants: Delegating responsibilities and empowering others to take on servant roles can help disperse resonsibility and encourage ownership of the church's vision. This not only alleviates the burden of carrying everything on the church planter shoulders, but also develops future ministry leaders within the congregation.
· Team-Building Activities: Organizing events focused on building relationships and teamwork can help people understand each other's strengths and how they can work together to fulfill the church’s mission. The planter needs not prematurely assign ministry assignments before people are adequately equipped. No church planter should give out titles but should give out assignments.
Regular Feedback: Establishing a culture of open communication and feedback ensures that individuals feel supported and valued. Regular check-ins can help leaders understand how to better utilize each person's gifts. I have discovered that I give short term assignments with evaluations and reviews with my team members.
Church Planting is not a solo endeavor, so by identifying gifts, talents, and supporting ongoing development, and celebrating wins the church planter can build not just a church, but a healthy body of believers that reflects the diverse gifts of its members. When we say we are better together to have to live that out in our church planting context.
As always, if I can serve you or your church, please don’t hesitate to reach out to me.