Discover Your Gifts

Alvin Vander Griend -

Based on feedback from numerous users and leaders, this five-session interactive course (now in its third edition) helps believers “discover their gifts so that they serve well together as the body of Christ to the glory of God and his kingdom." Not only does this guide successfully help all Christians develop their gifts and grow in Christ, it also encourages people whose gifts may be less noticeable but are just as important - such as mercy, prayer, and giving.

Strengths

Uniqueness. The search term “spiritual gifts” produces 20,000 book results at Amazon.com - so why another book on spiritual gifts? The Discover Your Gifts course is unique because it is written from a Reformed perspective, and is not merely a “good read” on the subject, but rather a user-friendly, application-oriented study guide focused on truly helping the reader understand and use his or her gifts in the church and in the world.  

Sessions. The course is divided into five sessions: 1) What the Bible Says About Spiritual Gifts
2) Discovering My Spiritual Gifts 3) Confirming My Spiritual Gifts 4) The Spiritually Gifted Church, and 5) Using My Spiritual Gifts for Ministry.

Interactive. The interactive workbook is packed with concise questions centered around Bible study, spiritual gifts analysis, personal action plans, and more.

Survey. An 80-question gift discovery survey is included in the workbook (also available online, using a code that is printed on the inside back cover of the book).

Explanations. Detailed “Gift Studies” offer detailed explanations of numerous gifts in an easy-read format, including a definition, summary, characteristics of people with this gift, ways to use the gift, liabilities associated with the gift, and the connection all believers have to this gift.

FAQ. Answers to 26 “frequently asked questions” are provided, ranging from the purpose of spiritual gifts, to understanding their role at church an in the world, to tips for developing those gifts.

Flexible Format. In addition to the five-session format, the author suggests other formats that can be used to teach the course, such as a one-session new members class, a one-day intensive workshop, an overnight retreat, a whole-church Discover Your Gifts emphasis, etc.

Leader’s Guide. One of the helpful features of the Leader’s Guide is how it expands on topics covered in the Student Manual. For example, on the issue of whether some spiritual gifts have ceased, the Student Manual presents two different schools of thought. The Leader's Guide goes on to explain that there is not sufficient evidence to conclude that any of the spiritual gifts have ceased.

Other Resources. In addition to the excellent study guide content, several additional resources are provided, such as outlines for sermons, materials for workshops and retreats, a commissioning litany, and a bibliography for further study.

Things to Be Aware of

Although this course does not offer a companion DVD to “teach” the lesson (as so many church Bible studies now do), it does provide two helpful online resources to engage the media-savvy user: the online spiritual gifts survey (mentioned above) as well as sample materials available at Faith Alive Resources.

Available at:  Faith Alive Resources                    Get a printable copy of this review