How accurate are these tests? I took one quite some time ago, and it was interesting. However I never did look into it further as to who came up with it, the criteria for determing your gifts etc.
Any thoughts?
God Bless,
Will

I took one the other night out of curiosity due to Daryl's question; the first one that came up in a Google search. The results were pretty well along the lines of what I would have thought my talents are, though it left out one thing (I think). That one gift wasn't in the list of possible outcomes for that particular test.

I wonder who puts these things together too, what the methodology is.

Questions:

1. What exactly are the gifts?

2. Why can't we develop them all?

Paul answers:

Romans 12:6-8
6 "Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, whether prophecy, let us prophesy according to the proportion of faith;
7 Or ministry, let us wait on our ministering: or he that teacheth, on teaching;
8 Or he that exhorteth, on exhortation: he that giveth, let him do it with simplicity; he that ruleth, with diligence; he that sheweth mercy, with cheerfulness."

1 Corinthians 12:7-11
7 "But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit withal.
8 For to one is given by the Spirit the word of wisdom; to another the word of knowledge by the same Spirit;
9 To another faith by the same Spirit; to another the gifts of healing by the same Spirit;
10 To another the working of miracles; to another prophecy; to another discerning of spirits; to another divers kinds of tongues; to another the interpretation of tongues:
11 But all these worketh that one and the selfsame Spirit, dividing to every man severally as He will."

1 Corinthians 12:27-30
27 "Now ye are the body of Christ, and members in particular.
28 And God hath set some in the church, first apostles, secondarily prophets, thirdly teachers, after that miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, governments, diversities of tongues.
29 Are all apostles? are all prophets? are all teachers? are all workers of miracles?
30 Have all the gifts of healing? do all speak with tongues? do all interpret?"

The obvious implied answer to that last series of questions is "No." Not all are apostles, not all are prophets, etc. Though Paul himself appears to have possessed all of those! So it is possible to have all of the gifts, but rarely does it happen. Certainly Jesus had all of the spiritual gifts. Except tongues, which hadn't been given yet when He was on earth.

Some got 10 talents, some got 5 and some got 1. However the point of the story is that its not the amounth entrusted that counts but what is done with it.

/Thomas

I took one of those online quizzes a couple of years ago. It was apparently developed by charismatics because there were a lot of charismatic-esque questions. I scored zero on speaking in toungues.

Jeff

I'm suprised that there is not more enthusiasm for Spiritual Gifts discovery surveys. The three servents with the talents certainly knew what the "talents" were that they posessed. If your Spiritual Gifts are not known, how can your church ever put those gifts to the maximum use. Too often we "force" someone into a position or responsibility that is not in line with their God given Spiritual Gift, and the person suffers as well as the church. Every church should have a spiritual gifts program, and every member should be excited about being involved, and every new member should be given the experience of discovering his or her spiritual gifts. When church offices are assigned based on Spiritual Gifts, there is no room for jelousy of position or responsibility. Every member will succeed because he or whe is accepting the responsibilty for which God has prepared them by the distriution of the Gifts. If responsibility is assigned to a person without the God given gift to handle it, he or she is out of God's design for them.

Greetings Thomas,

You are correct. In fact, my friend and I were discussing this issue of taking tests to discover our spiritual gifts and the end of our discussion we came to this conclusion:

That these tests are man made, that they may actuall detour or slow down spiritual gift(s) that are being given or developed.

To DrD:

When we are controlled by the Spirit, God's church is obedient, and Christ will truly be shown as the Head of the church. The church members will put the laborers together through much prayer and counsel, thus the spiritual gifts will not be put to waste.

But the requirement of getting to this point is to be of one accord, willing to do the will of the Father in Heaven. To be willing to deny self so that only God's work is done.

Every church member must be willing to lay down self and let Christ live in them. This way the Lord's church does not suffer.

Your one comment:

quote:

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"If responsibility is assigned to a person without the God given gift to handle it, he or she is out of God's design for them."

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Unfortunately this logic is not always the best method because God may be producing a gift on an individual that has been called to a certain position.

In example, a friend of mine had fallen off the narrow path, yet she continued to attend church and church programs. We all prayed for her. Then as time went by our prayers did not cease. But when it came time to appropriate members to certain areas, it was by prayer and counsel that she was picked for a duty.

It was a great blessing because this person had begun their narrow walk with the Lord again. And it was through prayer that God picked her for this position.

What looked dim on the outside to human eyes, God saw the heart and granted the gift to be used at the appropriate time.

Sometimes people burry their gifts and only God knows if and when people are ready to take on positions.

Every member should never feel forced to have such a great privilege as to help their fellow members in the Lord's church.

Your Sister in Christ Jesus,
Cheri Fritz