16Jan 2014 by Nigel Ring

Discover and Serve pt 24. Calling pt 2

Discover and Serve, Equipping, Serving
When faced with a dilemma that challenged his pre-determined plan, Jesus used his calling as a guideline to weigh whether a change of plan would be a distraction from or a contribution to fulfilling the main flow of his calling. How does this apply to us? Over the past few months we have been gradually building a serving profile to help people identify those aspects of their lives and personality which they can harness to serve in the church. Leaders should be very committed to getting all their church members into an effective place of service; this is what all are called to do - bear fruit (Jn 15:16). But in addition to this general call, which applies to all believers, some have a very specific call. Specific calling A…
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10Jan 2014 by Nigel Ring

Discover and Serve pt 23 – Calling pt 1

Discover and Serve, Equipping, Serving
Let's review progress Over the past few months I have been looking at the development of a Serving Profile to help people find a fulfilling and fruitful place of service in the church. Of the seven components that make up this profile - Skills and Talents, Spiritual Gifts, Calling, Heart's Desire, Temperament, Time, Spiritual Maturity - I have so far addressed the first two. These are the main ones that define what a person ‘brings to the table' ie those features which indicate what contribution a person may make to a ministry through their natural or spiritual aptitudes. The remaining five will not take as many weeks! We will now turn our attention to matters which affect how these aptitudes may be applied effectively and appropriately to specific ministries. First,…
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01Aug 2013 by Nigel Ring

Discover and Serve pt 12 – Spiritual Gifts 1

Discover and Serve, Equipping, Serving, Spiritual Gifts
The next element of our Serving Profile is Spiritual Gifts, surely the most important. How do these differ from the Skills and Talents we have been considering recently? Skills and Talents First, Skills and Talents are perhaps best described as ‘natural' or ‘acquired'. All our abilities do, of course, come from God but we are born with certain latent abilities; some people are very artistic others are more scientific, some are athletic others are academic. These are not of course mutually exclusive. We can also acquire new skills through training, perhaps learning a language (not very successfully in my case) or computer skills. Second, who benefits? The way these skills and talents are used may benefit others or be essentially for one's own fulfilment and gratification. This is all part…
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17Jul 2013 by Nigel Ring

Discover and Serve pt 11 – Skills and talents 2

Discover and Serve, Equipping, Serving
Having identified what skills and talents people have to offer how do we mobilise them? Ability It is helpful to have some grading about expertise, as illustrated here with 'Level of skill'. Not only does this give a feel of the experience and quality of work that someone can bring but it also identifies where there is an opportunity for further training. Often working together using your skills gives a wonderful opportunity for equipping someone else and for discipleship. A few years ago two of the wives of elders in our church regularly invited young single women to their homes to teach them about home-making and enjoy their friendship, a reminder of the teaching in Titus chapter 2 for older women to help younger women. I now see well-equipped married…
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10Jul 2013 by Nigel Ring

Discover and Serve pt 10 – Skills and talents 1

Discover and Serve, Equipping, Serving
Talents Each of us is unique. Yet we are all made in God's image and carry qualities and characteristics which he has generously given to us. Some have multiple talents while others have less. But we learn from Jesus' teaching through the parable of the talents in the gospels (Matthew 25:14-30 and Luke 19:11-27) that the key issue is not about quantity but about faithfulness. The context is one where he is teaching about being ready for the coming of the kingdom (Matt 25:1) and of his coming again. Although the imagery is one of finance, the meaning is about what has been entrusted to us to steward wisely. At the final judgement we shall be assessed according to what we have done with these gifts (1 Cor 3:12-15). It…
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28Jun 2013 by Nigel Ring

Discover and Serve pt 9 – What have I got to offer?

Discover and Serve, Equipping, Serving
Who are you? So far in this series we have been concentrating on the importance of serving in the church. But many people feel they do not have any contribution to make. Rubbish! As members of the body we are not redundant. God would not have put you in a local congregation if you had no place there. It maybe that at this stage of life you actually need to feed from the church or receive healing. But in reality, as you receive help in these, God has made each one of us to make a contribution in some way, whether within the church community or through that community into the wider society. He chose you from before the foundation of the world (Eph 1:4) and made good works for…
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