Blog

The church doesn't exist without administrators. It's true! Who helps us organize the intake of supplies to serve people in need? Administrators. Who can look at a puzzle of ideas and neatly construct a schedule, divvy responsibilities, and see the potential? Administrators. Who makes things happen? ADMINISTRATORS! We have a running joke on the Trietsch staff that the most popular spiritual gift in our congregation is administration because they are the only ones focused enough to... Read More

When you hear "apostle" you might think of missionaries who travel overseas to spread the news of Christ to people who have never been exposed to the Gospel, and that is one way that people with the gift of apostleship live out their passion. But apostleship could just as easily be about spreading the good news to a different micro-culture within your community, maybe a different generation for example. Do you know someone who can genuinely share Jesus's message with people... Read More

Today, let’s focus on the gift of discernment. This sounds like a tough one to wrap our heads around, but people with the gift of discernment are simply able to separate truth from falsehoods. Are you basically a human lie detector? Can you easily tell when you are being led astray and recognize when someone is trying to manipulate you? Are you vocal about sharing the truth, so others aren’t led astray? You might have the gift of parenting! Just kidding, parents may have... Read More

Evangelism has gotten a bad rap in the last couple of decades because it has been seen as intrusive, intolerant of, or inconsiderate of other cultures. This couldn’t be further from the truth, although most of us can think of examples of people or groups who have misused evangelism. Evangelism was the cornerstone of the Wesleyan movement. It’s all about intimate relationships, genuine connection, and sharing of your most personal faith experiences. Does that last sentence tug at... Read More

Exhortation is just a fancy word for encouragement. The dictionary definition of exhortation is, “an address or communication emphatically urging someone to do something.” But we care more deeply about the spiritual definition of exhortation. Is there a specific person you go to when you could use some uplifting? Does this person make you feel comforted and empowered to move forward boldly? They might have the gift of exhortation! Here is how we define the spiritual... Read More

Let's learn about the spiritual gift of faith. Your first reaction to this might be, "How can faith be a gift? Aren't we all supposed to have faith as believers in Jesus Christ?" Faith is absolutely a gift! It is specifically mentioned as a spiritual gift in scripture (1 Corinth. 12:9). Because it is a spiritual gift, that means not everyone has the gift of faith. And that's okay. We can all strive for faith, but for some people the confidence in the truth of God... Read More

Did you know giving is a gift? It might sound silly, but it’s true. We all have the capability to give and God calls us each to offer what we have to serve the kingdom. However there, are some people who have a better understanding of giving than the rest of us. Not only does generosity come more naturally to them, they also know when to give, where to give, and how much to give. Here is how we define the gift of giving: Giving is the gift of the ability to manage money,... Read More

Have you ever heard a story about a modern-day miraculous healing? Maybe a doctor said there was no hope for recovery, and then, with no medical explanation, the sick person recovers in a way that their abilities go far beyond what the doctor ever imagined. Maybe you know someone who was diagnosed with a fatal illness and managed to beat it. Most of us have either heard one of these stories or have had personal involvement with these moments. Did the thought ever cross your mind that someone... Read More

There are certain people in every organization who are willing to do whatever is necessary to support the mission. Sometimes we call them “foot soldiers,” “workhorses,” or “worker bees.” Just based on the words we use to describe them; can you tell they are underappreciated? I’m talking about the helpers. These are people endowed with the spiritual gifts of helping. These are the people who will do anything that needs doing, require no credit or... Read More

Have you ever met someone who knows a little bit about everything? Or maybe they know a lot about everything! They are the kind of people who love doing research, learning about new topics, and would never give you half-truths or incomplete information. If so, you might know someone with the spiritual gift of knowledge. Knowledge is a spiritual gift because their deep attention to facts, process, and love of study challenges the church to function at a higher level. They build the Kingdom... Read More

Some people are uniquely gifted to lead others into the future with gusto! Leadership is a valuable spiritual gift that helps propel all the other gifts into action. Those blessed with the gift of leadership are good at high-level thinking, seeing the big picture, and transitioning the church into future goals. We’ve probably all participated in a group at some point that was led by someone without the gift of leadership, and it can be painful. But how can you recognize someone with... Read More

When you’re going through a hard time like the death of a loved one, addiction, depression, job loss, or relationship troubles, what type of person do you find yourself turning to for support? You’d probably want someone who is compassionate and willing to sit with you, someone with a presence that gives you comfort. If a specific person came to mind with this description, they may have the spiritual gift of mercy. People who have the spiritual gift of mercy make the... Read More