Gary Delay Ministries
Transforming lives one life at a time ...
MOTIVATIONAL GIFT DEFINITIONS
Romans 12:4-8 (NKJV) For as we have many members in one body, but all the members do not have the same function, so we, being many, are one body in Christ, and individually members of one another. Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, let us use them: if prophecy, let us prophesy in proportion to our faith; or ministry, let us use it in our ministering; he who teaches, in teaching; he who exhorts, in exhortation; he who gives, with liberality; he who leads, with diligence; he who shows mercy, with cheerfulness.
Resource for the following: Institute in Basic Youth Conflicts, 1973.
Gift of MERCY
The ability to identify with and comfort those in distress.
Examples: Jesus (John 11:33-35) and John (John 13:34-35)
CHARACTERISTICS:
1. The ability to feel an atmosphere of joy or distress in an individual or group.
2. An attraction to and an understanding of people who are in distress.
3. A desire to remove hurts and bring healing to others.
4. A greater concern for mental distress than physical distress.
5. An avoidance of firmness unless he sees how it will bring benefit.
6. A sensitivity to words and actions that will hurt other people.
7. An ability to discern sincere motives in other people.
8. An enjoyment and unity with those who are sensitive to the needs and feelings of others.
9. A closing of his spirit to those who are insincere or insensitive.
MISUNDERSTANDINGS:
1. The avoidance of firmness may appear to be weakness and indecisiveness.
2. The sensitivity to the spirit and feelings of others may cause some to feel he is guided.
3. The attraction and understanding of those in distress may be misinterpreted by those of the opposite sex.
4. The sensitivity to words and actions that cause hurt may appear to be taking up another's offense.
5. The ability to detect insincere motives may cause some to feel he is hard to get to know.
Gift of TEACHING
The ability to clarify truth after thorough study and research.
Examples: Jesus (Matthew 5:2) and Luke (Luke 1:3-4)
CHARACTERISTICS:
1. The belief that their gift is foundational to other gifts.
2. An emphasis on the accuracy of words.
3. A test of the knowledge of those who teach them.
4. A delight in research in order to validate truth.
5. The validation of new information by established systems of truth.
6. The presentation of truth in a systematic sequence.
7. The avoidance of illustrations from non-Biblical sources.
8. A resistance to Scriptural illustrations out of context.
9. A greater joy in researching truth than in presenting it.
MISUNDERSTANDINGS:
1. The emphasis on the accuracy of Scriptural interpretation may appear to neglect its practical application.
2. The research of others may appear to be dependent on more than the teaching ministry of the Holy Spirit (through meditation).
3. The use of knowledge in testing others may appear to be pride in learning.
4. The concern to impart details of research may appear to be unnecessary to those listening.
5. The need to be objective in research may appear as a lack of warmth and feeling when speaking.
Gift of PROPHECY (Proclaimer of Truth)
The ability to declare God's truth, which touches the heart and brings conviction.
Examples: Jesus (Matthew 12:9-14) and Peter (Acts 3:19)
CHARACTERISTICS:
1. A need to express his message verbally.
2. The ability to discern the character and motives of people.
3. The capacity to identify, define, and hate evil.
4. The willingness to experience brokenness to prompt brokenness.
5. The dependence on Scriptural truth to validate authority.
6. A desire for outward evidence to demonstrate inward conviction.
7. A directness, frankness, and persuasiveness in speaking.
8. A concern for the reputation and program of God.
9. An inward weeping and personal identification with the sins of those talked to.
10. An eagerness to have others point out their blind spots. They will teach other sinners to repent.
MISUNDERSTANDINGS:
1. Frankness may be viewed as harshness.
2. Interest in groups may be interpreted as disinterest in individuals.
3. Efforts to gain results may be seen as using gimmicks.
4. Focusing on right and wrong may be judged as intolerance of partial good.
5. Emphasis on decisions may appear as neglecting spiritual growth.
6. Public boldness and strict standards may hinder intimate personal relationships.
7. The strong desire to convey truth may be interpreted as little interest in listening to another person's point of view.
Gift of SERVING
The ability to show love by meeting the practical needs of others.
Examples: Jesus (John 21) and Timothy (Philippians 2:19-22)
CHARACTERISTICS:
1. The ability to recall specific likes and dislikes of people.
2. The alertness to detect and meet practical needs. Especially enjoys manual projects.
3. The motivation to meet needs as quickly as possible.
4. Physical stamina to fulfill reeds with disregard for weariness.
5. The willingness to use personal funds to avoid delays.
6. The desire to sense sincere appreciation and the ability to detect insincerity.
7. The desire to complete a job with evidence of unexpected extra service.
8. An involvement in a variety of activities with an inability to say "no".
9. A greater enjoyment of short-range goals with frustration over long-range goals.
10. A frustration when limitations of time are attached to jobs.
MISUNDERSTANDINGS:
1. Quickness in meeting needs may appear to be pushy.
2. Avoidance of red tape may result in excluding others from jobs.
3. Their disregard for personal needs may extend to their own family's needs.
4. Eagerness in serving may prompt suspicion of self-advancement.
5. May react to others who do not detect and meet obvious needs.
6. Insistence on serving may appear to be a rejection of being served.
7. Desire to sense sincere appreciation may result in being easily hurt.
8. Quickness in meeting needs may interfere with the spiritual lessons God is teaching those with needs.
9. Meeting practical needs may be judged as a lack of interest in spiritual matters.
10. Their stamina may be interpreted as insensitivity or impatience with others helping.
11. Enjoyment of short-range goals may result in leadership positions and frustration with long-range objectives.
12. Inability to avoid others' needs may result in sidetracking the employer's direction.
Gift of EXHORTING
The ability to encourage others to grow spiritually, even in the face of hardship and suffering.
Examples: Jesus (Matthew 6:25-34) and Paul (Colossians 1:27-29)
CHARACTERISTICS:
1. A desire to visualize specific achievement and prescribe precise steps of action.
2. A tendency to avoid systems of information that lack practical application.
3. The ability to see how tribulation can produce new levels of maturity.
4. A dependence on visible acceptance when speaking to individuals or groups.
5. The discovery of insights from human experience that can be validated and amplified in Scripture.
6. An enjoyment with those eager to follow the steps of action.
7. A grief when teaching is not accompanied by practical steps of action.
8. A delight in personal conferences that result in new insights.
MISUNDERSTANDINGS:
1. The emphasis on steps of action may appear ot oversimplify the problem.
2. The urgency in giving steps of action may appear as having overconfidence in them.
3. The desire to win non-Christians through living examples may appear as a lack of interest in personal evangelism.
4. The use of Scripture for practical application may appear to take it out of context.
5. The emphasis on steps of action may appear to disregard the feelings of those being counseled.
Gift of GIVING
The ability to contribute generously of financial and material resources for the Lord's work.
Examples: Jesus (Matthew 14:13-21) and Matthew (Matthew 9:9)
CHARACTERISTICS:
1. An ability to make wise purchases and investments.
2. A desire to give quietly to effective projects of ministries. (Avoiding pressure of publicity.)
3. An attempt to use his giving to motivate others to give.
4. An alertness to valid needs which he fears others might overlook.
5. An enjoyment in meeting needs without the pressure of appeals.
6. A joy when his gift is an answer to a specific prayer.
7. A dependency on the partner's counsel to confirm the amount of a gift.
8. A concern that his gift be of high quality.
9. A desire to feel a part of the work or the person to whom he gives.
MISUNDERSTANDINGS:
1. The need to deal with large sums of money may appear to be a focus on temporal values.
2. The desire to increase the effectiveness of a ministry by his gift may appear as an attempt to control the work or person.
3. The attempt to encourage others to give may appear as a lack of generosity and unnecessary pressure.
4. The lack of response to pressure appeals may also appear as a lack of generosity.
5. The personal frugality by which he lives may appear to friends and relatives as selfishness in not meeting their wants.
Gift of ADMINISTRATION
The ability to coordinate people, resources, and schedules to achieve goals.
Examples: Jesus (Matthew 10:5-15) and Lydia (Acts 16:15)
CHARACTERISTICS:
1. An ability to see the overall picture and to clarify long-range goals.
2. A motivation to organize that for which he is responsible.
3. A desire to complete tasks as quickly as possible.
4. An awareness of the resources available to complete a task.
5. An ability to know what can or cannot be delegated.
6. A tendency to stand on the sidelines until those in charge turn over responsibility to him.
7. A tendency to assume responsibility if no structured leadership exists.
8. A willingness to endure reaction from workers in order to accomplish the ultimate task.
9. A fulfillment in seeing all the pieces coming together and others enjoying the finished product.
10. A desire to move on to a new challenge when a previous task is fully completed.
MISUNDERSTANDINGS:
1. The ability to delegate responsibility may appear as laziness in avoiding work.
2. The willingness to endure reaction may appear as callousness.
3. The neglect in explaining why tasks must be done may prompt workers to feel they are being misused.
4. The viewing of people as resources may appear to suggest that projects are more important than people.
5. The desire to complete tasks swiftly may appear to be insensitive to the schedule, weariness, or priorities of workers.
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