We are on the final week of our series, drum roll, please, Unrapping Our gifts from God. So over the past several weeks, we have explored several of the spiritual gifts, what they are, how they function, and how God uses them to strengthen the body of Christ and to advance his kingdom. And I think everybody here has done their assessments and put their leaves on the tree. This is where some people start looking guilty and looking down at the ground because they haven't done it. But most people have, and it's really interesting to see this is how we get a visual of how our church is gifted. So we began this series with a book about discovering our gifts. Do you remember the name of the book? Hats for City. A Hat for Ivan. A Hat for Ivan. Yay. You don't get a prize, but yay. Pat yourself on the back. So the story was a reminder that God often equips us in ways that align with our passions, our talents, and the things that bring us joy. Now, did people remember their hats? Gracelyn did. Some people did. We'll see them at the end. I wasn't going to have us all sit them because mine is really heavy on my head.
Spiritual gifts are special abilities that are given by the Holy spirit for the good of the whole community. Every Every believer has been gifted by the spirit. Not one of you can say, I'm not gifted, because yes, you are. But we don't all have the same gifts. The tree beautifully shows that. Even when we do share the same spiritual gift with someone else, God can use it uniquely in each of us. So just because two of us might have the same gift doesn't mean that both of us are going to be using it in the same way. And we don't have time in this series to look at every gift in detail, which is sad. But advent is coming and Christmas, and so we had to finish it. But today we're going to finish by exploring three that we haven't yet covered. So today we're doing leadership, service, and administration. So if you have a gift you discovered in your assessment that you have a particular gift that we have not covered in one of our weeks, and you'd like to discuss it further to find out more about it, just contact me, and I'd love to sit down and chat with you about it.
Slide, please. So let's begin with the gift of leadership. Next slide, please. The geek word for this gift means to lead, to assist, to protect, and care for others. It appears in Romans 12: 8, and it's nestled in between the gifts of giving and the gift of mercy, highlighting its connexion to caring for God's people. Good leaders exist both inside outside the church. And while church leaders can learn some valuable skills from the secular world, we have to remember that leading in the church is very different. Secular leadership is driven by personal ability, ambition, and goals that often centre on success, growth, or financial results. Slide. Spiritual leadership, however, is empowered by the Holy spirit. Its purpose is to to glorify God and to build up his church. And unlike secular leadership, which can be self-appointed, spiritual leaders are called by God to serve. Success is not measured in money or power or recognition. It's not determined by the bank balance for the church. It is seen in new believers coming of faith. It's seen in those making a decision to live for Christ. It's seen in the deepening of the maturity in faith in other believers.
It's seen in the growth of the church, and more importantly, in the growth of the kingdom. Because as we all know, you can have growth in the church, but no growth in the kingdom. It just means the shuffle is happening. When we look at the scriptures, for examples of those gifted in leadership, there's quite a few that come to mind, right? I'm sure you're thinking Moses, Paul, James, Phoebe, Lydia, right? There's lots. The list goes on. When we look at these examples from scripture and we think about what we look for in our leaders today, we can find that there are some common attributes that those give a leadership exhibit. Slide. Most importantly, their own personal relationship with God takes priority. Their leadership was a ripple that came out of that relationship, and therefore, they were inextricably linked. Their leadership wasn't separate from their faith and life. It was all part and parcel. Because of their dependence on God, they were able to rely on God's strength and wisdom. And because of their personal relationship with God, they were able to discern his vision, his will, his plans, and what next steps he wanted them to take.
These leaders knew that they were in their position through God's calling and appointment, and that they served under his leadership. Paul understood this. Look at Romans 1: 1. He refers to himself as Paul, a servant of Christ Jesus, called to be an apostle, set apart for the gospel of God. Unfortunately, many church leaders today, and I don't mean just pastors, but so many church leaders today become so busy caring for others and managing church responsibilities that their own spiritual disciplines slip into the background. They end up running on fumes instead of on God's strength. They end up feeling stale and uninspired because they haven't taken the time to be replenished in his presence. And it's not from a lack of desire. They long to be with God, but they feel pressure to keep doing instead of simply being. The result is burnout and an ineffective use of the leadership gifts that God has given them. So what are some other characteristics or attributes that we see in gifted leaders in the church today? Slide. Gifted leaders lead first by example. Just as children naturally follow what they see modelled, believers are deeply shaped by leaders who live out their faith with authenticity and integrity.
When Christian leaders demonstrate a life that is rooted in Christ through their actions, their priorities, and character, their influence becomes far greater than anything that we can say. As the quote often attributed to Oscar Wilde reminds us, Who you are speaks so loudly that I cannot hear what you say. A leader's lived example becomes a powerful invitation for others to follow Jesus more fully. Individuals of the gift of leadership confidently cast vision, but it's God's vision that they seek, not their own. Healthy leadership involves guiding the church through a process of discernment so that the whole body can recognise where God is leading. While God may reveal vision to a pastor or a leader, it should be affirmed by the congregation. Strong leaders don't act from personal plans or ambitions. They focus on discerning God's direction and identifying the next faithful steps. God's vision for his church will always flow from and align with its mission. If the vision presented to the church focuses on increasing revenue, prioritises marketing over ministry, or is driven more by numbers than discipleship, then it is not a Godly vision. Practical outcomes like financial stability or growth may naturally follow as we fully pursue God's direction, but they should never, ever be the focus.
A true God-given vision keeps people, discipleship, and mission at its centre. Not only are gifted leaders able to discern and develop a vision for the church, they are then able to articulate it in such a way that others are able to catch that same vision and are encouraged to be part of it coming to fruition. Next slide. Gifted leaders care deeply for their people, but their focus is on the well-being of the whole church. While they do value individuals, their primary role is to guide and strengthen the body as a whole, often empowering others whose gifts serve individual needs. They care for the community by fostering connexion, building relationships, and ensuring that everyone is supported within the life of the church. And those gifted with leadership provide direction, make wise decisions, and encourage others to fulfil their potential. Gifted leaders seek to encourage each of their church or ministry to be all that God created them to be and to use the gifts that he has blessed them with through the Holy spirit to do God's work in God's way. They help others to discern what God is calling them to do and then help them to fulfil it.
And they strive to lead like Jesus, building people up, developing new leaders, and serving those they guide. They inspire others to join in God's work and help church move together toward a shared vision and purpose. Those with this gift take responsibility, set goals, and know when flexibility is needed. They can make difficult decisions and avoid getting lost in details, often relying on those with the gift of administration for that work. Leaders also help others to grow in discernment, learning to recognise what truly comes from God rather than what is merely cultural or temporary. And those gifted by the spirit for leadership encourage and empower others to lead, and they never try to lead alone. They include others in planning and decision making, fostering collaboration to pursue goals that honour God and serve people. Good leaders are not threatened by gifted teammates. They recognise that their strength comes from those who serve alongside them. You're only as strong as the weakest member of your team, if you ever heard that saying. They create a safe environment where everyone feels heard, ideas are welcomed, and people are supported in taking initiative. Now, there's a church out in the north end of St.
John, New Brunswick, called, well, it was originally called Main Street Baptist. It's in an area in St. John that is where there's a lot of needs that need to be met amongst the local inhabitants. And about 25 years ago now, there was a new pastor, his name's Steve McMillon. You probably won't know him, but he was called the Main Street Baptist. And when he arrived, he found a church that was like so many others, which was in a state of decline. It was down to about 50 people, most of whom were older and most of whom no longer lived in the area. The local food bank was located just down the street from the church, and the food bank was in a very small little building, so only a couple of people at a time fit in there. So there would always be a lineup all the way down the road of those that were waiting for their turn at the food bank. And this lineup would go right past the church on the days that the food bank was open. And across from the church, there lived a lady who was a part of the church.
And because of her front window, she frequently witnessed all the people standing in line waiting to get into the food bank, sometimes in the cold, in the rain, and often with small kids in tow. So she got an idea, and she went to the pastor and she asked him, Isn't there something that we can do for these people that are waiting in line? Can we not at least invite them into the building and offer them some tea and toast? So the pastor thought it was a great idea, and he gave her his encouragement to go ahead and see who she could get on board with this idea. And that was the beginning of what is now called Rivercross Baptist Church. Their weekly attendance by 2024 averaged over 600 people a week, with another 240 joining online, and they continue to grow. If you are ever in St. John, even though I was at another church, I highly recommend you go to River Cross. They have a whole separate Chinese service now. It's phenomenal. The building that used to house the church that was on Main Street, hence the name, it still exists, but now it is used as their full-time mission location.
They serve meals to 250 of the area's poor twice a week. They have a clothing bank, offer worship services to the homeless, offer child care, and meet whatever other needs that they can. They built a whole new facility to house the worship and other ministries of the church, and they built it across the river from the original building, hence the name River Cross. So the pastor's leadership brought many changes to that declining church on Main Street. He was able to discern good ideas that were grounded in He developed other leaders within the church by understanding their giftings and allowing them to use them to their fullest potential for the glory of God and the growth of his church. And because of his encouragement, the tea and toast lady, as she was forever known, was able to start something that God blessed and grew in ways that she never imagined when she just saw that line of people waiting in the cold and rain and wanted to do something to help. Believers are endowed with a variety of gifts. Leaders are people who are gifted in understanding the giftings of others and are able to guide them to work as collaborative teams in order to accomplish God's work.
And gifted leadership is vital to the future of the church. And when it's present in the church, it results in a well-organized and purpose-driven community. Leaders with the gift create an environment of growth where individuals are encouraged to use their own gifts and talents for God's kingdom. Unity and love also found are also found in a church that is serving with a gifted leader because they will strive to guide people towards Godly goals and behaviours rather than focusing on their own personal pride or position. If the gift of leadership is absent in a church, then the church may lack clear direction and struggle with decision-making processes. The absence of strong leadership may hinder effective implementation of ministries and initiatives. And when I use the adjectives strong in this context, I mean strongly powered by the Holy spirit, not forceful and/or controlling personalities making decisions for all. Because, of course, Jesus exemplified the gift of leadership. He led with compassion, demonstrating love and care for those he was leading. He led wisdom. He led by example. The saying by Oscar Wilde that I mentioned earlier, Who you are, speak so loud, I cannot hear what you say.
It's very fitting when it comes to Jesus. He had a clear vision and was able to articulate it to others. He knew what his mission was. He understood God's call and what steps he had to take to fulfil that calling. Jesus empowered those he led to continue his mission without him. The spiritual gift of leadership is crucial for guiding and uniting the church to fulfil God's purposes. By leading with integrity and humility and vision, individuals with this gift contribute significantly to the growth and impact of God's kingdom. So that's leadership. Relationship. Now we're moving to talk about the gift of service, sometimes called helps. And as you can see from our tree, we are very well supplied as a church with this gifting, and that's a good thing. But what exactly does this gift entail? What attributes do those with this gift exhibit? Well, if you are one who has this gifting, see if you can relate to any of the following. Next slide there, Alex. Those with this gift will lend a hand with whatever it is that needs to be done. They will do even the most mundane and disagreeable tasks with a spirit of humility and grace.
They have a present preference for practical areas of service for others. They don't like sitting around talking about what needs to be done. They'd rather just go do it, and they take joy in doing so. They really don't like being at the meetings to to plan the projects. They do not seek the spotlight or feel the need to be upfront leading when working on something, and they demonstrate kindness and consideration to those they are serving, recognising it's not just about the task, it's about the person. So people with this gift are invaluable in every ministry of the church because they genuinely enjoy working as part of a team. And truthfully, a church can never have too many people gifted this way. They are the hands and feet of Jesus in practical ways. Slides. Leaders can cast all the vision they want. But without those gifted in service, the mission is not going to move forward. Now, the final gift we're going to talk about is the gift of... Slide. Administration. Now, I know some of you are thinking, That is not a very exciting gift to be talking about. Or maybe you're I'm going to say, Jen, that one really doesn't sound very spiritual.
It's true that administration is not generally considered to be one of the sexy gifts. It doesn't have the star power that some of the other gifts are thought to have, but it is definitely a gift that the church would be lost without. And it is certainly just as spiritual as any of the other gifts, since it is given and through and empowered by the Holy spirit. Now, people with this gift lead the body by directing others. They organise people and encourage them to stay on task, working according to God-given purposes and long-term goals. Scripture speaks of this gift in 1 Corinthians 12: 28, where the ESV translation says, And God has appointed in the church first, Apostles, second, prophets, third, teachers, then miracles, then gifts of healing, helping, administrating, and various kinds of tongues. Now, sometimes leadership and administration are used interchangeably as the translated word from the Greek. But the Greek word used here is, I'm going to say it wrong, kubbersisis. What was that? Is that better? Oh, yes. Which is translated as administrating in the ESV, but other translations sometimes translate it slightly differently. The NIV says it's guidance, the NLT translates it as leadership.
Leadership. But although the different translations can make it a bit confusing for the reader, making it seem as though there is one gift of leadership and administration all rolled into one, that's true. There are, in fact, two distinct gifts, leadership and administration, and they are two very distinct spiritual gifts. And while administrators do take a leadership role, not all who are gifted in leadership also have the gift of administration administration. I have worked with leaders who are visionaries, communicators, who are creative, outgoing, gifted shepherds, and preachers, but who are definitely not gifted in administration. Without people who have this gift A church can easily drift from idea to idea, lose its sense of purpose, and even frustrate people because there is no clear focus on mission. Yet administrators are often overlooked. Because they're not always the ones sharing the big ideas or dreaming up new ways to share the gospel, because they keep us grounded, bring us back to reality, and help us stay focused, they can sometimes be seen as the brakes or the stick in the muds. But the truth is, without them, those big ideas would never become reality. They make ministry possible.
Slide. So if you have the gift of administration, you likely enjoy working as part of a team and prefer moving toward goals rather than working in isolation. You value bringing different skills to the table and Excel at organising people with a clear plan of action. You can take the big idea and then break it down into steps and then assign those tasks to help the whole ministry move forward. Because of this gift, you help the church function at its fullest potential. Every leadership team needs at least one person with this gift. Without administrators, great ideas often dissolve into chaos. Administrators are also strong delegators. Others quickly recognise your ability to manage a project well, and you don't mind recruiting volunteers when you believe in the mission. Your personality can also express how you shape or how you express this gift. Extraverted administrators thrive when working directly with people, appointing teams, organising volunteers, and drawing others into ministry, where introverted administrators Excel behind the scenes, planning events, structuring processes, and creating systems that strengthen the whole church. In short, gifted administrators are team-oriented, able to delegate, and skilled at taking a big idea, breaking it into steps, and organising others to carry it out.
Now, the Bible gives us an example of a person gifted in administration that proves this gift has been a way God has been getting his work done, his way, even back into Old Testament times. So any guesses as to who I'm going to say? Nehemiah. Not everybody got that, though. They're like, Why is she doing that? So Nehemiah. So I'm going to read some excerpts from the first couple of chapters, starting at Chapter 1: 2. Hannah and I, one of my brothers, came from Judah with some other men, and I questioned them about the Jewish remnant that had survived the exile, and also about Jerusalem. They said to me, Those who survived the exile and are back in the province are in great trouble and disgrace. The wall of Jerusalem is broken down, and its gates have been burned with fire. When I heard 'I heard these things, I sat down and wept. For some days, I mourned and fasted and prayed before the God of heaven. ' And then jumping ahead to chapter 2, we read, In the month of Nizan, in the 20th year of King Artaxerxes, when wine was brought for him, I took the wine and gave it to the king.
I had not been sad in his presence before. So the king asked me, Why does your face look so sad when you are not ill? ' This can be nothing but sadness of heart. I was very much afraid. But I said to the king, 'May the 'The King live forever. Why should my face not look sad when the city where my ancestors are buried lies in ruins and its gates have been destroyed by fire? ' The king said to me, 'What is it that you want? ' Then I prayed to God of heaven, and I answered the king, 'If it pleases the King, and if your servant has found favour in his sight, let him send me to the city of Judah, where my ancestors are buried so that I can rebuild it. ' And then moving ahead to verse seven, it continues, 'I also said to him, 'If it pleases the King, may I letters to the governors of trans-Dufreides so that they will provide me safe conduct until I arrive in Judah? And may I have a letter to Asaph, keeper of the royal park, so that he will give me timber to make the beams for the gates of the citadel by the temple, and for the city wall, and for the residence I will occupy?
And because the gracious hand of my God was on me, the King granted my request. So I went to the governors of trans-euphrates and gave them the King's letters. The King also sent army officers and cavalry with me. So After hearing from Hanani that Jerusalem's walls were in ruins, Nehemiah immediately grasped the larger vision. The walls had to be rebuilt to protect the city and restore dignity to God's people. But before taking action, what did he do? He prayed. Nehemiah sought God's direction first, showing us that administrators avoid becoming task-driven by staying rooted in prayer. Prayer keeps the goal centred on God, not on accomplishment for its own sake. Throughout the book, Nehemiah follows a pattern of pray and build. He brought every step before God and then acted when God opened the door. His quick before answering the King and his organised and building plan both reflect this rhythm. Nehemiah didn't pray, and then sit around and wait. He prayed, listened, and moved. When the work began, the project was far too large for one person, so Nehemiah delegated. If we were to continue reading into chapter 3, we would see that team after team was responsible for specific sections of the wall.
Nehemiah broke the massive job into manageable pieces and assigned people according to their abilities. His clear organisation meant that no part of the wall was left vulnerable. And Nehemiah's motivation wasn't out of nostalgia or clinging to the past. Rebuilding the wall restored safety. It removed disgrace, and it testified to God's renewed favour on people. His goal was God's glory, not on his own personal preference. So like all spiritual gifts, administration has strengths and potent pitfalls. Slide. Administrators can be tempted to value projects over people or goals over God. Nehemiah shows a better way. Keep God first, and people will naturally come before projects. Administration is ministry. Slide. It exists to support God's purposes and grow God's people, not simply to manage systems. Slide. Administrators must also be mindful of others' limits. Nehemiah assigned work in reasonable portions, making the task achievable. An Above all, slide. Gifted administrators must guard against relying more on structure than on the spirit. Nehemiah continually prayed before moving forward. And this is the example we have to follow. Every step should begin with prayer and depend on God's leading. Nehemiah's gift of administration was God-led and used for the betterment of his kingdom, not for his own personal goals or for his own rewards or recognition.
His gift was spirit-powered and his ability to organise and get people moving towards the goal was spirit-led. There is no way we can look at Nehemiah and the walls around Jerusalem and not see how important this gift is to the church. So as we wrap up this series on spiritual gifts, this is what I want you to take away. Understanding our spiritual gifts isn't about doing more work for the church. It's about discovering God's purpose for our lives. Our gifts show us how God has uniquely equipped each of us to glorify him by serving others. They help us see why he has brought us together as his church in this season with this mix of abilities, passions, and callings. Spiritual gifts are about obedience, using what God entrusted to us for the good of his church. They are about trust, believing that God really has brought together the right people with the right gifts to do his work in this place. And they're about effectiveness, because the church only thrives when every member uses their gifts as God intended. No one is meant to sit on the sidelines. No one's part can be done by someone else.
Scripture tells us that each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, so that in all things, God God may be praised through Jesus Christ. 1 Peter 4: 10-11. We don't want to be like the servant who buried his talent in the ground. God gives his gifts with purpose, and he expects us to use them. Seasons of life may change how we serve, but none of us ever ages out of using the gifts that God has given. There is no retirement clause in the Bible. I've looked. God has placed a unique expression of his spirit in every one of us to support his mission. And like the father in a hat for Ivan, God knows exactly which hat fits each of us. And he gives us gifts that bring joy and fulfilment as we use them to bring him glory. And when we put on the hats that he has chosen for us, when we step faithful into our spiritual gifts, we get to see the beautiful, powerful spirit formed picture of what his church can be. So now is the time for us to put on the hats God has given.
Trust the spirit who empowers us and step forward together to do God's work in God's way for God's glory. Let's pray. Gracious God, we thank you for the ways that you equip people. You have poured out gifts of grace and of service, encouragement, mercy, generosity, leadership, so many more gifts, each one given for the good of your church and for the blessing of the world. Lord, help us to recognise the gifts that you have placed in each of us and to trust that you can use even what seems maybe small to us. Teach us to serve not for our own glory, but for yours. Shape our hearts so that every gift is exercised with humility and love and a desire to build others up. Holy spirit, stir within this congregation. Awaken gifts that are dormant, strengthen gifts that are already in use, and guide us to use them together in harmony. Make us a community that reflects Christ, united, generous, courageous, and willing to serve wherever you lead. Send us now with open hands, ready hearts, and a deep confidence that you go with us. Use our gifts, Lord. Use them. Use them to bless and to heal to encourage and to point others to the hope that we have in Jesus.
And it is in his name that we pray. Amen.
