Gifts & Passions

I'm a firm believer in connecting people to ministries where they have both a gift and a passion. I see too many people serving in primary areas of ministry where they are gifted but not passionate. This leads to burnout and apathy. Others commit themselves to areas of ministry where they have extreme passion without being gifted in those areas. This creates frustration and mediocrity in ministry.

Let me give you a couple of examples. First of all, I think I have the gift of administration. I'm very organized and structured with an ability to administrate when necessary. Serving as a Lead Pastor this gift comes in handy since administration is part of my job. However, administration is not a passion for me. If I were to choose to serve as a Business Administrator for a church I would be miserable. I might be operating in my gift, but not my passion.

Now here's an example of being passionate while lacking the necessary gifts for ministry. I love to sing. I can picture myself leading worship, but it's an ugly picture at best. Though I'm passionate about singing people are not quite as passionate about hearing me sing. Singing is not my gift. If I choose to serve as a Worship Leader then I operate with passion and without talent. In that case I'll stick to preaching (and all the people at my church said...AMEN!).

For me preaching is both a God-given passion and a God-given gift. I love preaching and God has gifted me in public communication. I've often said, God knew the only thing I'm good at is talking so He decided to let me do it for a living. In all honesty, preaching charges my spiritual battery. Of course, it can be physically draining, but I love it. I love it because it is both a gift and a passion in my life.

I feel like the kingdom is best served and we are most fulfilled when we operate out of passion for a ministry accompanied with the appropriate ministry gift. This has become my team building philosophy at PFWC. I want the right people in the right places where they will not only be good at what they do, but they will also enjoy it. I want people in primary places of ministry where they have both the gift and the passion.

In my experience people are fulfilled and the kingdom is advanced when this happens. Now I realize at times we all serve in areas where we may not have both, but in the long-term and in the primary areas of ministry I think we should strive to operate out of both gifts and passions.

Just my thoughts...