Small Groups, Huge GrowthSample

Please Pass the Gifts

Picture in your mind your favorite holiday meal. For many, it’s Thanksgiving. Turkey, ham, stuffing, mashed potatoes, creamed corn, pumpkin pie and pecan pie … are you hungry yet? Now imagine that very same meal without your favorite food item on the table. You’ve waited all year for this meal, and your favorite dish is nowhere to be found. Kind of deflating, huh?

Small groups are like that. Scripture makes it clear that God gives each believer a spiritual gift. The purpose of this gift is to help build up the Church. When a group of believers gathers together, they each bring their gift “to the table.” Combined, these gifts are powerful!

So, when Christ followers are not engaged in community, it’s as if someone didn’t bring the turkey (or pumpkin pie) to Thanksgiving. No one gets to receive the blessing of each person’s gifting, and the group misses out on that special something only each individual can bring. The result is hindered growth and untapped power within the group as a whole.

Reflect: What are your spiritual gifts? What are the gifts of each person within your small group? Do you know? Do they? If you haven’t yet, take your group through a spiritual gift assessment. Once everyone’s gifts are identified, how can each person put their gifts to practice?