R.C. Sproul

Whoever has the gift of administering, let him administer."

And then he said, we are all baptized in one Spirit, and God gives to each a measure of faith and of gifts.

And I think one of the tasks of the clergy is to help the laity within the church discover what their gifts are so that they're not endlessly frustrated by having a heart that is willing to serve

don't know how.

So often, here's what we do to the poor lay person sitting in the pew.

We get up in the church and we get up in the pulpits on Sunday morning and we say to the people, there are problems out there and you need to go out and do something.

Well, what kind of direction is that?

Go out and do something.

People want to know, what can I do?

How can I help?

Give me the opportunity to serve and help me to discern what my gifts and abilities are.

The church does that.

We go through all kinds of processes of testing and oversight to prepare people for pulpit ministry.

Why don't we have the same things operating when it comes to other gifts and other services?

in our next session is to talk about this not so much in the life of the church, but in the normal daily activity of the so-called secular world.

How do I discover what my calling is, whether it's to be a lumberjack or a waitress or a doctor or a lawyer or an Indian chief?

Are there practical things that we can do to help us discern the abilities and the inclinations that God has given to us that we may best serve Him?

I have been through experiences with people who have been dismissed from their jobs, either for budget cuts or let go from their jobs because they were deemed incompetent or they had a bad attitude or whatever.

And that's always trauma.

That is a terrible trauma for somebody to lose their job.