Discover and Serve pt 11 – Skills and talents 2

Discover and Serve, Equipping, Serving
Having identified what skills and talents people have to offer how do we mobilise them? Ability It is helpful to have some grading about expertise, as illustrated here with 'Level of skill'. Not only does this give a feel of the experience and quality of work that someone can bring but it also identifies where there is an opportunity for further training. Often working together using your skills gives a wonderful opportunity for equipping someone else and for discipleship. A few years ago two of the wives of elders in our church regularly invited young single women to their homes to teach them about home-making and enjoy their friendship, a reminder of the teaching in Titus chapter 2 for older women to help younger women. I now see well-equipped married…
Read More

Discover and Serve pt 10 – Skills and talents 1

Discover and Serve, Equipping, Serving
Talents Each of us is unique. Yet we are all made in God's image and carry qualities and characteristics which he has generously given to us. Some have multiple talents while others have less. But we learn from Jesus' teaching through the parable of the talents in the gospels (Matthew 25:14-30 and Luke 19:11-27) that the key issue is not about quantity but about faithfulness. The context is one where he is teaching about being ready for the coming of the kingdom (Matt 25:1) and of his coming again. Although the imagery is one of finance, the meaning is about what has been entrusted to us to steward wisely. At the final judgement we shall be assessed according to what we have done with these gifts (1 Cor 3:12-15). It…
Read More