Help Church Members Find Their Niche: 5 Simple Steps
Sue Brauge

“I don’t know what I’m good at! I’m tired of being a “jack-of-all-trades… but a master of none!”

These words came from a frustrated friend while we were having lunch a few weeks ago. Her daughters are both in school full-time and she is ready for a new challenge – but she isn’t sure what she wants to do. She is a talented administrator, organized, creative, and pretty much good at everything she does. Yet, she is really struggling to determine what she should pursue. Of course she trusts God to open doors, but she feels unfocused and a little overwhelmed. (And I don’t blame her!) Every job opening or position she hears about seems like it might work, so she feels obliged to respond. She realizes that she must narrow her window and find a niche she can excel in.

Now, consider our church members. Every Sunday they are bombarded with service opportunities, requests for volunteers, and perhaps, even guilt. I’m sure many of them have great intentions and feel they should be active somewhere, they may not know where to begin.

Imagine if every person in church on Sunday knew exactly what their gifts and interests were, and only responded to positions that fit their unique gifts. That would simplify things, wouldn’t it? No longer would they feel guilt or compulsion to respond to positions that did not fit their skill set. The playing field would be narrowed, and they would feel empowered to step out into service. As leaders, it is our responsibility to help them discover their spiritual gifts inventory.

Here are 5 simple steps to get you started…

1. Start by discovering your own spiritual gifts, if you haven’t already.

2. Find other leaders or friends and form a Bible study or book club on the topic of spiritual gifts. (Today’s offer is a great place to start!) The more versed you are the better equipped you will be to help others.

3. Brainstorm ways to introduce (or utilize) a spiritual gifts inventory or assessments within your congregation.

4. Begin using the vocabulary that supports an equipping model of involvement based on spiritual gifts.

5. Change your own perspective from “recruiting” people to equipping people for service, taking casual members and developing them into active ones.

These simple steps can help you empower yourself – and others – to find their callings and rise to a new level of meaningful service!

This article may not be written by an Apostolic author, but it contains many excellent principles and concepts that can be adapted to most churches. As the old saying goes “Eat the meat. Throw away the bones.”

This article “Help Church Members Find Their Niche: 5 Simple Steps” by Sue Brauge was excerpted from: www.churchvolunteerdaily.com newsletter. October 2010. It may be used for study & research purposes only.