Spiritual Gifts List

In this blog, we will look at a complete list and definition for each spiritual gift that is found in the Bible. In total there are 21 spiritual gifts. If you would like to learn more about spiritual gifts or discover what spiritual gifts you have, take our free spiritual gift test.

The Spiritual Gift of Apostle 

The spiritual gift of the Apostle is the God-given ability to pioneer new churches in unchartered territories and mentor others to do the same.

The word Apostle comes from a Greek word that meaning to be sent forth. Prior to the word Apostle carrying a spiritual connotation, the word was used for naval ships commissioned to go into new territory for military expeditions. 

The Scriptures reveal two categories of people who are identified as apostles. First, the foundational Apostles were chosen by Jesus and operated under a specific mandate to birth the Church. 

A few references to their unique purpose and function are found in the following verses: Acts 1:25, 1 Corinthians 15:8-10, and Ephesians 2:20. 

Secondly, the New Testament depicts a secondary category of believers who were not chosen by Jesus directly but are told to have possessed the gift of apostleship. This secondary group of apostles was pioneers of new churches. 

This includes the following people: Barnabas (Acts 14:14); Andronicus and Junias (Romans 16:7); James (Galatians 1:19); Epaphroditus (Philippians 2:25); Apollos (1 Corinthians 4:69); Two unnamed apostles (2 Corinthians 8:23); and Timothy and Silas (1 Thessalonians 1:1; 2:6).

You are gifted to:

• Pioneer new churches
• Minister cross-culturally
• Do missionary work

The Spiritual Gift of Administration    

The spiritual gift of Administration is the ability to organize people and ministries for their most effective and efficient God-glorifying outcome.

The Greek word for Administration is the word kubernesis. This word was used in biblical times to refer to those that were responsible for steering a ship. This word gives us a beautiful picture of the purpose of the gift of Administration. Administration helps guide churches, people, and systems to fulfill the Great Commission. 

This means that the spiritual gift of Administration is not merely filing papers or making phone calls. It is fundamentally about helping people find their place in the body of Christ and to help the Church fulfill the great commission.

You are gifted to:

• Bring order to chaotic situations and systems
• Help people find their place in the body of Christ
• Enhance systems and processes so that things run smoothly

The Spiritual Gift of Discerning of Spirits    

The spiritual gift of Discerning of Spirits is the ability to, at times, perceive the motivations of people’s heart or the presence of good/evil spirits. 

This gift is necessary for the body of Christ because Satan masquerades as an angel of light (2 Corinthians 11:14). The Scripture also warns on multiple occasions to beware of false prophets and miracle workers who would gain entry into the church. 

Discernment of Spirits is seen multiple times throughout the New Testament. Specifically, we see this gift operating in the life of Jesus when he rebukes Peter (Matthew 16:23) when Peter discerns Ananias’ motivation (Acts 5:1-11) and Paul when he rebukes the slave girl that was possessed by a spirit of divination (Acts 16:16-18). Other texts in the New Testament also speak about the importance of testing spirits to discern if they are of the Lord (1 John 4:1) (1Thessalonians 5:21).

You are gifted to:

• Sense the leading of the Holy Spirit
• Discern the presence of spirits, both good & evil
• Discern unseeable things about people’s character

The Spiritual Gift of Encouragement   

The spiritual gift of Encouragement is the ability to strengthen and edify believers in their walk with God. 

People who have this gift of Encouragement are instruments of God to bring hope to people who are discouraged or need to be strengthened. The gift of Encouragement is vital to the body of Christ because of spiritual warfare and the troubles of life that weigh on every believer. 

One of the clearest examples of the gift of Encouragement is found in the life of the apostle Joseph; better knows a Barnabas (Acts 4:36). The apostle Joseph was so known for building up people that they began to call him Barnabas, meaning “son of encouragement.” 

The gift of Encouragement is like a breath of fresh air. When you are around a person who truly possesses this gift, you cannot help but feel encouraged to accomplish the dreams and purposes that God has placed in your heart.

You are gifted to:

• Sense the leading of the Holy Spirit
• At times discern the presence of spirits both good & evil
• At times discern unknowable things about people’s character

The Spiritual Gift of Evangelism    

The spiritual gift of Evangelism is the ability to effectively communicate the Gospel and inspire believers to reach their world for Christ. 

Though every believer is a part of fulfilling the Great Commission, people who possess the spiritual gift of Evangelism have a unique ability to witness with great fervor and effectiveness. People that possess this gift have an unceasing desire to share the good news of Jesus’ resurrection through creative ways to people and places that do not have a vibrant witness of the Gospel. 

In Acts 8:48, we read of the story of Phillip the evangelist who preached the Gospel in Samaria and performed great signs and wonders. As a result of his ministry, the Scriptures tell us that the city was full of great joy. When the spiritual gift of Evangelism is present in a local church, there is a sense of great enthusiasm in being apart of fulfilling the Great Commission.

You are gifted to:

• Inspire other people to share their faith
• Share the Gospel with great effectiveness
• Minister to people holistically

The Spiritual Gift of Faith    

The spiritual gift of Faith is the ability to trust and believe God in impossible situations, even when other people around you have given up. 

The gift of Faith is not to be confused with “saving faith” that a person places in Christ to be their savior; instead, it is a unique gift to believe God will work the miraculous even in the most challenging situations and circumstances. 

When the gift of Faith is active in a local church, the power of the Holy Spirit is seen in real and tangible ways. People who possess the spiritual gift of Faith inspire people around them to believe God to move in their midst even in the face of extreme difficulty.

You are gifted to:

• Stir confidence and Faith in people when they are ready to give up
• Have unwavering trust when you face great obstacles
• Walk alongside people in seemingly impossible situations

The Spiritual Gift of Giving

The spiritual gift of Giving is the God-given ability to provide for others’ needs with great joy and generosity. 

While the gift of Giving certainly can involve finances, it is much more robust and involves your energy, talents, and time. Giving is central to the heart of Christianity.

God the Father demonstrated this by sending Jesus Christ to us (John 3:16); Jesus commanded his disciples to give (Matthew 10:8), and the Early Church modeled giving and contributing to the needs of others (Acts 4:34). 

People who possess the gift of Giving are energized to help in real and tangible ways to help people who are in need. When the gift of Giving is active in a local church, real needs are met, and there is a great sense of generosity that permeates the church.

You are gifted to:

• Support people from your resources
• Provide for people in the most tangible ways

The Spiritual Gift of Hospitality

The spiritual gift of Hospitality is the ability to welcome people and create a warm and welcoming environment. 

The biblical word for Hospitality means to welcome strangers. There is no more outstanding example of this than the life and ministry of Jesus. In a time when the religious culture of his day ostracized people based on their social standing, Jesus was known as a friend of sinners and tax collectors (Luke 7:34). 

Like Jesus, people who have the spiritual gift of Hospitality have the unique ability to create a welcoming atmosphere that allows people to feel right at home.

You are gifted to:

• Make people feel welcome
• Welcome people into your home or church
• Help new people feel connected to your church 

The Spiritual Gift of Healing    

Healing is the spiritual gift and ability to pray for people who are sick and see them recover. 

Healing is a significant part of both the Old and New Testament. The book of Psalms encourages people to seek the Lord for healing (Psalm 103:3). The disciples and the seventy-two were commissioned by Jesus to cast out demons and heal the sick (Luke 10:1,9). Praying for healing was also a common practice and command for the early Church (James 5:16). 

Throughout the New Testament, healings accompanied the preaching of the Gospel. Healing served as a sign that God’s kingdom was at hand and that he is restoring creation to its original design. Like all of the gifts of the Spirit, healing operates according to God’s leading. No spiritual gift can be conjured up or performed on command but should work through people who humbly allow God to move through them.

You are gifted to:

• Pray & minister compassionately to sick people
• Confidently pray for people who are in need
• Sense the Holy Spirit’s leading to pray for specific people

The Spiritual Gift of the Word of Knowledge    

The Word of Knowledge is a spiritual gift and ability to have knowledge of a situation or circumstances that would otherwise be unknowable through human reason or intellect. 

The Word of Knowledge touches people’s hearts in a profoundly personal way creating a profound sense of awe that God knows the specific details of their life. As God reveals secrets in people’s hearts, there is no doubt that the Holy Spirit is active in the Church.

You are gifted to:

• Sense things from the Holy Spirit
• At times know things supernaturally

The Spiritual Gift of Leadership

The spiritual gift of Leadership is the ability to cast vision and motivate people towards a common goal. 

Leadership is more than a title; it is a spiritual gift. People who are gifted this way have a magnetic ability to draw people together around a common cause and impart confidence to journey together to accomplish specific goals. 

When a gift of Leadership is present, people will rally together to accomplish great things and move forward with the confidence that God is involved in what they seek to do.

You are gifted to:

• Rally people around a vision
• Effectively communicate a vision that God has placed in your heart
• Bring a team together for a common goal

The Spiritual Gift of Mercy    

The spiritual gift of Mercy is the ability to empathize and comfort people who are mourning or suffering. 

During Jesus’ ministry, the Scripture tells us that he was moved with great compassion when ministered to people (Matthew 14:14). When the spiritual gift of Mercy is active in a local church, people who are walking through difficult times will sense a deep presence of Christ in a real and tangible way.

You are gifted to:

• Befriend people in difficult situations
• Help people who are suffering
• Minister compassionately to people who are struggling.

The Spiritual Gift of Miracles    

The Working of Miracles is a spiritual gift and supernatural ability to, at times, exercise power over laws of nature to bring glory to God. 

The Working of Miracles is not an everyday event. If it were, it would not be a miracle. People who operate in this gift are used to point people’s attention to God and that he is active in their midst.

You are gifted to:

• Believe God for the miraculous
• At times pray for miracles occur

The Spiritual Gift of Pastor    

The spiritual gift of Pastor is the ability to direct, protect, and correct a local congregation or group of people towards spiritual maturity. 

The Greek word for Pastor is the word Poimen, which means overseer or Shepherd. In much of the West, people have a limited understanding of a Pastor as the person, thinking it is merely the person who leads Sunday morning church services. However, a person who is gifted as a Pastor may or may not be in full-time vocational ministry.

You are gifted to:

• Give biblical council
• Care for people
• Lead & disciple people toward maturity in Christ

The Spiritual Gift of Prophecy   

The spiritual gift of Prophecy is the ability to spontaneously receive previously unknown information from the Holy Spirit to relay to another person for upbuilding, encouraging, and strengthening them in their faith. 

The spiritual gift of Prophecy is mentioned numerous times throughout the New Testament. This gift is seen to function in two different ways: predictive and descriptive. The spiritual gift of Prophecy can be predictive as in Acts 11:27-29, where the Scripture records the story of a prophet named Agabus, who predicted a coming famine. Because of his Prophecy, believers were able to gather resources to help those that would soon be affected by the famine. The gift of Prophecy can also be descriptive in that it announces the purposes and plans of God that reside for a person. Descriptive Prophecy is described in passages like 1 Timothy 1:18; 1 Timothy 4:14; and Acts 13:2. Whether predictive or descriptive, all prophecy must be tested to see if it is an accurate prophetic word (1 Thessalonians 5:20-21).

You are gifted to:

• See the potential God has placed in people
• Speak prophetic words of encouragement
• Sense the Holy Spirit’s leading in a church service

The Spiritual Gift of Service    

The spiritual gift of Service is the God-given ability to further the work of God’s kingdom through practical ministry. 

Romans 16 is a fascinating passage to study. Nearly the entire chapter is full of people that the apostle Paul thanked for helping him in his ministry.

Although many of the names are unfamiliar, the churches that Paul the apostle founded would have never been able to be started without their help. 

People who are spiritually gifted in Service strengthen the church by assisting people to fulfill a vision. They will typically help behind the scenes volunteering their time, skills, and energy to advance the Kingdom of God.

You are gifted to:

• Help practically with ministry needs
• Volunteer your skills and abilities
• Support a big vision

The Spiritual Gift of Speaking   

The spiritual gift of Speaking is the ability to communicate effectively to inspire people toward Christian maturity. 

When this gift is active, people will make catalyzing spiritual decisions for their spiritual growth. The gift of Speaking comes in many different shapes and sizes, and there is no one size fits all. Because of this, people should be careful not to get stuck in the comparison trap or try to conform to a particular style or model of communication.

You are gifted to:

• Inspire people through sermons and lectures
• Influence people toward spiritual growth
• Communicate effectively

The Spiritual Gift of Teaching    

The spiritual gift of teaching is the ability to discern, communicate, and impart truth. 

People who possess the gift of teaching can take complicated truths and articulate them in a lasting and memorable way. This gift can be expressed in many ways from preaching during a church service, leading a small group, discipleship class, writing books, or disciplining people one on one. 

When the gift of teaching is active in a local congregation, people are rooted in sound doctrine, set free from wrong thinking, and discipled towards spiritual maturity.

You are gifted to:

• Explain complex biblical truths
• Teach the Scripture
• Communicate effectively

The Spiritual Gift of Tongues

The spiritual gift of Tongues is the ability to speak in a previously unknown language privately to God or publicly in a church service if interpreted.

The Spiritual Gift of the Interpretation of Tongues

The spiritual gift of Interpretation of Tongues is the ability to interpret a message in tongues at a church service or gathering of people.

The Spiritual Gift of the Word of Wisdom    

The spiritual gift of the Word of Wisdom is the ability to speak a timely word from the Holy Spirit to bring peace and counsel. 

People gifted in the Word of Wisdom have a special grace on their lives to give God’s perspective in the middle of trying situations. An example of The Word of Wisdom can be found in Acts 15 when the early Church faced a massive challenge. While the council of elders met in Jerusalem to discuss how they were to handle God pouring out his Spirit on the Gentiles, the Holy Spirit gave the apostle James a Word of Wisdom to resolve the problem (Acts 15:13-22).

You are gifted to:

• Solve complex problems
• Give a unique perspective on situations
• Have people seek you out for Wisdom

In Closing,

I hope this complete list and definition for each spiritual gift was helpful. If you would like to learn more about spiritual gifts or discover what spiritual gifts you have, take our free spiritual gift test.