Spiritual Practices and Community Engagement: Naming the Gifts of the Community and the Local Church

In a world that often defines people by what they lack, the church has a sacred opportunity to witness to a different reality: one of abundance, dignity, and shared giftedness. Naming the gifts of our communities and congregations is both a leadership strategy and a theological act. When we take the time to see the gifts of others, we mirror the posture of Jesus, who looked at people and saw not their flaws but their potential, purpose, and belovedness.

Naming gifts shifts the church from a needs-based mindset to one that emphasizes mutuality and empowerment. It reminds us that the Spirit is already at work, not just in church buildings but in neighborhoods, homes, barber shops, and basketball courts. Our job is to notice, name, and nurture the gifts already present.

Theological Significance of Naming Gifts

Scripture affirms that every person is gifted by God for the common good:

“To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good” (1 Corinthians 12:7, ESV[1]).

Paul’s words aren’t reserved for clergy or church insiders. They affirm the Spirit’s activity in all people, regardless of status or position. Naming these gifts is a pastoral and prophetic act and an invitation, telling the truth about what God is doing in people’s lives and inviting them to live into their calling.

When we name the gifts of others, we help restore identity and worth in a world that often diminishes them. It’s not flattery or exaggeration; it’s recognizing the divine spark in someone’s life and speaking it aloud. This act of naming can unlock participation, purpose, and deeper belonging—inside and outside the church.

Identifying the Gifts of the Community

God’s image is not confined to the sanctuary. It appears in the community center, the hair salon, the gym, and the school cafeteria. To recognize the gifts of the community, we must live with a posture of observation, listening, and curiosity. Here are three key approaches:

1. Asset Mapping

Asset mapping is noticing what is strong rather than focusing on what is wrong. It can be as simple as asking:

• What skills, experiences, and passions exist in this neighborhood?
• Who are the storytellers, the organizers, the nurturers?
• What organizations, informal leaders, and resources are already at work here?

Engaging in conversations, neighborhood walks, and community dinners are practical ways to bring notice to these gifts.

2. Listening for Hidden Gifts

Not all gifts announce themselves loudly. Some are quiet and require trust and time to emerge—like the neighbor who quietly helps elders with their groceries or the teen who writes poetry but does not often share it. Hidden gifts are uncovered through genuine relationships. Listening well—especially to those often overlooked—can reveal unexpected sources of wisdom, creativity, and compassion.

3. Affirming Community Leadership

Leadership is not always tied to title or position. In many communities, the true leaders are coaches, teachers, corner store clerks, nurses, or grandmothers who hold the social fabric together. These leaders may never step into a pulpit, but they often serve as chaplains of the block as people become a part of their journey. The church must learn to honor, listen, and support these leaders—not to recruit them into programs, but to walk alongside them with respect and encouragement as it builds relationships for the betterment of the community.

Naming and Nurturing Gifts Within the Church

The gifts within your congregation may be just as underused or unnamed as those in the community. Too often, church members don’t see their daily work or passions as spiritually significant. That’s where the church’s role becomes vital: to help people connect what they do with who they are in Christ.

1. Helping Congregants Discern Their Gifts

Offer opportunities for people to reflect on their skills, passions, and how God has shaped their lives. This might include:

• Spiritual gifts inventories
• Purpose and vocational discernment workshops
• One-on-one spiritual conversations

Create a culture where people feel seen and heard, not just as volunteers, but as image-bearers with unique callings.

2. Offering Opportunities to Use Gifts

Once gifts are named, people need a place to live them out. This doesn’t always mean a formal ministry team—it could be launching a neighborhood art project, mentoring teens, or leading a weekly community run with people who like running. The church’s role is to bless and back what God is stirring in people’s hearts.

3. Celebrating Gifts Publicly

Tell stories. From the pulpit, in newsletters, or on social media, share how someone’s gifts are making an impact. Public celebration affirms the person and teaches the congregation that God’s work happens everywhere, not just in worship services.

Spiritual Practice: Practicing Gratitude for God’s Gifts

Gratitude is a gateway to joy, presence, and resistance against the narratives of scarcity and comparison that dominate our culture. When we practice gratitude, we train our hearts to see abundance and learn to cherish the good gifts God has placed around us. In my life, I try to begin each day by journaling five things I’m grateful for, usually people in my life and their gifts and strengths. This practice helps me be more intentional in noticing gifts in others.

Practice: Daily Gratitude for Gifts in Others

Encourage your congregation to adopt a daily practice of naming three gifts they see in:

• Someone in the church
• Someone in the community
• Themselves

This can be done in a journal, prayer, or family reflection around the dinner table. Over time, this practice shifts the lens from deficit to joy and reforms how we see one another: not as problems to fix but as gifts to honor.

When we name the gifts of our communities and congregations, we join the Spirit’s work of calling forth identity, healing, and purpose. We say to the world, “You matter. You have something to offer. God is already at work in you.”

This isn’t just good strategy—it’s holy work. And it begins with the simple, sacred act of noticing.

Next month, we will explore intentional faith sharing and the practice of hospitality and presence. If you have any questions or comments, email me at [email protected].

[1] The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.