|
For the last four years, I have been working intensely with data
gathered from NCD surveys. As I kept entering surveys, my desire grew to
find ways of analyzing the data that would generate more information than
just eight numbers for each church. In the past six months now, I have had
the opportunity to work with the worldwide NCD database. That very
database symbolizes a lot of energy invested by people who filled in NCD
surveys. In my view, reason enough to provide a small window for analysis
and see what can be learned from the data.
My intention here is to present a brief analysis of Gift-oriented
Ministry and its potential impact on other qualities. Out of all churches that are in our database, 14% of those churches shared this
quality as a minimum factor. 15% had Gift-oriented Ministry as their
maximum factor. I also learned that about 52% of those answering the
survey claimed to know their spiritual gifts to a very great or great
extent. 62% of those who claimed to be involved in church tasks do so in
accordance with their gifts.
When analyzing the data, I was searching for
any visible factors that make a difference in the overall scores.
Interestingly, one of the variables that appears to make a big difference
in the scores of all eight quality characteristics pertains to the quality
of Gift-oriented Ministry. That variable is the percentage of members
utilizing their spiritual gifts as reported by the pastors.
The congregations tested were divided into three groups. Pastors
of congregations in the first group (46% of churches) reported that only
0-25 percent of their congregation used their spiritual gifts for building
up the church. The second group consisted of 44% of churches where 26-50
percent of the congregation used their spiritual gifts. In the remaining
10% of churches, more than 60 percent of the congregation applied their
gifts.
As the
graph shows, the average scores of local congregations for all eight
qualities significantly differ when divided by the utilization of
spiritual gifts. We can say based on the average figures that the more
people use their spiritual gifts for ministry, the higher are the scores
of those churches in all eight quality characteristics. The average score
for all eight characteristics together in the first group is 45, in the
second group 53, in the third group 59. This may be mere games with
statistics. Nevertheless, these numbers may reveal serious implications as
well. There is a high probability that an increased average score for
Gift-oriented Ministry has a simultaneous positive impact on all other
areas raising their respective scores as well.
There are also theological implications.
Three key texts in the Scriptures talk about spiritual gifts: 1 Cor 12, Rom
12, Eph 4. In all these texts, the teaching about spiritual gifts is
unfolded in the context of a specific reality of church: the church as the
body of Christ. Spiritual gifts describe one of the basic functions of
Christ’s body. Being interrelated with one another and governed by Christ,
the diverse body functions in amazing unity (1 Cor 12:20) by utilizing
spiritual gifts. All members contribute to the body with different gifts.
In working together the body matures and grows toward perfection (Eph
4:11-13).
Spiritual gifts are at work when various
parts of Christ’s body relate closely to one another and complement each
other. A discussion about spiritual gifts seems to lead inevitably to
another dimension of Christ’s body — community.
Petr Činčala (PhD) lives in the Czech
Republic and works as Research Manager for NCD International | 
