1 Corinthians 12:8 CEB: “A word of wisdom is given by the Spirit to one person, a word of knowledge to another according to the same Spirit.”

Romans 12:2 CEB: “Don’t be conformed to the patterns of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your minds so that you can figure out what God’s will is — what is good and pleasing and mature.”

The gift of knowledge equips you to navigate complex situations, challenges and opportunities in life with learned insights from Scripture and your faith. This gift drives you to learn, analyze and uncover new insights from Scripture, tradition, history, other people’s experiences and contemporary theological works. Whenever you encounter unknowns, you tackle them head-on by seeking out answers through research and the gathering of information.

At its core, knowledge is a gift of thoughtfully pursuing God’s vision for your life and for the world by seeking out and gathering as much information as you can, so that you can discern how the spirit is moving and how to move with it. Those with this gift bring curiosity to the forefront of their faith and encourage others in their communities to pursue new information; they often enjoy sharing their knowledge to help the Bible and faith feel more alive for others. Communities thrive and grow when those with this gift are present, because the new insights they uncover often help the whole church move forward with informed decisions.

Some ways in which the gift of knowledge might show up in your spiritual and communal life:

• Finding podcasts, books and articles to pursue your questions and curiosities.
• Recommending a well-researched resource when you hear that others have encountered a challenge or question.
• Wrestling with the Bible by reading more commentaries and other translations, and finding historical research to better understand the cultural logic of the text.

Looking for more opportunities? We encourage you to reach out to your local synod. Connect, collaborate and co-create with peers through the ELCA Leadership Network.