A Thesis Submitted to the Faculty of Seabury-Western Theological Seminary
in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Ministry in Congregational Development by John de Beer.
This thesis describes a gifts discernment program at St. Martin’s-in-the-Field Episcopal Church in Severna Park, Maryland. It examines the effects of the program on the individuals who participated and on the congregation as a whole. The strengths and weaknesses revealed by the study are interpreted through the lenses of missional theology and vocational development. The final chapter recommends locating gifts discernment within an overall program of adult fiath formation and describes a pilot version of one such comprehensive program (KLESIS).
