God gives men as gifts to other men. God chooses certain individuals and specially prepares them for their duties in His kingdom. This preparation begins even before birth, in the selection of genetic characteristics – the strengths and weaknesses we inherit from our family. God uses our total background to develop us into the person He can use. 

 God not only calls people into His service but specifically equips them with the abilities needed to fulfill this calling. These abilities are both natural talents as quickened and stimulated by God’s  Spirit, and supernatural abilities or “gifts”; specially endowed by the Holy Spirit.  

 The person and all of his natural and supernatural abilities or gifts is in turn given to God’s people as a gift. What he is as a person becomes an asset or benefit to those he serves. God moves upon the people to receive His person as a “gift”. They respond to his God-given charisma for leadership.  

 Very often, at some point in time, leaders of the community designate their approval of God’s  choice by publicly laying hands upon the person and specifying his area of service. This crystallizes the calling of God within the individual and gives him the confidence he needs to stand before the people in his area of service. We must remember that the local leaders are acting only to confirm what God long since had purposed. Selection of leadership is not the prerogative of present leaders but results from God’s own initiative. Nevertheless, God will confirm His choice through the present leadership.  

“And no man taketh this honor unto himself, but he that is called of God, as was Aaron” (Hebrews 5:4).