Greg Laurie Says the Best Way to Discover Your Purpose May Be to Start Serving

How do you discover what God has called you to do?

According to Pastor Greg Laurie, the answer may be simpler—and more practical—than you might expect: start serving.

In his latest message titled “The Gifts That Keep on Giving,” part of the series, The Holy Spirit in You, Pastor Greg encouraged believers to recognize that God has given them different gifts and that discovering those gifts often requires taking action. “One of the best ways to find out what you’re called to do is first find out what you’re not called to do,” he told the church.

Discovering Your Purpose Through Action

Teaching from Romans 12, Pastor Greg explained that spiritual gifts are given to Christians for the benefit of others and the building up of the church.

But discovering those gifts isn’t always immediate. He encouraged the church to explore different volunteer opportunities, even those they might not initially consider a natural fit. He also reflected on his own unexpected journey into ministry.

As a young man, he was interested in drawing, cartoons, art, and design. Teaching and public speaking were not obvious career paths for someone who, by his own account, had struggled academically.

He recalled that it was Pastor Chuck Smith who recognized his calling before he fully understood it himself.

“Greg, God’s called you to be an evangelist,” Pastor Chuck told him.

Pastor Greg also suggested that trusted friends, pastors, and fellow believers can sometimes recognize abilities and spiritual gifts that individuals have difficulty identifying in themselves.

Every Contribution Matters

A central theme of Pastor Greg’s message was that spiritual gifts should not be measured by public visibility.

Referring to Romans 12, he noted that the gift of prophecy appears alongside the gift of serving—a highly visible role next to one that may happen entirely behind the scenes.

He concluded that each gift is valuable to the church. “Every gift matters, every person matters, every contribution matters as well,” he said.

His closing challenge was simple: “Everybody should do something. Get in the game.”