Leading the Church

Spiritual Gifts Basics

By Dr. Richard J. Krejcir

Spiritual Gifts is one of the principle calls of the believer.

Spiritual Gifts is also one of two areas of ministry in the church. First are the "assigned offices" such as ministers, elders, and deacons, etc. These are the "offices" of (Acts 6:1-6; Phil. 1:1; Titus 1:5-7; 1 Tim.3:8; 5:17; James 2:15-16), leadership roles. They must have the appropriate gifts of leadership, as well the gift in their area of ministry (1 Cor. 14: 3-40; Eph. 4:7-16; 1 Pet. 4:10-11; Heb 13:17), all working together in love and cooperative unity. Spiritual Gifts are assigned to each believer, we have at least one. These are the abilities to do a specific function in ministry to glorify Christ with the display of attributes of Christ's character in a specific function that strengthens the church. Such as "pastor/teacher" for the minister, or "mercy" to those who visit the sick. It is the believers responsibility to find and develop and exercise the gifts given. Some of the gifts include leadership, teaching, pastoral care, mercy, giving... How we are to behave and interact with each other.

We must acknowledge our role in the body, there are no lone wolfs in Christ! We have a duty to fulfill, and a role to play. When we refuse we not only hurt ourselves, but each other too, and we hurt our Lord! Spiritual gifts are alive and well in the world, to deny their existence is to deny the work of the Holy Spirit! It is comforting to deny gifts, because then we do not have to respond to His call and duty, we can be lazy and conceited in our outlook to others instead; of course this thinking is straight from another source other than the Bible and God's call (Matt 28)! Satan does not want you to discover your gifts, he wants you to ignore your responsibility and nurture of one another.

Six separate lists of Spiritual Gifts appear in the New Testament:

1 Corinthians 12:8-10: Word of wisdom, Word of knowledge, Faith, Healing, Miracles, Prophecy, Distinguishing of spirits, Tongues, Interpretation of tongues

1 Corinthians 12:28: Apostle, Prophecy, Teaching, Miracles, Healing, Helps, Administration, Tongues,

1 Corinthians 12:29-30: Apostle, Prophecy, Teaching, Miracles, Healing, Tongues, Interpretation of tongues

Romans 12:6-8: Prophecy, Serving, Teaching, Exhortation, Giving, Leading, Mercy

Ephesians 4:11: Apostle, Prophecy, Evangelism, Pastor/Teacher,

1 Peter 4:11: Speaking, Serving

Leading the Church

Spiritual Gifts Basics

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