Study Guide: "An Overview of Spiritual Gifts"

Text: Romans 12:1 - 16

OPEN:

We are engaged in a study designed to help each of us "unwrap our spiritual gifts."

Keep in mind our Foundational Statement: “Ministering as a disciple of Christ calls for us to know our spiritual gifts because spiritual gifts are the basis for all ministry in the local church.” (Fowlkes)

There are three primary New Testament passages that deal with spiritual gifts: 

Romans 12:3-8; 1 Corinthians 12:1-11, 28; and Ephesians 4;11-16. There is another brief mention in 1 Peter 4:8-11.

We will examine each of these passages to learn the principles Scripture gives us concerning gifts.

Defining Spiritual Gifts

"A spiritual gift is a unique capacity given by the Holy Spirit and given to every believer in Christ for ministry in a local church in order to cause the church to grow quantitatively (numerically), qualitatively (maturity), and organically (organization)" (J. Robert Clinton, 1973, p. 23).

A very similar definition is offered by Donald Hohensee, former Wesleyan missionary to Burundi: "A spiritual gift is a unique capacity given by the Holy Spirit to every believer for ministry within, to and through the local body of Christ, so that it may grow in quality and quantity, thereby positively impacting the Kingdom of God" (1992, p. 4).

In Romans 12:3-8, the Apostle Paul presents several principles that need to be kept in mind:

1) A right understanding of one's gift will cause the person to have a balanced understanding of his/her place within the body (v.3). The believer will not have an inflated view of his importance, nor a too low view of her/his importance.

2) In Christ all belong to one body (vv.4-5). His comparison is to the human body with its many members. These members have different functions, but they work in harmony so that the body can function as a unit. In Christ we need each other because there is only one body.

The following are five common denominators take from the New Testament's teaching on spiritual gifts:

1. Every believer in Christ has one or more spiritual gifts (1 Co. 12:7; Eph. 4:7-8), with each believer gifted to accomplish some necessary ministry in the church.

1 Co 12:7: "To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good." 

Eph 4:7: "But each of us was given grace according to the measure of Christ's gift."

This makes every believer/church member vital/indispensable.

2. The gifts of the Spirit are varied and different (Romans 12:4; 1 Co. 12:14).

Rom 12:4-5: "For as in one body we have many members, and not all the members have the same function, so we, who are many, are one body in Christ, and individually we are members one of another."

1 Co 12:14: "Indeed, the body does not consist of one member but of many." (Then Paul goes on to give specific examples about parts of the human body)

    1) We are not supposed to all have the same spiritual gift(s).

    2) Introduce the concept of "gift mix."

3. The Holy Spirit determines the gifts we receive; we do not choose what gifts we have (Romans 12:6).

Rom 12:6: "We have gifts that differ according to the grace given to us..."

    1) Paul refers to gifts in Greek as charismata (plural form of gifts; charisma is the singular). The root on which this word is built is charis - grace.

    2) All gifts are graciously given by God.  They are completely undeserved.

    3) God is the source of the gifts; they are to be used for His service.

    4) The sovereign Spirit assigns gifts to every believer individually as he wills. In other words, they are "grace gifts"—we do not earn or work for them; therefore, we have no grounds for boasting about them.

4. Spiritual gifts are to be used for the growth of the church (1 Co. 12:7). 

1 Co 12:7: "To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good."

The three types of church growth related to spiritual gifts are as follows:

     1) Quantitative church growth—refers to the addition of people to the church (Acts 2:41, 47; 4:4; 9:31).

Acts 2:41: "So those who welcomed his message were baptized, and that day about three thousand persons were added."

     2) Qualitative church growth—the process of individual and church growth in spiritual maturity (Acts 2:42; 5:42; 14:21-22; 16:5).

Acts 2:42: "They devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers."

     3) Organic growth—the process whereby the leadership of a local church emerges to provide the best organization for the growth of that church (Acts 6:2-4; 14:23; 20:17-18).

Acts 6:2-4: "And the twelve called together the whole community of the disciples and said, 'It is not right that we should neglect the work of God in order to wait on tables. Therefore, friends, select from among yourselves seven men of good standing, full of the Holy Spirit and of wisdom, whom we may appoint to this task, while we, for our part, will devote ourselves to prayer and to serving the word.'"

Do you see spiritual gifts in operation here? Wisdom, prayer, service the word.

Proper use of spiritual gifts strengthens the church organizationally.

A functional church is one in which members know their gifts and are empowered to use their gifts.

A dysfunctional church is one in which one or a few members do everything (which causes burnout) while the other members are disinterested and uninvolved.

5. God wants every disciple to know his or her spiritual gift(s) and to use it/them in ministry for Christ's glory (1 Co. 12:1). 

1 Co 12:1: "Now concerning spiritual gifts, brothers and sisters, I do not want you to be uninformed."

    1) Believers will be held responsible for use of their gift(s):

1 Pe 4:10: "Like good stewards of the manifold grace of God, serve one another with whatever gift each of you has received."

1 Co 3:10-15: 

"According to the grace of God given to me, like a skilled master builder I laid a foundation, and someone else is building on it. Each builder must choose with care how to build on it. For no one can lay any foundation other than the one that has been laid; that foundation is Jesus Christ. Now if anyone builds on the foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw--- the work of each builder will become visible, for the Day will disclose it, because it will be revealed with fire, and the fire will test what sort of work each has done. If what has been built on the foundation survives, the builder will receive a reward. If the work is burned up, the builder will suffer loss; the builder will be saved, but only as through fire."

CLOSE:

“Ministering as a disciple of Christ calls for us to know our spiritual gifts because spiritual gifts are the basis for all ministry in the local church.”

When God's people discover and begin using their spiritual gifts in ministry, the inevitable result is quantitative, qualitative, and organic growth for the church, as well as individual fulfillment and freedom for the believer. It is this corporate exercise of gifted ministry that Trueblood has in mind in his book, The Company of the Committed:

"The struggle against apathy is so great a task that if we are to achieve even a semblance of victory we cannot be satisfied to leave Christian work to ordained clergymen. The number one Christian task of our time is the enlargement and adequate training of our ministry which, in principle, includes our total membership. This is a large order, and one which often seems discouraging in prospect, but we cannot settle for anything less and yet be loyal to the idea of Christ's revolutionary company." (1961, p. 57)

Requires each of us to discern and use our gifts for the good of the church.

Requires us to recognize the giftedness in each other. 

(Dr. Dane Fowlkes)

Study Guide: "It's What's Inside that Counts"

Text: 1 Corinthians 12:1, 12-26

OPEN:

Are you watching the TV series on Sunday evening's "A.D. The Bible Continues"?  I am recording them and intend to watch. It is a portrayal of the early church. I will be interested to see how they deal with the many challenges faced by the early followers of Christ.

What I intend to consider over the next six weeks is the New Testament's teaching on spiritual gifts and how it applies to each individual and the church collectively. "Unwrapping Spiritual Gifts."

Foundational Statement: “Ministering as a disciple of Christ calls for us to know our spiritual gifts because spiritual gifts are the basis for all ministry in the local church.” (Fowlkes)

I. A Biblical Understanding of Spiritual Gifts (v.1)

The apostle Paul makes it clear in verse one that spiritual gifts is something that we should know.

1. The gift of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost fulfilled Old Testament prophecies concerning the Spirit and Jesus' promises to give the Spirit to His disciples. (Joel 2:28-32; Lk. 3:16; 11:13)

God gives His Holy Spirit to His people, so the Spirit Himself is the ultimate spiritual gift.

2. What God began in the unique event of Pentecost has continued throughout the life of the church - all Christians receive the Spirit.

     a) Evangelical Christians want to examine the Word of God for its perspective on everything that affects us.  We want to be firmly attached to the Word so that we do not get off into false teaching.

     b) There are three main passages that deal with spiritual gifts: 

Romans 12:3-8; 1 Corinthians 12:1-11, 28; and Ephesians 4;11-16.

 3. Paul refers to gifts in Greek as charismata (plural form of gifts; charisma is the singular). The root on which this word is built is charis - grace.

     a) All gifts are graciously given by God.  They are completely undeserved.  

     b) God is the source of the gifts; they are to be used for His service and for His glory alone.

        

Richard Baxter: "Each of us is just a pen in the hand of God, and what honor is there in a pen?"

II. In Christ, All Belong to One Body (vv.12-26).

    1. An unmistakable comparison is drawn between the church and the human body with its many members.

          a) This, then, is the clearest biblical portrayal of how a New Testament church is intended to function:

- These members have different functions, but they work in harmony so that the body can function as a unit. 

- In Christ we need each other because there is only one body.

- The pastor is not the body; chairman is not the body; church committee is not the body!  We need the entire family of God.

          b) These gifts are given to us by grace (v.6).

- God in His great wisdom knows what is needed and also gives His gifts to His servants.

- Understanding spiritual gifts is essential to the health of the body.

        c) Every person is a gifted person (v.7).  

- In contrast to the Spirit's work in the Old Testament, in the church the Holy Spirit is present with each of God's people.

- The Spirit always brings one or more spiritual gifts to the Christian's life.

    2. These gifts are spiritual endowments which equip the person to serve Christ.

A.B. Simpson: "This blessed enduement is not for apostles, prophets, miracle workers, teachers, special officials, merely, but for every member of the Church of God."

  a) Gifts vary from person to person (vv.8,11).

- This led to the problem at Corinth.  God intends His people to have a variety of gifts, but the diversity of gifts are for unity and should never cause division in the church (vv.4-6).

          b) The various gifts should unite the church.  

- Christians are given gifts so they can serve one another (1 Peter 4:10,11).

- Anyone who uses a gift to create disunity among God's people is misguided. The idea of 'going rogue'--placing individual desires above the benefit of the body -- is unthinkable.

- Gifts are for building-up the entire church, not for making one person feel proud and another left out.

- All gifts come from the Spirit to individuals for the church's well being. Each one can show that the Spirit is working in a believer's life, but no one of them is to be used as a test of a believer's spirituality as long as love uses the gift in ministry.

CLOSE:

“Ministering as a disciple of Christ calls for us to know our spiritual gifts because spiritual gifts are the basis for all ministry in the local church.”

Requires each of us to discern and use our gifts for the good of the church.

Requires us to recognize the giftedness in each other. 

(Dr. Dane Fowlkes)

"Living in Light of Easter"

Living in Light of Easter by Dr. Dane Fowlkes

Scripture Reading: John 20:11-18

 

Were you watching last night when Wisconsin upset undefeated Kentucky to advance to the finals against Duke? It was an amazing game and when the horn sounded to end the game, a joyous celebration commenced. There was fanfare on the part of Wisconsin fans, and fan grief  for Kentucky faithful. Even if you knew nothing about basketball, you would have known that something really big had just taken place.

 

Somewhere along the way I was programmed to believe something similar should happen on Easter. This is a day of celebration and a great day for celebrating He is alive! Christians gather just like we are for sunrise services, eggs will be hunted, choirs will sing well rehearsed anthems, and preachers will be at their best.  Call it our own Christian fanfare. 

 

But for just a few moments, I'd like to take a step back from the pomp and circumstance and look closely at someone who experienced the first Easter  firsthand. I would like to see how she responded, thinking that my own response could and should be guided by hers.

 

There was a lot happening on that first Easter morning, especially for Mary Magdalene.  She arrived early and saw that the stone sealing Jesus' burial place was moved.  She did what came natural--she ran to find Peter and John, pillars among the disciples--and told them what she had seen.

• They returned to the tomb together, Peter and John racing each other to see for themselves.  They found the grave empty and left to find the others and tell them.

• When she was alone again, Mary decided to stick her head inside and see for herself what Peter and John had seen. She saw two angels and they spoke to her, comforting her.

• She turned around to leave, and saw a man standing nearby and assumed he was the gardener. He asked why she was crying and she quickly explained.  There is no hint of recognition of Jesus on her part at this point.

• Then he calls her by name; no simple gardener would have known that. She may have still not fully recognized his face, but she would have known that voice anywhere.

• He gave her some clear and simple instructions and she obeyed immediately. 

 

Mary had an ordinary conversation on the most extraordinary day in human history, or the history of the universe for that matter. 

 

Easter is not intended to be a once-a-year celebration. It is a hope that 

permeates the most common and ordinary experiences and moments of life.

 

About the time I start losing my internal debate as to whether or not there's rhyme or reason to my current demands and immediate struggles, I'm rescued by a visit from grandchildren. Such was the case when our two-year-old Hannah B spent the evening with us. My assignment upon arriving home from a business trip was to distract Hannah, thereby allowing my wife to complete an embroidery project with a friend. Hannah and I took to the great outdoors hand-in-hand, and I watched with fascination as she reached down to examine every fallen leaf, place it in my hands, wait for me to 'ooh and aah,' then retrieve and gently return it to its previous spot on the grass. Hannah knows how to enjoy the moment, undisturbed by the past and unencumbered by anything future. In short order, my precious companion reminded me of the weightiest theology I've ever learned: "All moments are key moments, and life itself is grace" (Buechner). The clearest signal of transcendence is that this moment, in and of itself, matters enormously. Eternity begins right now. 

 

I am praying differently these days, not so much to know God's will any longer but, instead, simply to recognize him in the commonplace. This moment perches precariously on a knife edge, animation suspended between memory and mystery. Lean too far behind and tumble into remorse, regret, reprise, repeat. Stretch too intensely toward tomorrow and drift into fog, fantasy, make believe.  Either behind or ahead is dysfunction. To live this breath in healthy tension with present attention, that is the divine mandate--nothing less than relentless intersection, perpetual incarnation. Created in the image of "I am", "we are." We abide best in our heavenly Father when we extoll his grace that benefits this breath, and when we embrace the exhilaration of not living in the wake of what we once were. Every day matters; our daily challenge is to recognize what matters most. To be completely honest, that has changed for me over the years. I’ve often wrestled with the inclination to lose sight of the value of this instant while straining to predict the next and strategize accordingly. What happened or didn’t happen yesterday pales in significance with what I do right now; life does count, and this very moment matters enormously. Mercy is at hand in abundance when I allow myself to detect the weight of glory in the mundane and ordinary. Grace is now and grace is here; grace is always present tense.

 

We live in light of Easter at all times. His living presence transforms this ordinary moment into one of extraordinary hope, if I am living close enough to the light to see it.

(From the Easter sunrise service in Bosqueville, Texas, 2015)

Lenten Meditation: "First Person Easter"

First Person Easter by Dr. Dane Fowlkes

Scripture Reading: John 19:16-42

No doubt you've heard the phrase "familiarity breeds contempt." While that may be true in some areas of life, I hesitate to apply it to biblical truth.  Instead, I would say that familiarity often breeds apathy.  Here's what I mean: our very familiarity with the story of the cross may be the very thing that distances us from its impact.  We become, in the worst sense of the word, "objective." There is grave danger in studying theology in third person.  We speak about God. We talk about things like incarnation, justification, atonement, redemption, sanctification, and we do it all from the comfortable distance of third person--He did this. He said that. He is prophet, priest and king.  "He." But God orchestrated human redemption so that we may move from third person to first and second person--  "I" and. "You." "I once was lost but now am found." "You are Lord of heaven and earth." "You are my savior and my God."

We could speak intelligently and convincingly of Jesus Christ and his earthly ministry, compelling teaching, convincing miracles, his courageous response to scourging and triumphant declaration from the cross, "It is finished." But what makes this whole thing matter is when I am able to say honestly and humbly:

Amazing grace, how sweet the sound

That saved a wretch like me.

I once was lost, but now am found,

Was blind but now I see.

Grace is always cross-shaped and redemption is always particular. Not to detract from his general work of securing future grace since Christ died for the sins of the world, but, astonishingly, he offered himself up for my sin in particular. Although I will never choose to escape the responsibility and privilege of life enjoyed in community with family and friends, something deep within rouses to the thought of excusing myself from the company of others in order to relish and revel privately in the ecstasy of grace, unimaginable pardon for unforgivable sin. You may not hear it from my lips in word or harmony, but my soul breaks free in jubilant round, heralding my own strain of mercy inserted above the anthem of the redeemed.

Lenten Meditation: "Deposits"

Good Friday by Dr. Dane Fowlkes

Scripture Reading: John 19

The greatest deposit we make is surrendering ourselves to Christ. The greatest investment we make is in others.

"And now brothers I will ask you a terrible question, and God knows I ask it also of myself. Is the truth beyond all truths, beyond the stars, just this: that to live without him is the real death, that to die with him the only life?"

~Frederick Buechner (The Magnificent Defeat)

Lenten Meditation: "Communion Thursday"

Communion Thursday by Dr. Dane Fowlkes

"We must love one another or die."  W. H. Auden's assertion has now been proven.  Researchers tell us that emotional loneliness is as high a risk factor for mortality as smoking.  Tumors can metastasize faster in those who are lonely.   Loneliness causes or exacerbates Alzheimer's, obesity, diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease, and neurodegenerative diseases.

Mother Teresa once observed that "in the developing world there is an epidemic of poverty, in the West an epidemic of loneliness."  In a 2010 survey, one out of three adults said they were "chronically lonely," meaning that they've been lonely for an extended time.  A decade earlier, only one in five said that.

How is Maundy Thursday relevant to loneliness?

Today is known by a variety of names: "Maundy Thursday" (Church of England), "Holy Thursday" (Catholic and Methodist), "Covenant Thursday" (Coptic), "Great and Holy Thursday" (Eastern Orthodox), and "Thursday of Mysteries" (Syriac Orthodox).  If I were to give today another name, it would be "Communion Thursday."

On this day in Holy Week, Jesus led his disciples in the Last Supper, a meal many traditions call "Communion."  But our Lord extended communion beyond this event.  He prayed fervently for his disciples and all of us as well (John 17).  Then he retreated to the Garden of Gethsemane, where he told Peter, James and John, "Remain here, and watch with me" (Matthew 26:38).  On this day the Son of God knew how desperately he needed to be with his Father, and with his friends.

Shouldn't every day be Communion Thursday for us?

__Dr. Jim Denison (Denison Forum on Truth and Culture)

Lenten Meditation: "Superior Force"

Superior Force by Dr. Dane Fowlkes

Scripture Reading: Romans 8:18-39

"Only the sufferings of Christ are valuable in the sight of God, who hates evil, and to him they are valuable chiefly as a sign. The death of Jesus on the cross has an infinite meaning and value not because it is a death, but because it is the death of the Son of God. The cross of Christ says nothing of the power of suffering or of death. It speaks only of the power of him who overcame both suffering and death by rising from the grave." ~Thomas Merton

I'm told there is no plot without conflict, and the same must be true for my own narrative. Growth is not possible apart from struggle and hardship, but the difference made by the cradle and the cross is that Christ enters the foray with us. He doesn't fight the battles for us, but instead faces the enemy side by side with us to the extent that he sways the outcome in our favor. We are more than conquerors because he is in us and that always adds up to superior force.