Compiled by Dynamic Steward Staff
Summary: Teaching on spiritual gifts is not a man-made invention but comes directly from the Word of God. God wants to grow His church through the spiritual gifts he has given His people.
I would not have you ignorant (of spiritual gifts) are the inspired words of the apostle Paul in 1 Corinthians 12:1. The church in Corinth that Paul was writing to desperately needed instruction on spiritual gifts. Who needs to know about spiritual gifts? You need to know about spiritual gifts if: 1) You are a Christian, 2) You believe that Jesus is your Lord and you want to love Him and follow Him in the best way possible, and, 3) You want your church to be a healthy, attractive, growing group of people showing forth God’s love in your community.
Teaching on spiritual gifts was not invented by some management efficiency consultant or by some department of church growth or by some theological seminary or even by some church council. The teaching on spiritual gifts comes directly from the Word of God. That gives us the assurance we need to say with confidence that it is God’s way for His people to operate with one another. It is the way to do God’s work whether caring for each other or learning more about the faith or celebrating the resurrection of Jesus Christ or reaching out to the lost with the message of God’s love. It is the way to bring about the kind of church growth that builds the whole person and the whole body of Christ.
Faith is the key. Without faith it is impossible to please God (See Hb 11:6). Faith is expectation, expectation that God has something better for us. Expectation that we can be the people God wants us to be. Expectation that He has gifted us and that we will be richly fulfilled if we are doing His will through using spiritual gifts.
Faith tells us that God wants His church to grow. He wants His lost sheep found and brought into the fold. And He will do it through the gifts He has given to each of us for His glory.—Your Spiritual Gifts, C. Peter Wagner, Regal Books, Ventura California, 1979.
Day by day we are to return to the Lord that which He has entrusted to us. And we are to ask Him, not only for temporal blessings, but for spiritual gifts. He who asks in faith, believing that God will fulfill His work, and who acts in accordance with His prayer, doing God’s will in all things, will receive rich blessings from on high. And as he receives, he is to impart to those who need help.—Ellen White