Introduction to Spiritual Gifts

Luther W. New Jr. Theological College, Dehradun, 2023

The Church is a community of believers who have been called together by Christ and are united by the Holy Spirit. Paul in his letters referred to it as the Body of Christ, with each member having a unique role to play in fulfilling the mission of the Church, which are called spiritual gifts of believers and are used to build up the Church and in the exercise of ministry. In this paper, the concept of the Church as the Body of Christ will be explored and the role of spiritual gifts in the exercise of its ministry will be examined. We will consider the various gifts listed in the Bible, their purpose, and how they are to be used in service to others. This will be a text-based paper, thus Romans 8: 3-8 will be exegeted; methodologically the assignment will move from a general understanding of the topic to a specific text-based understanding of the topic.

Evangelical Review of Theology, 2024

Christians are often encouraged to figure out which spiritual gifts they do or do not have, so that they can function most effectively within the body of Christ. But we do not apply this concept consistently; for example, many churches make no effort to bal- ance the gifts of various leaders or treat the head pastor as if he or she should possess all gifts. This article seeks to enhance our practical deployment of the diversity of abil- ities among believers.

2009

When a believer is regenerated by the Holy Spirit one of the amazing things that happen is the generation of special motivations and abilities to serve the Body of Christ that results in it's maturity, growth and effeciency in outreach. Since this a universal experience, it is important that all believers have a clear and accurate understanding of how the Holy Spirit works according to the Scriptures. The following teaching tools in can only be view in Microsoft PowerPoint. The free viewer program can be downloaded from Microsoft.

2019

Exploring the gifts of the Holy Spirit.

Anax Foundation, 2025

This is the introduction for my third book. It probably won't be out until late 2025 or 2026. This book explores the role of spiritual gifts and the fivefold ministry (apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors, and teachers) within a postmillennial Pentecostal framework, emphasizing that the Church is called to advance, mature, and transform society rather than retreat. While the foundational apostolic office has ceased, spiritual gifts remain essential for equipping believers and fulfilling the Great Commission. A balanced approach is necessary—avoiding hyper-cessationism (which denies the gifts) and charismatic excesses (which misuse them). Gifts such as teaching, prophecy, healing, and discernment must function biblically and in order (1 Corinthians 14:40), ensuring they build up the Church rather than promote individualism. Furthermore, every believer's vocation—whether in ministry, business, or manual labor—is a divine calling meant to expand God’s kingdom (Colossians 3:23-24), challenging the misconception that only pulpit ministry is spiritually significant. The book also warns against spiritual abuses, false prophets, and emotional manipulation, urging churches to establish accountability and doctrinal integrity to prevent deception. The Church must prepare for opposition while standing firm in truth and power. A fivefold strategy is outlined: recommit to biblical authority, properly recognize spiritual gifts, establish accountability, and prepare for persecution. This is not just a call for revival but for reformation, ensuring that what is built today will withstand trials and bear lasting fruit (Habakkuk 2:14). The Church must function in the fullness of both Spirit and truth, extending Christ’s dominion across all spheres of life and fulfilling its mission as an agent of cultural and societal transformation.

2020

I still cherish the airplane ride, when I had the privilege to sit with Dr. Schreiner, a professor of New Testament interpretation and of biblical theology at The Southern Theological Seminary, after both inspiring and eye-opening lectures in biblical theology he taught at European Biblical and Theological Center in Berlin. Instead of shutting himself off after a long week of teaching or lecturing some more on Pauline theology, this humble theological giant was asking me, a young student and minister, many questions about my family, ministry, and country of Croatia. Throughout the week he displayed this attitude of listening to understand other points of view, and it is programmatic of his attitude in theology in general, and of this book on a controversial topic. As a convinced cessationist, Schreiner is open about the fact that he has gained many insights from continuationist theologians like Grudem, Piper, and Storms (to whom he has dedicated the book), as well as from other continuationist friends and even students (6). We can sense his irenic spirit as he confesses how "wearisome and tiring it is to engage in arguments, especially with those whom we love and cherish, " and concludes that what "we need instead is loving and charitable discussion" (8). Therefore, his primary goal is not to defend cessationism or refute continuationism, but more importantly to "sketch in a theology of spiritual gifts" (7). In the first chapter, Schreiner utilizes some helpful insights of J. I. Packer about the "Strengths and Weaknesses of the Charismatic Movement. " He notices, for example, that we may learn from Charismatics how to put a greater emphasis on spirit-filled living, expressing emotions (11), how to be inspired by their prayerfulness, and other such matters. He does not shy away from mentioning weaknesses such as the temptations that are inherent to the movement toward elitism, sectarianism, anti-intellectualism, and so on. Chapter two defines the spiritual gifts as "gifts of grace granted by the Holy Spirit which are designed for the edification of the church" (17). He provides the list of all the gifts mentioned in the Bible, and is reluctant to speculating about those not mentioned in the Bible (19). Then he studies and defines each of these gifts, dividing them into two groups: gifts of speaking and gifts of service (27). Chapters three and four are the pastoral center of the work. Both contain five truths about spiritual gifts each. First, he stresses that Christ is the Lord under whom we serve with our gifts, thus stressing not their effects or effectiveness but brought to you by CORE View metadata, citation and similar papers at core.ac.uk

A Catholic Overview on the Seven Gifts of the Holy Spirit The seven gifts of the Holy Spirit have been a central element of Catholic theology for centuries. These gifts are understood as essential to the Christian life, as they help individuals to live out their faith in the world. In this paper, I will explore the historical-biblical development and the significance of each particular seven gifts of the Holy Spirit. By analyzing this topic, I aim to provide readers with a deeper understanding of the seven gifts of the Holy Spirit and how they can be a source of guidance and strength in the Christian life. It is important to understand what the seven gifts of the Holy Spirit are. According to Catholic teaching, the seven gifts are wisdom, understanding, counsel, fortitude, knowledge, piety, and fear of the Lord. These gifts are listed in Isaiah 11:2-3 and are understood to be essential for living a virtuous life and fulfilling one's mission in the world. The gifts are conferred upon individuals at baptism and are strengthened at Confirmation, allowing Catholics to better live out their faith in their daily lives by making them supernaturally sensitive and supernaturally responsive to the guidance and inspirations of God. Each of the seven gifts has a specific meaning and application, which we will explore in greater detail throughout this paper. Before going through the different gifts of the Holy Spirit, there are some areas of clarification one should find clarity first. Here, we will first understand the concept of "gift" in order for us to comprehend why the Church uses such a term. With God's desire of communion, He blesses man the gifts of the Holy Spirit to enhance and refine the natural powers which the soul possesses. The Catechism of the Catholic Church teaches that man could attain a moral life through human effort which we call, cardinal virtues, and they are understood as "the fruit and seed of morally good acts; they dispose all the powers of the human being for communion with divine love" (CCC# 1804). However, these human virtues are also rooted in the theological virtues of Faith, Hope, and Charity which disposes the Christian to live in a relationship with the Holy Trinity. But as a continuously acting God, the Holy Spirit is in a persevering work of prompting and leading the Christian faithful to greater purity, love, and holiness. This is the use of the gifts of the Holy Spirit, to counteract the droughtiness of our relationship with God. By enhancing the 2 John Christian Lacap, SSP