1 Corinthians 12:27 - 31
Now you are the Body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it. And in the church God has appointed first of all apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then workers of miracles, also those having gifts of healing, those able to help others, those with gifts of administration, and those speaking in different kinds of tongues. Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Do all work miracles? Do all have gifts of healing? Do all speak in tongues? Do all interpret? But eagerly desire the greater gifts.
It was great to listen to Steve Pilbrough on Sunday morning and evening share his heart about serving in the church, and expound on some of the teachings in Scripture about using our gifts. Steve has been with us at Highway for almost a year now, and he has a deep passion to see two things happen; 1) leaders released to do what God has called them to do and not be distracted with every small job that needs to make church happen; and 2) to see people get involved in the life of the local church by using their gift. Because of his great passion for these two areas, we thought it would be great for Steve himself to share his thoughts on the subject. If you missed Sunday night's sermon, you can download it off our Sermons Website by clicking this link. (The sermon will be up by Wednesday 22 Feb).
I want to follow up with Steve Pilbrough's teaching with a few thoughts on the subject. Incredibly, the elders have just come back from a week in Johannesburg with Paul Manwaring, one of the pastors at Bethel Church in Redding, California, where his heart is also to see the church operating in its fullness by it being administered and stewarded correctly. In a nutshell, Paul Manwaring's message is that every great move of God needs to be facilitated and administered by those with a gift of administration, otherwise it cannot be sustained. But! If those administers don't have a heart for or haven't encountered the Power of God, then they will build dry structures that limit that move of God!
Bottomline? We need everyone to be operating in what God has called them to do!
When we do this, we will truly be the greatest and best run organisation on the planet. And that is how it should be!
Now, I don't want to talk too much about the gift of administration here today. My aim for today's devotional is to encourage each of us to find our gift and use it!
Here's the thing... We have an incredible church! And we are in the midst of a worldwide revolution. We really are. The Gospel of Grace is raging like a Holy Wild Fire all over the world, and we are constantly getting emails from people wanting to know more. Highway Christian Community has become a hub of resources for people to grow in their revelation of who God is and who He has made them to be. And for this local house to continue its mission, we need all the gifts to be operating.
Now, there are many gifts listed in the Scriptures, particularly the New Testament and Paul's writings. The primary passages are Romans 12:6-8, 1 Corinthians 12:7-10, 1 Corinthians 12:27-31 (as highlighted here today) and Ephesians 4:11 - 12.
Each passage highlights different gifts, some overlap, some are exclusive to that passage. It is important that we don't get too worked up as to what exact gift we are or box ourselves into one specific gift. God doesn't like boxes. But what is important is that we practice what we do find interest in.
Usually, the gifts that catch our eye when reading them in Scripture or interest us are the ones that we naturally operate in. (This is of course just a guide).
Now, I want to encourage you, as the title of this devotional says... Find your gift, practice your gift and use your gift. If you don't know what you're gifted in, ask some friends for perspective. Or ask Holy Spirit to reveal it to you as you list them from the above verses.
Practice them. Step out in cell group or at Sunday meetings (on the mic or one on one - Remember, if your word doesn't get released on the mic, don't get discouraged! It may be for another time or another person). If you battle at first, don't give up. That's why we have to practice! That's how we grow.
Once you feel comfortable with a gift that you feel God has given you, keep using it! God gave it to you to be used! Don't sit on it. People could be missing out on a blessing.
And finally, if you're not sure where or how you fit in, just get stuck in anywhere! What is absolutely imperative is that sons and daughters in the Kingdom get raised up. And just like in a normal family, when a child is young, it helps around the house wherever it can. But when it is older, it studies a specific subject and gets a job in that specific field.
We should all see our church as our family, and we have a job to do in contributing to this worldwide revolution, and while we may not be established in our own gift yet, we can help get the bigger picture done now by making ourselves available!
Now you are the Body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it. And in the church God has appointed first of all apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then workers of miracles, also those having gifts of healing, those able to help others, those with gifts of administration, and those speaking in different kinds of tongues. Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Do all work miracles? Do all have gifts of healing? Do all speak in tongues? Do all interpret? But eagerly desire the greater gifts.
It was great to listen to Steve Pilbrough on Sunday morning and evening share his heart about serving in the church, and expound on some of the teachings in Scripture about using our gifts. Steve has been with us at Highway for almost a year now, and he has a deep passion to see two things happen; 1) leaders released to do what God has called them to do and not be distracted with every small job that needs to make church happen; and 2) to see people get involved in the life of the local church by using their gift. Because of his great passion for these two areas, we thought it would be great for Steve himself to share his thoughts on the subject. If you missed Sunday night's sermon, you can download it off our Sermons Website by clicking this link. (The sermon will be up by Wednesday 22 Feb).
I want to follow up with Steve Pilbrough's teaching with a few thoughts on the subject. Incredibly, the elders have just come back from a week in Johannesburg with Paul Manwaring, one of the pastors at Bethel Church in Redding, California, where his heart is also to see the church operating in its fullness by it being administered and stewarded correctly. In a nutshell, Paul Manwaring's message is that every great move of God needs to be facilitated and administered by those with a gift of administration, otherwise it cannot be sustained. But! If those administers don't have a heart for or haven't encountered the Power of God, then they will build dry structures that limit that move of God!
Bottomline? We need everyone to be operating in what God has called them to do!
When we do this, we will truly be the greatest and best run organisation on the planet. And that is how it should be!
Now, I don't want to talk too much about the gift of administration here today. My aim for today's devotional is to encourage each of us to find our gift and use it!
Here's the thing... We have an incredible church! And we are in the midst of a worldwide revolution. We really are. The Gospel of Grace is raging like a Holy Wild Fire all over the world, and we are constantly getting emails from people wanting to know more. Highway Christian Community has become a hub of resources for people to grow in their revelation of who God is and who He has made them to be. And for this local house to continue its mission, we need all the gifts to be operating.
Now, there are many gifts listed in the Scriptures, particularly the New Testament and Paul's writings. The primary passages are Romans 12:6-8, 1 Corinthians 12:7-10, 1 Corinthians 12:27-31 (as highlighted here today) and Ephesians 4:11 - 12.
Each passage highlights different gifts, some overlap, some are exclusive to that passage. It is important that we don't get too worked up as to what exact gift we are or box ourselves into one specific gift. God doesn't like boxes. But what is important is that we practice what we do find interest in.
Usually, the gifts that catch our eye when reading them in Scripture or interest us are the ones that we naturally operate in. (This is of course just a guide).
Now, I want to encourage you, as the title of this devotional says... Find your gift, practice your gift and use your gift. If you don't know what you're gifted in, ask some friends for perspective. Or ask Holy Spirit to reveal it to you as you list them from the above verses.
Practice them. Step out in cell group or at Sunday meetings (on the mic or one on one - Remember, if your word doesn't get released on the mic, don't get discouraged! It may be for another time or another person). If you battle at first, don't give up. That's why we have to practice! That's how we grow.
Once you feel comfortable with a gift that you feel God has given you, keep using it! God gave it to you to be used! Don't sit on it. People could be missing out on a blessing.
And finally, if you're not sure where or how you fit in, just get stuck in anywhere! What is absolutely imperative is that sons and daughters in the Kingdom get raised up. And just like in a normal family, when a child is young, it helps around the house wherever it can. But when it is older, it studies a specific subject and gets a job in that specific field.
We should all see our church as our family, and we have a job to do in contributing to this worldwide revolution, and while we may not be established in our own gift yet, we can help get the bigger picture done now by making ourselves available!
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