{"id":591,"date":"2008-11-12T00:01:05","date_gmt":"2008-11-12T00:01:05","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blog.beliefnet.com\/markdroberts\/2008\/11\/spiritual-gifts-as-momentary-empowerments-for-ministry.html"},"modified":"2008-11-12T00:01:05","modified_gmt":"2008-11-12T00:01:05","slug":"spiritual-gifts-as-momentary-empowerments-for-ministry","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/markdroberts\/2008\/11\/spiritual-gifts-as-momentary-empowerments-for-ministry.html","title":{"rendered":"Spiritual Gifts as \u201cMomentary Empowerments\u201d for Ministry"},"content":{"rendered":"

Part 5 of series: Spiritual Gifts in the Body of Christ
\n<\/em>Permalink for this post<\/a> \/ Permalink for this series<\/a>
\nIn my last post in this series I sought to define spiritual gifts as they are explained in 1 Corinthians 12-14. I suggested the following definition:<\/p>\n

Spiritual gifts are momentary empowerments provided by the Spirit to promote the work of God<\/em>.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

The notion of momentary empowerments differs from the most common understanding of spiritual gifts. According to this perspective, a spiritual gift is something you have<\/em> if you are a Christian. If, for example, you are good at teaching the Bible in a church group, it is often said that you \u201chave\u201d the gift of teaching. I find it more accurate to say that you are often given gifts of teaching which, combined with your natural abilities surrendered to the Lord and your careful study of Scripture, enable you to be an effective Bible teacher. I don\u2019t think a spiritual gift is something you have so much as something you use in a given situation when it is needed.
\nThe whole idea of “having” or “possessing” spiritual gifts, language Paul rarely uses, by the way, seems to have peculiar implications (Rom 12:6; 1 Cor 7:7; 1 Cor 12:30). For example, when I was a teenager, my youth leader claimed to “have” the gift of teaching. Usually the empowerment of the Spirit was evident in his teaching. But, every now and then, like most teachers, he would have a bad day. His explanations were hard to follow. His illustrations were duds. What happened to his gift? Did it disappear? Did he fail to use it? Did it conk out just when he needed it? If spiritual gifts that we have can fail to work when they are needed, how can we rely upon them?
\nYears ago, when I was struggling to understand spiritual gifts, I was helped by two outstanding Christian teachers. Dr. Lloyd Ogilvie, my pastor at Hollywood Presbyterian Church when I was a teenager, taught that the Spirit gives gifts to new Christians, but that the process doesn’t end there. Yes, we should discover and use our gifts, Dr. Ogilvie advised, but we should also be open to yet more gifting by the Spirit. This fit 1 Corinthians 12-14 better than the “one gift for one person” model. Dr. Ogilvie still talked about \u201chaving\u201d spiritual gifts, but his use of the verb \u201cto have\u201d was much more fluid than the traditional model allowed. (Photo: Lloyd Ogilvie at my installation as Senior Pastor of Irvine Presbyterian Church)
\nWhen I was in my twenties, I heard John Wimber, pastor of the Anaheim Vineyard, teach a lesson on spiritual gifts. He began by speaking of the gifts as momentary empowerments for ministry. I\u2019m not sure if he used this exact phrase, but that was the gist of his teaching. All of a sudden everything clicked for me. Even without hearing the rest of Pastor Wimber’s message, I knew that he had supplied the key that unlocked Paul’s original meaning.
\nLet me to summarize this meaning in a nutshell. Spiritual gifts are situational, momentary empowerments given by the Spirit in specific situations of need<\/em>. Gifts are not badges of honor or demonstrations of spiritual maturity. They are not resident abilities or added talents. They are bursts of divine power given when the Spirit decides that one who ministers needs some extra help. If you are praying for someone to be healed, for example, you need a gift of healing from the Spirit. If the Spirit happens to give that gift through you, it doesn’t mean that you now “have the gift of healing.” That might be the only time in your life when a gift of healing flows through you (although if you continue to pray regularly for the sick, it’s likely that you will be the conduit for gifts of healing again).
\nCertain spiritual gifts are closely correlated with natural abilities and talents. Gifts of teaching or knowledge, for example, help those with the ability to teach to be even more effective in their work of teaching. But gifts of teaching are also given to those who have little natural ability when they are called upon to explain something about God. Many people experience this gift without realizing that it is a spiritual gift of teaching. I think of parents in my church in Irvine, for example, whose children asked them really tough theological questions. The parents’ initial response was usually something like: “Oh my goodness! Where did that come from? I have no idea at all!” But in many cases parents reported to me that “all of a sudden” they had great answers to tricky questions. Where did these answers come from? They were gifts of teaching, given by the Spirit to help parents minister to their children.
\nIn my seminary classes I have taught this situational or need-based understanding of spiritual gifts. Some of my students, especially those who have embraced the “possession and use” view of gifts, have been troubled. One raised this objection: “You’re telling me that I don’t ‘have’ the gift of preaching. Yet I’m going to stand up this Sunday and preach. If I don’t ‘have’ the gift of preaching, then I have no business pretending to preach God’s word. I shouldn’t even try.” What encouragement can I give to a man who feels like I have just pulled the spiritual rug out from under his ministry?
\nFirst of all, I believe that what the Spirit has done in the past is a good indication of what he will do in the future. If a person has been regularly empowered in the past with gifts relevant for preaching (knowledge, wisdom, prophecy, teaching), this tells us something about how the Spirit will continue to work through that person.
\nSecond, if God has called a person to the ministry of preaching, then God will also supply the spiritual power needed for that ministry. That’s one of the main reasons God has given the gift of the Spirit, to empower us for that to which he has assigned us.
\nThird, and most important of all, those of us who dare to preach may not “have” the gift of preaching, but we have something far better: the gift of the Holy Spirit. Within us resides the Giver of all gifts, the source of unlimited spiritual power. When I step up to preach, I am not relying on my gift, but on the third person of the Trinity, on God the Holy Spirit. What could be better and more inspiring than this? What would you rather have if you\u2019re a preacher? A gift of preaching or the very Spirit of God? I\u2019ll take the Spirit. More importantly, I think this is what Scripture teaches about the nature of spiritual gifts.
\nOf course, when I preach I also utilize my own natural abilities, my talents, and my educational background. Although these are not spiritual gifts in the narrow sense, they are gifts from God in a broader sense. As Paul reminds the Corinthians: “What do you have that God hasn’t given you?” (1 Cor 4:7). You and I need to use everything God has given us, every talent, every opportunity, every relationship, every dollar \u2013 everything for God’s purposes. We are to be faithful stewards or managers of all that God has entrusted to us, including creation itself! Spiritual gifts come along when we need some additional help to do that which God places before us.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Part 5 of series: Spiritual Gifts in the Body of Christ Permalink for this post \/ Permalink for this series In my last post in this series I sought to define spiritual gifts as they are explained in 1 Corinthians 12-14. I suggested the following definition: Spiritual gifts are momentary empowerments provided by the Spirit…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":214,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[57],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-591","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-spiritual-gifts"],"yoast_head":"\nSpiritual Gifts as \u201cMomentary Empowerments\u201d for Ministry - Mark D. Roberts<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/markdroberts\/2008\/11\/spiritual-gifts-as-momentary-empowerments-for-ministry.html\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Spiritual Gifts as \u201cMomentary Empowerments\u201d for Ministry - Mark D. Roberts\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Part 5 of series: Spiritual Gifts in the Body of Christ Permalink for this post \/ Permalink for this series In my last post in this series I sought to define spiritual gifts as they are explained in 1 Corinthians 12-14. 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Roberts","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/markdroberts\/#\/schema\/person\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/markdroberts\/wp-content\/wphb-cache\/gravatar\/f2d\/f2ddf5f080861f66ea230384f9d1bab2x96.jpg","contentUrl":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/markdroberts\/wp-content\/wphb-cache\/gravatar\/f2d\/f2ddf5f080861f66ea230384f9d1bab2x96.jpg","caption":"Mark D. Roberts"},"description":"The Rev. Dr. Mark D. Roberts is a pastor, author, retreat leader, speaker, and blogger. Since October 2007 he has been the Senior Director and Scholar-in-Residence for Laity Lodge, a multifaceted ministry in the Hill Country of Texas. Before coming to Laity Lodge, he was for sixteen years the Senior Pastor of Irvine Presbyterian Church in Irvine, California (a city in Orange County about forty miles south of Los Angeles). Before his time at Irvine Pres, Mark served on the staff of the First Presbyterian Church of Hollywood as Associate Pastor of Education. (Thanks to Janel Pahl for taking the photo to the right.) Mark studied at Harvard University, receiving a B.A. in Philosophy, an M.A. in the Study of Religion, and a Ph.D. in New Testament and Christian Origins. He has taught classes in New Testament for Fuller Theological Seminary and San Francisco Theological Seminary. Mark has written several books, including No Holds Barred: Wrestling with God in Prayer (WaterBrook, 2005), Dare to Be True (WaterBrook, 2003), Jesus Revealed (WaterBrook, 2002), After \"I Believe\" (Baker, 2002), and Ezra, Nehemiah, Esther (Word, 1993). His most recent book is Can We Trust the Gospels? Investigating the Reliability of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John (Crossway, 2007). He is currently working on a commentary on Ephesians that will be published by Zondervan in 2014. Mark writes a devotional for The High Calling of Our Daily Work, a website associated with Laity Lodge. His \"Daily Reflections\" can be viewed online or sent as a daily email. If you wish to receive this email, just visit TheHighCalling.org and sign up. Mark serves on the editorial board of Worship Leader magazine, where he publishes articles and reviews, including his regular column \"Lyrical Poetry.\" Additionally, he has published dozens of articles in leading magazines and journals. He often speaks for churches and other Christian groups, and has been interviewed on over seventy-five radio programs nationwide. Mark is married to Linda, who is a Marriage and Family Therapist, a Spiritual Director, and a retreat speaker. They have two children, Nathan and Kara.For Publicity Photos and Bio Statements for Mark, please check here. Mark's Dossier Professional History: Senior Director and Scholar-in Residence, Laity Lodge, October 2007 to present. Senior Pastor Irvine Presbyterian Church, June 1991 to September 2007 Adjunct Assistant Professor Fuller Theological Seminary, 1994 to 2007. Courses: New Testament Theology and Exegesis. Adjunct Instructor San Francisco Theological Seminary, 1995 to 2001. Courses: New Testament Greek and Exegesis Associate Pastor of Education First Presbyterian Church of Hollywood, 1987-1991 Teaching Fellow Harvard University, 1980-1983 Education: Ph.D. in the Study of Religion. Harvard University, 1992. Area: New Testament and Christian Origins M.A. in the Study of Religion Harvard University, 1984. A.B. magna cum laude in Philosophy Harvard University, 1979. Phi Beta Kappa; Danforth Fellowship Books: Can We Trust the Gospels? Investigating the Reliability of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. Crossway, 2007 No Holds Barred: Wrestling with God in Prayer. WaterBrook, 2005 Dare to Be True: Living in the Freedom of Complete Honesty. WaterBrook, 2003. Jesus Revealed: Know Him Better to Love Him Better. WaterBrook, 2002. After \"I Believe\": Experiencing Authentic Christian Living. Baker, 2002. Ezra, Nehemiah, Esther in the Communicator's Commentary Series. Word, 1993. Contacting Mark: You can reach Mark at: E-mail: mark@markdroberts.com mroberts@laitylodge.org Phone: Laity Lodge: (830) 792-1216 Address: Laity Lodge 719 Earl Garrett Kerrville, TX 78028","url":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/markdroberts\/author\/mroberts"}]}},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/markdroberts\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/591","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/markdroberts\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/markdroberts\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/markdroberts\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/214"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/markdroberts\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=591"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/markdroberts\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/591\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/markdroberts\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=591"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/markdroberts\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=591"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/markdroberts\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=591"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}