English Bible Study April 24, 2009

Verses for this week 2 Corinthians 5:17  Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come! Ephesians 2:10  For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.

Your Divine Design Part II: How to DISCOVER Your Primary Spiritual Gift Chip Ingram

Passages 1 Corinthians 12:4 – 11; 12:28 Romans 12:3 – 8 Ephesians 4:7 – 13 1 Peter 4:10 – 11

1 Corinthians 12:4 – 6 4 There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit. 5 There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord. working God 6 There are different kinds of working, but the same God works all of them in all men.

The Framework GiftsServiceWorkings MotivationalMinistryManifestation (Charismata)(Diakonion)(Energamaton) Rom 12Eph 4/ 1 Cor 12:281 Cor 12:8 – 11 Prophecy Apostles Word of Wisdom Service Prophets Word of Knowledge Teaching Evangelists Faith Exhortation Pastor/Teacher Healing Giving Teachers Miracles Leadership Working of Miracles Prophecy Mercy Gifts of Healing Discernment Helping Tongues Interpretation of Tongues Administration

Chip’s Paradigm Every believer has one primary motivational spiritual gift Discover and develop the motivational gift Motivational gift expressed through ministry gifts Exercise motivational gift through ministry gift, the Holy Spirit determines the manifestation/ impact the believer will receive Exercise all seven gifts

What happens with the gift? Fulfillment factor Fruitfulness factor 1 primary motivational gift express in multiple ministry gifts

Prophecy The divine enablement to proclaim God’s truth with power and clarity in a timely and culturally sensitive fashion for correction, repentance, or edification. Ability to reveal God’s Word accurately. What went wrong? What caused this?

Prophecy (con’t) Characteristics  Persuasive speakers, read people, opinionated, black & white, like large groups Dangers  Tendency to be proud, depending on the speaking ability rather than the leading of the Holy Spirit, insensitive to the feelings of other people

Service The divine enablement to attach spiritual value to the accomplishment of physical tasks within the body of Christ. Ability to demonstrate love by meeting practical needs that releases other Christians for direct spiritual ministry. What can I do to help?

Service (con’t) Characteristics  Doesn’t need much public recognition, content to work behind the scenes, often like manual projects, unusual ability to detect people’s personal needs, overlook personal discomfort in order to meet other people’s needs, will often use their own funds to make things happen Dangers  Can be bitter when deeds are not recognized, putting over emphasis on meeting practical needs to the exclusion of spiritual needs

Teaching The divine enablement to understand and give detailed explanation of biblical truth. Ability to search out and validate truth that has been presented. What is truth? Where did you get that? Why?

Teaching (con’t) Characteristics  Love to do research and study to the details, doctrine oriented Dangers  Concentrate too much on content to the exclusion of application, proud about the knowledge, inattentive to the response of students

Exhortation The divine enablement to come alongside another in need of encouragement to reassure, strengthen, affirm, and challenge those who are discouraged or wavering in their faith. Ability to stimulate the faith of others. What must be done to fix this? How can we move to wholeness?

Exhortation (con’t) Characteristics  Gifted in counseling, sees practical applications from scripture, initiate, implore, intrigue people Dangers  Spend too much time with people who only want temporary solutions to their problems, they get discourage from lack of results from people they are ministering to

Giving The divine enablement to earn money, manage it well, and wisely contribute to the work of the Lord with cheerfulness and liberality. Ability to entrust personal assets to others for the furtherance of their ministry. What can I give to meet the need?

Giving (con’t) Characteristics  Give generously, don’t like limelight, like to give anonymously, want to know what the ROI is on their gift, hate high pressure tactics, smell manipulation, do not need to be wealthy Dangers  Tendency to be prevalent, want people to know what you gave, over emphasize on material needs to the exclusion of spiritual needs, judging others spiritually by their bank account

Leadership The divine enablement to see what needs to be done, set goals, and attract, lead, and motivate people to accomplish the work of the ministry. Ability to coordinate the activities of others for the achievement of common goals. Where’s the goal? What’s the results?

Leadership (con’t) Characteristics  Gives vision and direction, can mobilize other people, ability to lead, delegate, enjoy responsibility, take the last shot in the game, see how things fit together, people are attracted to them, they see the big picture Dangers  Proud or pushy with the powers given to them, forget the purpose of the project

Mercy The divine enablement to minister cheerfully and appropriately to people who are suffering or undeserving and to spare them from punishment or consequences justly deserved. Ability to identify with and comfort those who are in distress. How can I make them feel better?

Mercy (con’t) Characteristics  Able to detect and discern other people’s feelings, very sensitive to point of action, personal ministry Dangers  Hard time to be firm when necessary, resentment for those who don’t have this gift, often misunderstood by people of opposite sex, end up in dysfunctional relationships

1 Corinthians 12:4 – 6 4 There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit. 5 There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord. 6 There are different kinds of working, but the same God works all of them in all men.

Passages to prepare ahead 1 Corinthians 12 1 Corinthians 14

Verse for the week Ephesians 4:12 – 13 1.To prepare God’s people 2.for works of service, 3.so that the body of Christ may be built up 4.until we all reach unity in the faith 5.and in the knowledge of the Son of God 6.and become mature, 7.attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.