WSL West Coast Conference 2023 - Brenda Leavenworth - Discovering, Developing and Exercising Spiritual Gifts

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[00:00:13] [SPEAKER_00]: Hi and welcome to When She Leads, a podcast for Women in Ministry.

[00:00:17] [SPEAKER_00]: In this episode we are releasing one of our breakout sessions from our 2023 Equipped Frey Purpose Conference.

[00:00:25] [SPEAKER_00]: I pray it encourages you.

[00:00:29] [SPEAKER_01]: How many of you all just do a few questions while they are getting those out there?

[00:00:33] [SPEAKER_01]: How many of you know what your spiritual gifts are?

[00:00:39] [SPEAKER_01]: How many of you are currently using those gifts in a place of service in your church?

[00:00:46] [SPEAKER_01]: Awesome, awesome that's cool.

[00:00:49] [SPEAKER_01]: So we're going to be talking about discovering and developing and exercising your spiritual gifts.

[00:00:55] [SPEAKER_01]: The gift assessment that I'm giving you, you can take home and kind of do that on your own time.

[00:01:03] [SPEAKER_01]: Most of you know that assessments are just a tool to guide us.

[00:01:08] [SPEAKER_01]: They're not the end ill be all.

[00:01:10] [SPEAKER_01]: It's not exhaustive.

[00:01:12] [SPEAKER_01]: So you can just take that kind of as a tool.

[00:01:15] [SPEAKER_01]: And over the years when I've taken those, it hasn't been consistent scores.

[00:01:21] [SPEAKER_01]: Sometimes it's a little bit different.

[00:01:23] [SPEAKER_01]: There's like a little bit of a difference or a little shift depending on where the Lord is using me.

[00:01:30] [SPEAKER_01]: And so don't, if you haven't taken one in a long time, you might see that maybe a little bit of a shift.

[00:01:36] [SPEAKER_01]: So what exactly is a spiritual gift?

[00:01:41] [SPEAKER_01]: And I think a good understanding of spiritual gifts is important for the church today when to agree.

[00:01:48] [SPEAKER_01]: And not only is it important, but it's important for us to know what it is and how we are to use them.

[00:01:55] [SPEAKER_01]: And so what I'm going to teach you today is something that has really made clarity in my heart where spiritual gifts are concerned and how they're used in what the Bible has to say about them.

[00:02:08] [SPEAKER_01]: So what is a spiritual gift?

[00:02:10] [SPEAKER_01]: It's a supernatural extraordinary graces or power given by the Holy Spirit to the Christian for the benefit of others to fulfill Christ's mission.

[00:02:22] [SPEAKER_01]: Another way to put it is a particular spiritual talent, a gracious divine endowment for the benefit of one another as good trustees of God's many cited grace.

[00:02:35] [SPEAKER_01]: So God pours out His Spirit on His church, He places people in the body, He pours out His gifts because the church isn't supposed to be run by the pastoral staff, right?

[00:02:46] [SPEAKER_01]: It's a body so there's hands, feet, mouth, earpieces, you know, all the different things that work in the body.

[00:02:54] [SPEAKER_01]: And we know by scripture, so I'm going to make some assumptions here to catch us kind of up to speed and then move on.

[00:02:59] [SPEAKER_01]: We know that every believer is given a gift and we know that we are to use God's gifts.

[00:03:05] [SPEAKER_01]: Every believer has been given a gift at least one, and we know that we are to use them.

[00:03:11] [SPEAKER_01]: First Peter 4, 10 and 11, I gave you on your worksheet a lot of the spiritual references that have to do with spiritual gifts,

[00:03:18] [SPEAKER_01]: and then I also gave you some of the main points. If you just want to take notes and look at that later, it'll just be kind of an outline of what I'm going to be talking about.

[00:03:27] [SPEAKER_01]: So first Peter 4, 10 and 11 says, as each one has received a gift, minister it to one another as good stewards of the manifold, grace of God.

[00:03:35] [SPEAKER_01]: If anyone speaks, let him speak as the oracles of God.

[00:03:39] [SPEAKER_01]: If anyone ministers let him do it as with the ability which God supplies that in all things, God may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom belong the glory and dominion forever and ever amen.

[00:03:54] [SPEAKER_01]: Romans 12, 48, for we have many members in one body but all members do not have the same function.

[00:04:01] [SPEAKER_01]: So we being many are one body in Christ and individually members of one another, having then gives differing according to the grace that is given to us.

[00:04:13] [SPEAKER_01]: Let us use them. If prophecy let us prophesy the proportion of our faith, if ministry let us use it in ministry. He who teaches in teaching who exhorts an exhortation.

[00:04:24] [SPEAKER_01]: He who gives with liberality, he who leads with diligence and he who shows mercy with cheerfulness.

[00:04:31] [SPEAKER_01]: Now I don't know if you've noticed but and maybe we're guilty of this ourselves. Sometimes when we get passionate about something we think the entire church should be doing.

[00:04:42] [SPEAKER_01]: Right? You get passionate about evangelism. Why isn't the church evangelizing?

[00:04:47] [SPEAKER_01]: No, there's a differing in gifts. And so we have a saying at our church and our women's ministry stay in your own lane.

[00:04:56] [SPEAKER_01]: That's a good one. Stay in your own lane. Ephesians 416 says he makes the whole body fit together perfectly as each part does its own special works.

[00:05:07] [SPEAKER_01]: It helps the other parts grow so that the whole body is healthy and growing and full of love. If you see a healthy spiritually healthy church, they're probably operating under these principles.

[00:05:21] [SPEAKER_01]: That God's giving gifts. People are using their gifts. The community is doing it together and what does it produce? It produces healthy sheep and growing sheep.

[00:05:32] [SPEAKER_01]: Now maybe you've heard and I've certainly heard a lot of different ways that people categorize gifts, right? How many of you are just kind of a little bit confused.

[00:05:41] [SPEAKER_01]: Like you want to try to wrap your head around it but sometimes spiritual gifts can be confusing.

[00:05:47] [SPEAKER_01]: Yeah, most of us, right? You're trying to grab it but you don't. So you've heard a lot of different ways people will categorize the gifts. Maybe you've heard some things like this.

[00:05:56] [SPEAKER_01]: Like one category would be miraculous gifts enabling gifts team gifts. Another category I have heard is speaking gifts serving gifts gifts of power and gifts of people and roles.

[00:06:08] [SPEAKER_01]: Another category that floats around is gifts of knowledge gifts of speech and gifts power. Another category I've heard is serving gifts and leadership gifts.

[00:06:19] [SPEAKER_01]: There are different people who have written books that categorize things and they give them their own title and guess what? They're all similar.

[00:06:27] [SPEAKER_01]: They just call them different things. I'm going to break down the gifts in a way that you can easily understand and it will make sense to you so that when you hear of a gift, you're going to go, oh, I know what that is and I know how it works in the church.

[00:06:43] [SPEAKER_01]: So first I want to give you if you are trying to discover your gifts, I want to give you a few tips. Obviously prayer comes first we know this the test assessment that I give you.

[00:06:54] [SPEAKER_01]: It's something that again, it's a guide. It's not an end all but it just will ask you questions that you know that you can look at and go, okay I scored really high in this.

[00:07:05] [SPEAKER_01]: I scored a zero on music. I probably shouldn't audition for the worship team, right? There's just like I heard someone say like, but she has a nice heart and it's like well then put a microphone on her heart.

[00:07:17] [SPEAKER_01]: Don't put it in her mouth. I know that's harsh isn't it someone said it to me wasn't original.

[00:07:28] [SPEAKER_01]: You can make an observation what are you naturally gifted at, right? Others will confirm your gift. So if you step out in the faith and let's say you go to teach the three year olds and someone's like, men you are really good with three year olds.

[00:07:44] [SPEAKER_01]: Like you really talk them well, they really understood it. That's a confirmation of your gift. Where are your invitations? Where is God inviting you in to serve pay attention to invitations pay attention to confirmation.

[00:08:00] [SPEAKER_01]: Conversations like how do you feel like God's speaking to you and not always because some people will give up on their gifts because it's like God gives them a glimpse of maybe what he wants them to do but then there's a waiting period

[00:08:12] [SPEAKER_01]: because maybe there's some training involved or maybe there's a timing issue and he's giving you a little bit of a glimpse to compare you but it's not right now. Don't give up on that study and do the little things that maybe like maybe you think, you know oh I feel like I'm called to teach and then someone goes hey will you teach the four year olds? You're like no I think my gift is more you know upfront.

[00:08:36] [SPEAKER_01]: No take those opportunities that's an invitation there's also a testing ground sometimes in our gift needs. So I want to give you three categories you can write them down but they're on your list.

[00:08:48] [SPEAKER_01]: Manifestation gifts, ministry gifts and motivational gifts. I'm also a pastor's wife and I like the illiteration and this was a very easy way for me to memorize it and hopefully it'll be easy for you to remember as well.

[00:09:04] [SPEAKER_01]: So let's take a look at manifestation gifts turned to first Corinthians chapter 12 first Corinthians chapter 12 we're going to read verses one through 11 when you get there say I'm here.

[00:09:25] [SPEAKER_01]: Oh you guys are you would win prizes at like the sword you know the Bible sword competitions when they give the junior hires like they tell them or I couldn't get there because I have those tabs now.

[00:09:37] [SPEAKER_01]: I'd be last first Corinthians 12 verse one now concerning spiritual gifts brethren. I do not want you to be ignorant man that's a good word to look at you know that you were Gentiles carried away to these dumb idols however you were led therefore I make known to you.

[00:09:56] [SPEAKER_01]: That no one speaking by the spirit of God calls Jesus a curse and no one can say that Jesus is Lord except by the Holy Spirit there are diversity of gift but the same spirit.

[00:10:09] [SPEAKER_01]: There are differences of ministry but the same Lord are and there are diversity of activities but it is the same God who works in all all and all number seven verse seven but the manifestation you can underline that word I don't know what it is in your Bible

[00:10:25] [SPEAKER_01]: but in the New King James version's manifestation of the spirit is given to each one for the prophet of all.

[00:10:33] [SPEAKER_01]: For one is given the word of wisdom through the spirit to another word of knowledge through the same spirit to another faith to the same spirit to another gifts of healing by the same spirit to another the working of miracles to another prophecy to another

[00:10:48] [SPEAKER_01]: journey of spirits to another different kinds of tongues to another the interpretation of tongues but one in the same spirit works all these things distributing

[00:10:59] [SPEAKER_01]: to each one individually as he wills. I want to take a look at that word manifestation in verse seven.

[00:11:08] [SPEAKER_01]: Fanna Neros I don't know how to say it you can look it up. Fanna Nerosis.

[00:11:15] [SPEAKER_01]: An exhibition, expression or manifestation and also in verse seven is the word is given it's diditomy.

[00:11:23] [SPEAKER_01]: It says that it's to every man so this is God working in the midst of every man, every man mankind that is as he wills.

[00:11:36] [SPEAKER_01]: He doesn't always heal. If you have the gift of healing it doesn't mean that you can always heal.

[00:11:45] [SPEAKER_01]: That's my problem with the healing services because if you could always heal why aren't you walking into hospitals and just healing everybody right?

[00:11:55] [SPEAKER_01]: This is a manifestation of the spirit of God and you're going to see that with each one of these.

[00:11:59] [SPEAKER_01]: So but he doesn't always give a word of knowledge. If you say oh God's use that gift he's given me a word of knowledge.

[00:12:08] [SPEAKER_01]: Well, you can't just make it happen. It's a manifestation of a Holy Spirit during a given situation.

[00:12:16] [SPEAKER_01]: So maybe you're in counseling. He gives you a word of knowledge. That's a manifestation of his spirit right then and there.

[00:12:23] [SPEAKER_01]: Maybe you're praying for someone and they get healed. That's a manifestation of his spirit. That's available to all of us.

[00:12:29] [SPEAKER_01]: We're praying God gives us a word of wisdom. God gives us a discerning spirit. God gives us a prophecy.

[00:12:36] [SPEAKER_01]: The manifestation of the Holy Spirit can be given to anyone when needed.

[00:12:43] [SPEAKER_01]: So maybe so if it's different, let me explain this way. It's different than like a teaching gift.

[00:12:48] [SPEAKER_01]: I have a teaching gift. So I can teach a plant. I can teach my kids. I can teach women. God's giving me the gift to allow me to teach and so I can do that at any time, right?

[00:13:03] [SPEAKER_01]: But if I want a word of knowledge, I can't just call that down. Like oh you need a word of knowledge.

[00:13:11] [SPEAKER_01]: I have that gift. I can give you one. Doesn't work like that. It's a manifestation of the Holy Spirit.

[00:13:16] [SPEAKER_01]: You with me on that? So there's nine gifts listed here and I'll briefly describe what they are. So word of wisdom.

[00:13:27] [SPEAKER_01]: That's a revelation beyond natural human wisdom. And most of these are that. It's beyond natural human wisdom and enables you to know what to do or what to say.

[00:13:38] [SPEAKER_01]: When we ask God, I need wisdom in this particular situation and he says, you know, do this right now, right?

[00:13:53] [SPEAKER_01]: You know what I mean? He's like, what do I need to know right now or what do I need to do right now and God answered. That would be a word of wisdom.

[00:14:03] [SPEAKER_01]: Next is a word of knowledge. This is a revelation of information not naturally known for a person group or situation.

[00:14:10] [SPEAKER_01]: This has happened in counseling. I remember once that my husband was in counseling and the Lord told him that the husband had had an affair.

[00:14:22] [SPEAKER_01]: And in the midst of that, he was able to say, hey, this is what the Lord is speaking to me and the guy didn't deny it.

[00:14:30] [SPEAKER_01]: And then they were able to work from that moment of truth. That was a word of knowledge. Now he doesn't always have words of knowledge but in that situation he did faith.

[00:14:40] [SPEAKER_01]: This is faith that moves mountains. It's just you believe you have the faith that God is going to do. That's extraordinary faith not just our faith in Jesus.

[00:14:49] [SPEAKER_01]: But this is like faith that goes beyond.

[00:14:54] [SPEAKER_01]: Heelings, this is God manifests healing in a lot of different ways. Do you have to have somebody to pray for you to get healed?

[00:15:02] [SPEAKER_01]: No. You don't. God can do that and there's plenty of examples in the Bible of God healing people when he wasn't even near them, right?

[00:15:15] [SPEAKER_01]: So we know that healing takes place. Can it take place in permanence? Can it take place in those big healing services? Yes, because God can do what he wants to do.

[00:15:26] [SPEAKER_01]: This is beyond. This is a miracle and we use this word way too loosely. Getting a parking spot is not a miracle.

[00:15:36] [SPEAKER_01]: We use that word a lot. Oh, girl, it was a miracle. Okay, a miracle by definition is not something that could actually happen by explanation.

[00:15:47] [SPEAKER_01]: This is like beyond explanation. Like you had a tumor in your liver and it's gone. That's a miracle. Right? That's a medical miracle.

[00:15:57] [SPEAKER_01]: There's other miracles where you're like, I don't know what happened but this happened and we have no explanation for it scientifically medically.

[00:16:06] [SPEAKER_01]: We can't explain it. That's a true miracle. Getting a parking place at Target is Providence.

[00:16:14] [SPEAKER_01]: So I think we should be careful with that word, right?

[00:16:18] [SPEAKER_01]: That we're giving us because we give definitions to people who don't know Jesus and they're like, that's a miracle.

[00:16:25] [SPEAKER_01]: You know what I mean?

[00:16:27] [SPEAKER_01]: Prophecy, this is anointed proclamation of God through an individual to encourage, exhort or comfort. It's not always telling the future.

[00:16:37] [SPEAKER_01]: Prophecy really is seen the most in preaching.

[00:16:41] [SPEAKER_01]: Harold and God's word, give exorting people with God's word, encouraging people with God's word.

[00:16:47] [SPEAKER_01]: That is the gift of prophecy. Number seven is discerning of spirits, a person ability to perceive what type of spirit is an operation in a given situation.

[00:16:58] [SPEAKER_01]: Have you ever walked into where something and you're like, I got chills flowing right up my neck. You know what I mean? Like there's something going on here.

[00:17:06] [SPEAKER_01]: That's discerning of spirits.

[00:17:10] [SPEAKER_01]: Various kinds of tongues. This is the languages directed by God given to believe or by the Holy Spirit, but not learned or understood without interpretation.

[00:17:22] [SPEAKER_01]: So this is the gift of tongues that God gives people an utterance to be able to share something that they normally would not understand and then it has to be interpreted.

[00:17:34] [SPEAKER_01]: And we'll get into prayer language or some people call it that. I'll explain a little bit better what that is.

[00:17:43] [SPEAKER_01]: Interpretation of tongues. This is a supernatural ability. Again, these are all manifestations of the spirit. If I spoke in tongues to you right now, I could do it but it wouldn't mean anything.

[00:17:56] [SPEAKER_01]: Because I'm just showing you what it sounds like unless the Lord gives me something to say in a tongue, then it would mean something in an a public arena like this. It would have to be interpreted and I'll get into that but the supernatural ability to express the content of what has been spoken in tongues. Again, it's a manifestation now.

[00:18:17] [SPEAKER_01]: I will tell you interpretation. It's not like so this is only I'm bit of Christian 30 years. I've had an interpretation of tongues once in my entire Christian walk. Why?

[00:18:32] [SPEAKER_01]: Because God manifested the interpretation at that point and so it doesn't it's not like, oh, I can interpret tongues. So if you speak in tongues, I'm going to know what you say.

[00:18:42] [SPEAKER_01]: It doesn't work like that. God has to manifest that. So in all of these gifts, we are just the conduit. These are supernatural manifestations from God and we pray for these when we need to hear from God in a situation.

[00:18:58] [SPEAKER_01]: Well, what good is a healing going to do if I need the gift of discernment? What good is a miracle going to do if I really need the gift of healing at that point?

[00:19:09] [SPEAKER_01]: So whatever the situation is we can pray God, can you do this? Would you be able to help us hear?

[00:19:16] [SPEAKER_01]: So we pray for those that need to hear from God and when you need something that only he can do, that's these gifts, these manifestation gifts.

[00:19:27] [SPEAKER_01]: So a word on tongues because everybody has questions if we're going to do a Q&A at the end and you know what? A lot of us have been taught different things about these gifts and so there might be a diversity and belief here and that's okay.

[00:19:41] [SPEAKER_01]: We can be unified in diversity, right? So in 1 Corinthians 14 which is a really good text that chapter that talks about tongues in tongues we speak to God not men.

[00:19:57] [SPEAKER_01]: So it always glorifies God. So if you are in a public setting and somebody is speaking in tongues and somebody interprets that and gives a word from one person to another like, oh what they're saying is, you know, this section over here needs to do this.

[00:20:14] [SPEAKER_01]: That is not a correct interpretation. It's always going to glorify God. God you are good. God you are holy. That tongue will always glorify God and so then you can discern if you're in a public arena and someone speaking and someone interprets it as an exaltation of God correct interpretation.

[00:20:36] [SPEAKER_01]: Now in public it must be interpreted. So one person speaks in tongues in a public gathering 1 Corinthians 14 again explains this, it must have an interpretation if not interpreted.

[00:20:50] [SPEAKER_01]: No other tongues should be spoken. You're done because that means there's no interpreter there. So you must have an interpretation and it tells you in that scripture if not it's supposed to end if so.

[00:21:03] [SPEAKER_01]: So let's say there's a tongue spoken and there's an interpretation then you can do that 2 to 3 times in a public arena. That's what 1 Corinthians 14 says, you could look it up later and then you're done.

[00:21:16] [SPEAKER_01]: So it's not a madhouse because what did Paul say if you if people come in and everybody's speaking in tongues what are they going to think.

[00:21:26] [SPEAKER_01]: You're drunk, you're crazy. They're not going to understand it. He said better to speak 5 words with understanding than to speak in an unknown tongue where someone thinks you're nuts.

[00:21:36] [SPEAKER_01]: There's evidence of tongues when the Holy Spirit has come upon people. We see that in scripture next to x10 x19 there's evidence when people get saved that they didn't speak in tongues.

[00:21:50] [SPEAKER_01]: You see that next to x8 x16 x21.

[00:21:57] [SPEAKER_01]: First Corinthians 14 talks about the whole church and be speaking at once I just explained that. Here's what it says in verse 14,

[00:22:04] [SPEAKER_01]: For if I pray in an unknown tongue my spirit prayeth, but my understanding is unfruitful. What is it then?

[00:22:12] [SPEAKER_01]: I will pray with the Spirit and I will pray with understanding also. I will sing with the Spirit and I will sing with understanding also.

[00:22:20] [SPEAKER_01]: That gives me a little clue that in my own private time that maybe I can pray in an unknown tongue and that there wouldn't need to be an interpretation. It's just edifying me and it's speaking.

[00:22:35] [SPEAKER_01]: God's will at that time.

[00:22:37] [SPEAKER_01]: First Corinthians 12 13 14 x 210 19 I'm read these all down so you can go read them Romans 8, Mark 16, Jude 20.

[00:22:47] [SPEAKER_01]: The second category that's the manifestation category. The second category is ministry gifts to turn to Ephesians chapter 4.

[00:22:59] [SPEAKER_01]: Ephesians chapter 4 verse 8, he says therefore he says when he has ascended on high he led captivity captive and he gave gifts to men.

[00:23:09] [SPEAKER_01]: Now in verse 8 he gives gifts the Greek is domo which is a different word from what we just looked out in the manifestation.

[00:23:18] [SPEAKER_01]: And this word means like giving a present like God's giving a gift. So what is he giving?

[00:23:25] [SPEAKER_01]: If you go down to verses 11 and 12 and Ephesians 4 now these are the gifts Christ gave to the church. So he gave a present to the church. What was it?

[00:23:36] [SPEAKER_01]: Apostles prophets evangelists and pastors and teachers so he gave men and women to the church for this reason.

[00:23:44] [SPEAKER_01]: Their responsibility is to quip God's people to do his work and build up the church the body of Christ.

[00:23:51] [SPEAKER_01]: So do you get that these are the gifted men and women where God gives gifts like presents to the church. And their job is to quip people of the church to do a ministry.

[00:24:02] [SPEAKER_01]: I'm going to go through these Apostles and I think I may have put them on your list too.

[00:24:07] [SPEAKER_01]: So this would be little A because Apostle with a capital A we know where the 12 Apostles so and we get freaked out when anybody says like he's a Apostle so and so.

[00:24:18] [SPEAKER_01]: Here's really what it means it's one who establishes and strengthens churches. This could be a church planter. Do you remember when Paul went around to strengthen the brethren? This could be the gift of Apostle.

[00:24:32] [SPEAKER_01]: Little A an older mentor maybe a ministry pioneer someone sets out and does a ministry this is that give me profit.

[00:24:42] [SPEAKER_01]: Not profit like in the Old Testament but one who speaks for the message of God we saw that in the manifestation gift evangelist one who was called to preach the gospel.

[00:24:52] [SPEAKER_01]: Pastor one who feeds and shepherds the flock and teacher one who instructs believers in the Word of God.

[00:24:58] [SPEAKER_01]: Some people think pastor and teacher were coupled together. I mean, clearly a pastor has the gift of teaching but not every teacher.

[00:25:07] [SPEAKER_01]: I think has the gift of being a pastor. Now these gifts are people they're called to quit others. These ministry gifts could easily be called equipping gifts.

[00:25:18] [SPEAKER_01]: I call them ministry gifts because I can just remember these better if it's all the same letter.

[00:25:23] [SPEAKER_01]: Some would argue that these are available only to men but I don't see that particularly in this passage because if you look at two of them.

[00:25:34] [SPEAKER_01]: You could argue male leadership and you could definitely argue that but what about teacher and then what about profit we see we see evidence in scripture in the New Testament of female prophets.

[00:25:47] [SPEAKER_01]: So now the third category that we're going to move into. So you got a good handle on that right. Okay, the third category we're going to move into is motivational gifts. Now this is where this is the section where the majority of the churches.

[00:26:03] [SPEAKER_01]: So Romans turned to Romans chapter 12. Romans chapter 12 we're going to take a look at verses six through eight motivational gifts.

[00:26:17] [SPEAKER_01]: Having them gifts differing according to the grace that has been given to you let us use them. Now read it before prophecy in the proportion of faith or ministry let us use it ministry he who teaches in teaching who exhorts an exhortation.

[00:26:29] [SPEAKER_01]: He who gives with liberality he who leads with diligence and he who shows mercy with cheerfulness now in this section the Greek word for gifts is actually charisma.

[00:26:41] [SPEAKER_01]: And what that means is that these gifts are to be used to benefit one another. These are the gifts that are used in the church for the benefit of one another.

[00:26:54] [SPEAKER_01]: A favor one receives this is how it's defined a favor one receives without any merit of his own divine grace extraordinary powers distinguishing certain Christians and enabling them to serve the church of Christ.

[00:27:07] [SPEAKER_01]: The reception of which is due to the power of the divine grace operating on their souls by the Holy Spirit. So these are the gifts that we possess right this is different the manifestation these are like the daily things that are used in the church.

[00:27:23] [SPEAKER_01]: Now these things aren't exhaustive you might be working in the church so mariner like I don't know where this gift is listed and this is just the body of Christ.

[00:27:34] [SPEAKER_01]: And in each congregation has its own personality and things that they're doing that God's called them to do and they look different serving might look a little bit different.

[00:27:46] [SPEAKER_01]: Then in one place in the other let's let me go through them a perceiver or prophecy one who clearly perceives the will of God server one who loves to serve others.

[00:27:56] [SPEAKER_01]: That is a huge category in the church and probably covers almost everything that the church does.

[00:28:03] [SPEAKER_01]: Teacher one who loves to research and communicate truth, exoritor one who loves to encourage others to live a victorious life in Christ.

[00:28:12] [SPEAKER_01]: Give her one who loves to give of their time talent energy and means to benefit others to advance the gospel.

[00:28:20] [SPEAKER_01]: Administrator or leadership one who loves to organize lead or direct these can be facility are facilitators in a group anybody who's leading other people.

[00:28:30] [SPEAKER_01]: So again, it's not necessarily a exhaustive so Philippians for 16 says he makes the whole body fit together perfectly as each one does its own special work it helps the other parts grow so that the whole body is healthy and growing in full love.

[00:28:47] [SPEAKER_01]: So think about these diversities of gifts that he's talking about the perceiver so I'm going to categorize them in a in a little different way because I want you to see something that's spiritual server that's usually practical.

[00:29:02] [SPEAKER_01]: Teacher that goes to the mind or the mentality exoritor maybe that's more psychological I'm motivating you in a certain way.

[00:29:11] [SPEAKER_01]: Give her that's material right taking care of material needs of the church administrator leader that's functional.

[00:29:19] [SPEAKER_01]: So here in compassion is emotional you can see every gift fitting in the body so when everyone exercises their gifts this whole communities taking care of.

[00:29:30] [SPEAKER_01]: Materially taking care of other ways sometimes we think that there's a well let me go through this before I say that because this will help you make sense so.

[00:29:41] [SPEAKER_01]: Prophecy's and if you look at think about the body um prophecies and exorters would be the mouth of the body servers would be the hands and feet teachers would be the mind to giveers would be the arms leaders and administrators would be the shoulders and the compassion would be the heart.

[00:29:57] [SPEAKER_01]: So we're having the whole body work together and what does other scripture say well if the hands missing then the body sick right if you don't have an eye then the body gets sick.

[00:30:09] [SPEAKER_01]: Not every gift deals with some spiritual aspect and I think this is where many people get confused because we're when we hear spiritual gifts we're always looking for something spiritual aren't we.

[00:30:23] [SPEAKER_01]: Well I'm not doing anything spiritual and and I'll say it this way sometimes we'll have young pastors come out of Bible college one of my husband's gift is to raise up young guys and be able to send them out it just seems like a niche that he has.

[00:30:38] [SPEAKER_01]: So when they come in if they say I want to plant a church one of the things my husband will do is put him in charge of operations.

[00:30:50] [SPEAKER_01]: Why does he do that because he said you know what it's not what he doesn't know that's going to train wreck him it's what he doesn't know that he doesn't know.

[00:30:59] [SPEAKER_01]: And what happens is these guys come in and they're like no, no, I'm going out to be a pastor I'm going to teach and I'm going to counsel and he's like yeah and you're also going to stack chairs.

[00:31:10] [SPEAKER_01]: And you're going to mop the floor and you're going to do this and you're going to do this and oftentimes they get upset like this isn't what I signed up for it's like oh brother, this is exactly what you signed up for.

[00:31:21] [SPEAKER_01]: And you know what almost time after time when we send out church planters they're usually pretty mad when they leave.

[00:31:29] [SPEAKER_01]: That my husband and they always come back and they'll thank you.

[00:31:33] [SPEAKER_01]: I needed that I needed to know that that was part of being a shepherd of the flock.

[00:31:40] [SPEAKER_01]: This is how I'm just going to read this because I thought it was fascinating how gifts work together suppose you have seven people over for dinner and each.

[00:31:49] [SPEAKER_01]: And each just happens to have different motivational gifts you are bringing three solid plates to the table.

[00:31:54] [SPEAKER_01]: Then one slips from your grip and crashes on the floor scattering bits of glass and salad it's a big mess how will each person react the perceiver.

[00:32:05] [SPEAKER_01]: He'll say that's what happens when you try to carry too many plates the server will say I'll clean it up the teacher will say the reason you dropped that plate was that you it wasn't balanced properly the exorbit will say hey next time why don't you try to ask somebody to help you carry the plate.

[00:32:24] [SPEAKER_01]: The giver will be sitting will say I'll be glad to help you make another salad the administrator or leader will say John get the broom in a dust pan Sally you bring them up Maria help me fix another salad and the compassionate person will say don't feel embarrassed it happens all the time.

[00:32:43] [SPEAKER_01]: Right that's how the body of Christ works so when you see someone reacting in a different way that's the whole body just reacting in the way that they're supposed to react.

[00:32:54] [SPEAKER_01]: That way someone taking care of my heart someone's handling leading me someone's exhorting me there's different ways that people are going to handle things so we've talked about discovering our our gifts we've talked about a pretty good.

[00:33:08] [SPEAKER_01]: teaching on the gifts and how they're how they're in operation good understanding now we're going to talk about how to develop them so ask God to identify when you're using your gifts.

[00:33:20] [SPEAKER_01]: So just ask him Lord when I'm using my gifts would you just kind of whisper to me like this is something that I've called you to do.

[00:33:26] [SPEAKER_01]: Ask him to identify note those things that God blesses that you've done it and you see fruit from it.

[00:33:35] [SPEAKER_01]: Education if you're going to be a teacher or you're going to do like a group leader educate yourself in 2021 I decided that I was going to go back to school and get my master's degree.

[00:33:52] [SPEAKER_01]: I love leadership it's just a passion of mine. I love it and so I thought you know what if I love this so much I should become more educated in that and so I went back to school take classes go to schools of ministry good get training whatever you're gifting try to learn more about it even if it's a serving gifting.

[00:34:12] [SPEAKER_01]: Read stuff on serving read how to do it better find a good mentor or a cohort or a coach somebody that can is farther ahead of you are getting a group and I'm going to announce this later but we're going to put together some groups of like over zoom just in the next six months of like if you're a church administrator you guys can all get together on a zoom and just start asking questions.

[00:34:36] [SPEAKER_01]: You know if you're a teacher or your server just start asking questions about what you're just to sharpen one another and encourage one another you can listen to podcasts.

[00:34:46] [SPEAKER_01]: You can meet others doing the same thing you can meet people one on one you know people will call our administrator all the time and to say can I like can I have a phone call with you.

[00:34:56] [SPEAKER_01]: I just have some questions those are good things ask questions make it a habit my husband has a good thing that he does he'll ask people when he gets you know time with people that are ahead of him what have been some of your biggest mistakes.

[00:35:10] [SPEAKER_01]: What books are you reading what resources do you use he'll ask those things and finally we talk about exercising the gift so look for God's invitation say yes to as much as you can.

[00:35:21] [SPEAKER_01]: To the ability that God allows you to look for opportunities trying new things sometimes you don't know what you're gifted in and so you just try some things I did that as an early question.

[00:35:33] [SPEAKER_01]: I thought I don't really know what I'm gifted in can you just give me some opportunities or I'll just go wherever and help sometimes it's good just to help with the need is.

[00:35:43] [SPEAKER_01]: Especially smaller churches because you're more generalist meaning you have to do everything the bigger the church gets the the narrower your service can get and you can really hone in on your spiritual gift.

[00:35:56] [SPEAKER_01]: So look for the evitations trying to things take risk another saying that we have in our churches do it scared because fear seems to be one of the biggest things it keeps people from using their gifts so we say do it scared.

[00:36:09] [SPEAKER_01]: I will tell you I dropped out of college because I was going to have to take a speaking course.

[00:36:13] [SPEAKER_01]: So this is not a natural thing when God said you're going to start teaching I was like you got the wrong person for that the first time I taught it was out of women's retreat I was probably in my early 30s.

[00:36:27] [SPEAKER_01]: And I'm just teaching and teaching this lady in the front row raises her hand and I'm thinking like I know I'm new at this but I don't think it's cute and a time like you think a lot of things while you're teaching it's kind of interesting you're less like okay that person's fallen asleep over there like that one she's like snoring like over there no just kidding.

[00:36:47] [SPEAKER_01]: So I'm teaching she raises up her hand and finally she wouldn't put it down so I'm like yes she's are you okay you're all red and block she.

[00:36:59] [SPEAKER_01]: Okay I'm gonna tell you I almost went home and just said Lord we we're done here I'm breaking up with you like this is not going to happen again you told me I had this gift and clearly I don't but I knew that he called me to so I pressed forward and I just thought I need to get better at that and I needed to handle what was going on in my work turtle next.

[00:37:18] [SPEAKER_01]: For like it's like why are you wearing a turtle neck and July it's like so she doesn't raise her hand.

[00:37:26] [SPEAKER_01]: Help in lower levels of serving be willing to do the lower things God calls you to teach someone ask you teach the two worlds go teach the two worlds.

[00:37:35] [SPEAKER_01]: You know what I mean they you just have to do those things which God tells you to do.

[00:37:40] [SPEAKER_01]: Another way to exercise your gifts is just be present show up you can't serve if you're not there.

[00:37:47] [SPEAKER_01]: People will come to me sometimes and say I think I have the gift of teaching okay what do you what are you doing because we have Bible study and and I don't even see you here so if you're going to teach you would think that you know.

[00:38:00] [SPEAKER_01]: You would want to or someone will come to me and say I really feel like I have the gift of leadership it's like then start volunteering start showing up and serving because it's the ones who are around that we go hey can you go.

[00:38:12] [SPEAKER_01]: Handle this can you do this you get to know the church you get to know their culture you get to know their policies their procedures like that's a good way to get involved and then just ask where can I help we have another saying at our church if someone says can I help you we don't say no.

[00:38:28] [SPEAKER_01]: We always say whatever I'm doing I'm going to give that to you or find something for you because that's very vulnerable for someone to come and say can I help and if we go no I've got it.

[00:38:40] [SPEAKER_01]: They just feel rejected they feel like they're not seen am I not part of this body I'd ask you for help so we really try to say yes and give them something to do.

[00:38:53] [SPEAKER_01]: Now you see that musicians in the list that we weren't listed and that's why I said don't get caught up in like you know music that could be helps that could be serving.

[00:39:03] [SPEAKER_01]: And we see music in scriptures all over the song so we must remember everyone has a gift we're placing the body we minister in all areas.

[00:39:11] [SPEAKER_01]: One sign that you're operating in the gift that God has given you it joy is the byproduct there might be stress in the middle of it but when you're done.

[00:39:23] [SPEAKER_01]: You're going to go that just gave me joy even though it might be hard.

[00:39:29] [SPEAKER_01]: Now you might be asking that maybe you don't know your gifts maybe you've never hear some reasons why you're like I don't really I able to identify my guess.

[00:39:44] [SPEAKER_01]: Maybe you've never been taught the gifts correctly maybe the person hasn't received Christ we talked about that last night how there's people in our midst that aren't saved.

[00:39:55] [SPEAKER_01]: So we've had situations where someone wants to come serve and like two pastors separately will go I don't think that person saved.

[00:40:06] [SPEAKER_01]: And so we have to make sure that that might be something that's hindering maybe.

[00:40:11] [SPEAKER_01]: Your teaching on the gifts has been confusing and so it just brings more confusing to try and figure it out and this is even for you but it's also for your church members they might be confused about the guests some obstacles I want to give you a few.

[00:40:31] [SPEAKER_01]: I think it was Martha piece in her book said that people who want to serve sometimes God's protecting the flock from our lack of character.

[00:40:40] [SPEAKER_01]: And that's true so we want to work on our characters as well not being yourself trying to be something you're not trying to be somebody else so be genuine try.

[00:40:51] [SPEAKER_01]: Not to be I'm trying to be yourself so irresponsible ability sometimes getting away lack of motivation being too busy not having time available to serve the Lord or lack of commitment these are all things that could get in our way so I'm going to.

[00:41:08] [SPEAKER_01]: I'm going to close this out with this and then we'll take some questions first Corinthians one four through nine I always think my God for you and for the gracious gifts he has given you and this is kind of my prayer over you.

[00:41:22] [SPEAKER_01]: Like Paul said I always think my God for you and the gracious gifts he has given you now that you belong to Christ Jesus through him God has enriched your church in every way with all your eloquent words and all of your knowledge this confirms that what I told you about Christ is true.

[00:41:38] [SPEAKER_01]: Now you have every spiritual gift you need as you eagerly wait for the return of the Lord Jesus Christ he will keep you strong to the end so that you will be free from all blame on the day when the Lord Jesus Christ returns.

[00:41:52] [SPEAKER_01]: God will do this for his faithful to do what he says and he has invited you into partnership with his son Jesus Christ our Lord and we know from first Corinthians chapter 13 what is the greatest gift love love is the greatest gift so.

[00:42:09] [SPEAKER_01]: Some resources there's a don and Katie fortune have two books called Discover and your God given gifts.

[00:42:16] [SPEAKER_01]: They also have a children's edition to figure out what your kids gifts and those of you who are moms in the room we did this with our kids very early on we we had them pray we didn't tell them were to serve they were like eight ten and twelve or something we said you need to figure out where you're going to serve the Lord we're going to give you a couple weeks to pray about it and then we want you to come back.

[00:42:37] [SPEAKER_01]: Really interesting my oldest daughter who was like twelve at the time started signing for the death.

[00:42:44] [SPEAKER_01]: My middle daughter I think she went and worked in children's ministry my son was playing he played the guitar from very early age so he said mom they're having auditions in the sanctuary can I audition for they're looking for guitar player sure go ahead knock yourself out.

[00:43:00] [SPEAKER_01]: He goes in auditions and so then he goes oh I got into the band you have to take me to this practice.

[00:43:08] [SPEAKER_01]: So a couple weeks went on I'm taking them to this band practice and we're walking in church and now all the guys that they really long hair like tattoos like what up Scotty what do you do in.

[00:43:18] [SPEAKER_01]: I'm like where are you serving he was serving at our drug and alcohol rehab ministry.

[00:43:24] [SPEAKER_01]: Ten years old he was playing on the guitar in their band.

[00:43:30] [SPEAKER_01]: That's where the Lord called him for that time so amazing what God will do our church we have leadership programs even for kids that are third grade and up.

[00:43:43] [SPEAKER_01]: We teach our kids to serve the Lord we have fourteen thirteen year olds running our cameras they're running cameras on the stage we have fifteen sixteen year olds on our worship team.

[00:43:54] [SPEAKER_01]: They're not just going to be part of the church when they become adults they are part of the church we teach them to serve we teach them like if they're in third grade they're helping in kindergarten if they're in fifth grade they're helping in third grade you can't believe the connection this makes with other adults in your village.

[00:44:12] [SPEAKER_01]: Then when they grow up they just want to stay in that church they can't wait they're so excited my my grandson was out at the coffee cart serving today sometimes he's at the coffee cart then he goes into junior high sound sometimes he's running our cameras I love that because they're discipling him to be a true disciple of Christ.

[00:44:33] [SPEAKER_01]: So all right so Q and A questions and answers.

[00:44:37] [SPEAKER_01]: If you have it someone else is probably thinking it so let's open it up for discussion and some questions so how do you identify the leadership of the kids so they have to be invited.

[00:44:48] [SPEAKER_01]: So their teachers watch them in the room and they can tell their teachers like hey I want to be on the leadership team we call it crew four one two first Timothy for twelve.

[00:44:58] [SPEAKER_01]: So they are on crew four one two they have to be invited they go to meetings they have they have they're being discipled what it means to be a leader and so it's by invitation.

[00:45:10] [SPEAKER_01]: They do group discipling and they do one on one depending on where they're serving at then they're accountable to also to that so if they have character issues then they get discipled through that and sometimes they have to leave the team.

[00:45:26] [SPEAKER_01]: So if you email me at Brenda at reliance church.org I can get you in touch with a curriculum for that.

[00:45:34] [SPEAKER_01]: So I think the faith in general is something that we all want manifested but I think that that's talking about like a first specific venture so that might involve faith but yeah that one is like you know.

[00:45:49] [SPEAKER_01]: I mean I think that that kind of faith is a manifestation of the spirit because when someone has it you just notice it but yeah yeah yeah you.

[00:46:06] [SPEAKER_01]: Praise the Lord that's such a fantastic to have like that you just believe God can do anything.

[00:46:12] [SPEAKER_01]: I think you can there may have been like a few words here and there that I feel like oh I think that was this but in general I can't how many of you have the gift tongues see so you're not alone anybody interpret in their prayer time.

[00:46:31] [SPEAKER_01]: Okay so see there you have a few witnesses of that's possible oh yeah she's saying it's one or two words not the whole.

[00:46:39] [SPEAKER_01]: That's been my experience too.

[00:46:41] [SPEAKER_01]: No I think that I don't think in any your private time that you need an interpretation I think in public settings for you know chapter 14 makes it clear that there needs to be interpretation I don't see that and when we're just because he said what's happening you are so overwhelmed that the spirit makes utterance.

[00:46:59] [SPEAKER_01]: For you and so you're just praying in the will of God at that point so I don't think it needs an interpretation so if it brings understanding.

[00:47:09] [SPEAKER_01]: God's just answering your prayer.

[00:47:11] [SPEAKER_01]: Like you're exhorting others to have faith too she's saying if you have the gift of faith sometimes that you have the gift of faith for others you could yeah you're helps stirring up and we're supposed to write iron sharpening iron yeah so you're encouraging.

[00:47:24] [SPEAKER_01]: I mean then with that to you probably also have the gift of exhortation to encourage others do you.

[00:47:35] [SPEAKER_01]: Yeah yeah yeah yeah when people have the gift of faith like oh I want that yes yeah stir up face good point thank you for that okay.

[00:48:19] [SPEAKER_01]: Sometimes it depends on what you how you define how people are defining prophecy they might be defining word of knowledge like word of and they're all very close like the word of wisdom is like okay what am I going to do word of knowledge is like God gave me something.

[00:48:34] [SPEAKER_01]: I know that I couldn't have known unless he revealed it and that's probably the gift that you're speaking of.

[00:48:41] [SPEAKER_01]: If the definition of prophecy is actually more of like preaching and herald in the word or it can be telling the future but I think it's more like a word of knowledge sometimes God gives me that I remember when we were going to leave our last church the Lord had told me.

[00:48:56] [SPEAKER_01]: We gift of knowledge because he just knew that it was something I wouldn't have known if he hadn't told me.

[00:49:05] [SPEAKER_01]: There was a situation my son was a child actor and so we were going to this birthday party.

[00:49:12] [SPEAKER_01]: Oddly enough it was for Emma Roberts and we walked in and I just I hit the door and it was like.

[00:49:21] [SPEAKER_01]: And they had a person there that was reading or is.

[00:49:27] [SPEAKER_01]: She's reading or is for everybody and she kept looking at me and she's going it's real you know she would never read mine but she kept going she kept finding me and going it's really you know it's really you know.

[00:49:48] [SPEAKER_01]: And that was discernment on my part to go what is in here yeah yeah that is the question of all questions for spiritual gift so why do people think that you have to speak in tongues.

[00:50:04] [SPEAKER_01]: To be safe I personally think that's just a false doctrine.

[00:50:10] [SPEAKER_01]: Paul says does everyone do this does everyone do this does everyone speak in tongues I wish you all did.

[00:50:17] [SPEAKER_01]: I think it's a proof text I've seen people manipulated at altars oh say you know should about a Honda.

[00:50:27] [SPEAKER_01]: Right and then they'll come to me and go that person just made me like say all these words I've no idea what it was and I left and I just still don't have the gift of tongues.

[00:50:38] [SPEAKER_01]: And then they feel like there's something wrong with them like God didn't give them what he's giving somebody else so I just think it's a gift that we use you know some people think that's a faith issue but as far salvation there's evidence that there were people who are going to be.

[00:50:54] [SPEAKER_01]: I think that's a lot of people that were safe.

[00:50:56] [SPEAKER_01]: I was saved before I got the gift tongues first certain like yeah absolutely but people believe differently on that but I don't think there's any proof text for that I haven't found any if anybody else have found any you can talk to me but.

[00:51:12] [SPEAKER_01]: During seasons sometimes I believe especially the manifestation gifts God's going to give you whenever you need them but so for me.

[00:51:23] [SPEAKER_01]: There was a time I was just serving in the church and then God led me to Hebrews and he said you know what by now you ought to be teaching but I'm still having to give you elementary things so that was my cue and my daughter was talking about this just yesterday that was my cue to say you know he wants me to teach but I haven't studied enough.

[00:51:42] [SPEAKER_01]: And I need a study and she was saying you know I need to I need to like be better at this before I bring that out to somebody else so.

[00:51:54] [SPEAKER_01]: I do think that there I work I sang on a worship team for probably eight years I haven't sang 30 years well maybe 25 but you know I'm too old now sounds more like a frog.

[00:52:10] [SPEAKER_01]: But yeah I think there's seasons for things that we use and then things that you know for me it might be like I used to work in the nursery but there's other things so in leadership sometimes what.

[00:52:22] [SPEAKER_01]: But what I'm saying is if someone could do something 50% or 60% as good as you could delegate that off and do the things that only you can do and so.

[00:52:34] [SPEAKER_01]: So I think there are seasons how how many of you had seasons of giftings yeah see there you go.

[00:52:41] [SPEAKER_01]: Aging now no I don't believe so I think we have to be very careful about agism.

[00:52:47] [SPEAKER_01]: I do think that because we do want to invest in the next generation and trust me the Gen Z generation needs us to be pouring into them.

[00:52:57] [SPEAKER_01]: For percent or even geological Christians in that generation it's pretty scary and Gen Z God bless you for being here I'm so thankful no honestly so thankful.

[00:53:10] [SPEAKER_01]: You could speak to your generation more but you know what I'm saying it the thought process because of our higher education system is is crazy in our world and so we need to be pouring in but that doesn't mean that they don't need older people and they want.

[00:53:26] [SPEAKER_01]: You write you want to learn from mentors right that's been my experience with the Gen Zs that are in our church they want to learn they want to grow and I think if we look at the text.

[00:53:37] [SPEAKER_01]: The body should be everybody now there are certain things maybe that I it just seems that worships one of those areas where it seems like people age out I'm not sure why maybe because they don't stay current with like progressive music styles.

[00:53:57] [SPEAKER_01]: We had someone I had someone to say that today that they had to let their worship leader go because they were still doing stuff from the 80s so we have to we have to know what the current trends are and you know and have our gifting stay up to the task for poetry for drumming.

[00:54:18] [SPEAKER_01]: Can you do poetry while you're drumming.

[00:54:22] [SPEAKER_01]: I mean I would say go to your leaders and say you know is there somewhere we had in our Bible study we had a whole group and we brought them in one time when we're just celebrating and let them use their guess in part of the body so asking talking to your leaders about it finding spaces finding a church that that is into the arts or is more creative.

[00:54:47] [SPEAKER_01]: And I just praying and asking God to open up opportunities for you.

[00:54:52] [SPEAKER_01]: Well thanks for joining us today we hope you find this content helpful.

[00:54:56] [SPEAKER_01]: Hey stay connected with us on Instagram in Facebook for all that is going on with when she leaves.

[00:55:05] [SPEAKER_01]: We'll see you next time.