Spiritual gifts are a hotly debated topic in the modern church and often lead to division in the body of Christ. However, the proper use of spiritual gifts for God’s glory should lead to unity in the local church, with each member recognizing the need for others’ gifts.  The leadership at Canyon Verde wants all Christians to be aware of the gifts mentioned in the New Testament and have a basic understanding of their function within the body of Christ.

As with any pursuit of truth, it is necessary to start by reading the relevant portions of Scripture. The ancient and contemporary misuse of spiritual gifts comes from lacking a solid Scriptural basis.  The primary teaching on spiritual gifts comes from the Apostle Paul in his letter to the Corinthians.  (See chapter 12, specifically.) Once the Biblical material has been digested it is useful to read further explanations of the Greek words used by Paul.  One resource with clear, concise discussion of all the gifts mentioned in Scripture that also follows closely the doctrinal position of Canyon Verde is: http://www.spiritualgiftstest.com/spiritual-gifts

If you are a Christian who is familiar with the Bible’s teaching on gifts but is still not sure what your gift(s) is, there are three ways to pursue understanding:

1) Pray that God would reveal your gifting and role in the local church.

2) Ask other believers what they have seen in your life as you serve the body of Christ.

3) Take a spiritual gift test. This third option is only helpful if you are already pursuing the first two.  Any manmade test will have flaws, but a good, free test is available at: https://gifts.churchgrowth.org/cgi-cg/gifts.cgi?intro=1

May the Holy Spirit guide you as you use your gifts for God’s glory.

 

Brian Lockard on behalf of the Canyon Elder Team