Are you
getting an idea about which gifts are yours?
May’s Awakening, Day 9
so
that there should be no division in the body, but that its parts should have
equal concern for each other. If one part suffers, every part suffers with it;
if one part is honored, every part rejoices with it. Now you are the body of
Christ, and each one of you is a part of it. And God has placed in the church
first of all apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then miracles,
then gifts of healing, of helping, of guidance, and of 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? Now eagerly desire
the greater gifts. And yet I will show you the most excellent way. 1
Corinthians 12:25–31 NIV
[Of the
nine spiritual gifts mentioned here, we will only discuss the three new gifts
of apostleship, helps, and administration (guidance).]
Apostleship.
The gift of apostleship is the distinctive ability to assume and exert
divinely imparted authority and spiritual leadership to establish foundational church
governments and to oversee a number of pastors and churches in an assigned
sphere of ministry so as to set in order and direct, spiritual health, growth,
maturity, and outreach for that given area. The gift entails strategically and
spiritually leading, equipping, organizing, and developing policy for the
church or ministries in the church and their expansion. Simplistically, you’re
a church or ministry planter, expander, and overseer. Since this gift
encompasses such vast and varied areas of expertise, it is almost essential
that accompanied with the gift of apostleship are also the gifts of leadership,
faith, administration, and wisdom. This is truly a gift of
gifts. Later, we will also discuss the distinction between the spiritual gift
of apostleship versus the office or position of apostle (and all those
of the five-fold ministries of Ephesians 4:11 as well).
Helps.
The gift of helps is the distinctive ability to invest time and talents in
working with and supporting other Christian worker’s efforts and ministries
such that the end result is a greater accomplishment and more fruitful
ministry. The gift requires a servant’s heart and little need for attention or
recognition. As we’ve said, this gift of helps along with the gift of service,
are probably the most predominant in the body of believers and essential to the
functional effectiveness of virtually every ministry. Also remember, one with
the gift of helps is primarily assisting others in their ministry efforts, whereas
one with the gift of service personally sees the need and addresses the
situation directly.
Administration.
The gift of administration, or guidance, is the distinctive ability to
clearly understand the immediate and long-term goals of a particular ministry
or ministries, and to effectively and efficiently organize people and projects
and to devise and execute effective plans all for the accomplishment of those
goals. The gift entails the use of multiple talents, including goal setting,
planning, organizing, a detailed thoroughness, and determination for
completion, all done seamlessly and efficiently.
Tomorrow we will look at the last
two gifts described in the four primary blocks of Scripture.
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