Family Blog - Spiritual Gifts
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One of the topics we as a church leadership have been discussing and preaching on quite deeply the past year and one-half is the topic of spiritual gifts. Does God actually give us in some sort of supernatural way special gifts when we choose to fully put our heart into our faith? We, as leadership, believes He sure does and we welcome your thoughts! Email Dan with any thoughts...
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Dan Bosko, 11/29/07
We had a quite a Sunday this past week. Steve preached on Acts 2 and 1Corinthians 12-14 as we focused our discussion on the gifts of the Spirit. While every Sunday, perhaps without realizing it, we see many of the gifts exercised such as teaching, administration, service, prophecy, leadership, exhortation, etc. (see Romans 12, 1Corinthians 12, Ephesians 4), this past Sunday we saw the gift of tongues for the first time - at least since I have been here.
Understandably, this raised a lot of questions for some in our congregatoin. For some of us, like myself, we have had some difficult experiences in the past where we have attended a church service where it seemed like chaos - everyone seemingly was speaking in tongues and honestly, it freaked me out - to the point where I personally promised myself to never again be a part of a church service where tongues were exercised.
Over the last few years though the Lord has really changed my heart and through the Holy Scriptures has shown me there is a very proper, orderly and edifying use of tongues in a worship service - as well as with all the gifts - and that God has actually given us these gifts - not to create problems and confusion, but to edify, encourage and build up one another (see 1Corinthians 12:4-11). Nonetheless, this past Sunday was a bit uncomfortable for me as it was the first time since the early 90's (that time I had a bad experience with tongues) that I have heard it in a worship service.
But I must admit, I am learning that tongues is no different, nor any more important, than the other gifts we practice on Sunday (some of which are listed above). And we need God to move us and lead us to exercise the gifts we need excercised each Sunday. That may mean some Sundays it is simply teaching. Other Sundays may be someone being healed. Some other Sunday may be a prophetic word where someone is lead by God to speak a special message to the entire body. And on some Sundays we may have the gifts of tongues once again.
Let's be honest. The fact is that many of us, myself included, are either uncomfortable with the gift of tongues or we just not sure what to do with them. That is ok. This upcoming Sunday Steve will take the message time to simply discuss this past Sunday that we may get a better, more refined perspective on this gift of tongues as well as the many other gifts listed in the chapter above.
I look forward to seeing you Sunday. And always feel free to contact any of our staff, elders or leaders if you have questions. Or Email Dan.
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