YOU HAVE SPIRITUAL GIFTS: DISCOVER AND USE THEM Session 6

Sfmin

YOU HAVE SPIRITUAL GIFTS: DISCOVER AND USE THEM EPHESIANS 4:7-14 OCTOBER 22, 2023 SESSION 6 è The Gift of Administration and Helps (1 Corinthians 12:28) • The spiritual gift of administration is the God given ability to facilitate and to oversee the long-term and day to day operation of a body of Christ. • The spiritual gift of helps enables a believer to work gladly behind the scenes in order that God’s work is fulfilled. It is the special ability God gives to some to serve the church in a supporting role or to invest their talents in the life and ministry of other members of the body. è THE “OFFICE GIFTS” (Ephesians 4:11, 12) • Apostles: The Apostolic fathers, founders of the Church, were given God’s supernatural power and authority to a) establish Christ’s Church, b) perform mighty signs and wonders in Jesus’ Name, c) pen the New Testament Scriptures as revealed, inspired, and overseen by the Holy Spirit, d) oversee the establishment, growth, and doctrine of the Church, e) recognize, ordain, and send out God-called servants for the furtherance of the Kingdom of God. ✬Jude 3: The faith, built on the Apostolic Father’s doctrine, was once and for all delivered to us. There are NO MORE additions to the Holy Scriptures and NO ONE has authority to add to them! (2 Peter 1:21; 2 Timothy 3:16) • Apostles were the foundation of the Church and were called “Holy Apostles”. (Ephesians 2:20; Ephesians 3:5) ✬False Apostles (2 Corinthians 11:13, 14): Deceitful, self-appointed ministers of Satan, pretending to be light. ✬✬ Beware of the “self-appointed”! • They were eyewitnesses of the resurrected Lord, instruments of mighty works, willing servants even to death! • To be clear, these Apostles, as eye witnesses of our Lord and as His appointed servants and founders of His Church and vehicles of the Holy Scripture, will always be in a status of their own. (NO other doctrine is legit!) • “Apostles” today may be those gifted by the Lord to start, develop, and oversee ministries, Churches. Their gift is not for the self-appointed, control of others, or celebrity status. It is for true servants, called and trustworthy to serve at a high level in God’s Church! The carriers of this gift may seek the Lord’s guidance to interpret His Word, but NEVER to place themselves in position as God’s ultimate mouth piece. ✬For over 2,000 years the connotation of “apostle” in main stream Christianity is that of the original first century disciples who were eye witnesses of the Lord and founders of the Church. Therefore, there is an immediate negative response from many in traditional, main line Christianity. è Prophets: The carriers of God-given insight, warnings, messages from God which can reveal what God is thinking, saying, doing, or will do in certain situations. The purpose of prophetic messages is for God to receive glory and for the ultimate well-being of His people. • See guidelines and tests for New Testament prophets, prophecies. è Evangelists: Those supernaturally empowered by the Lord to express the Gospel to the unbeliever in such a way that the Gospel is believed and accepted through the Holy Spirit’s work. è Pastors: Those called and appointed by the Lord to shepherd the Lord’s “sheep”, His people. True shepherds (Pastors) lead, feed, encourage, correct, and protect the “sheep” entrusted to their care. (There are multiple assignments in this office. (i.e. Christian Counselors, worship, administration, etc.) è Teachers: Those called by the Lord to understand and communicate to others the Truth of God’s Word and how to walk in the principles of God-given Kingdom living. Many Church leaders see Pastor and Teacher as one office gifting.