The Top 4 things you never hear in church: 1) Hey! It's my turn to sit in the front row; 2) I wish the pastor would've preached for an hour; 3) I find evangelism more enjoyable than golf, 4) I love it when we sing songs we've never sang before. Here's another. The Top 5 signs that you're in the wrong church: 1) The church van has a gun rack; 2) The church staff includes pastor and socio-pastor; 3) There's an ATM behind the sanctuary; 4) Choir members wear leather robes; 5) Ushers ask, "smoking or non-smoking section?"
There are scores of lists that poke fun at church, but today, I want to identify the spiritual gifts that will fulfill those who use them... and strengthen the church itself. For many years now, the term "pentecostal" has been associated with "speaking in tongues." which is a spiritual gift that I respect and celebrate. However, for believers who don't worship and pray to God in "tongues," focus on this one gift seems to minimize the others. In fact, in some places, spiritual gifts are pretty much ignored, which is a shame because they are the very things that empower ministry.
Spiritual gifts have always been central to life together in Christ and, in addition to speaking in and interpreting tongues, Paul identifies seven other spiritual gifts in his first letter to the church at Corinth: faith, wisdom, healing, prophecy, knowledge, discernment, and 7) miracles. We don't see many miracles in the churches we know, but we do know people who've been given 1) extraordinary faith- a martyr's faith- that inspires us and some of you have the 2) gift of wisdom. You're able to apply your knowledge to context and the matter at hand. If you've been given these gifts, please share them for the common good. Some of you have 3) the gift of healing. You listen to those who are burdened. You assist those who are at risk and sit with the sick. There are many ways to relieve pain, and if you have the gift of healing, you are encouraged to use it generously.
Some have been given the 4) gift of administration. You are detail-oriented- orderly- Presbyterian- and you cringe when things are not done the way they should be done. Some of you have been blessed with the eye of an editor and you can't help but see the typos in the bulletin. But others have the 5) gift of vision! You may stumble over some of the cracks on the path, but you see the way in which we should go. In either case, we need your gifts. My mother called it the "gift of gab,"and while I don't think she meant it as a compliment, the Holy Spirit has given some of God's people, the spiritual gifts of 6) preaching, 7) teaching, and 8) speaking in ways that are clear and compelling. If you've been blessed with one or more of these gifts... preach, teach, lead, and advocate, and speak the truth in love! The Bible also mentions the 9) gift of mercy and it is true that some of your hearts are always broken. You can't ignore the pain that's all around. You see their faces and you hear their cries! If you have the spiritual gift of mercy, help us find ways of responding as a church.
The Holy Spirit has given some of you the 10) gift of prayer. We're all called to pray of course, but some of you are prayer warriors. You pray frequently, specifically, and in a deeply personal way. Please keep on praying and pray for us. Others have been given the 11) spiritual gift of evangelism. This is a common calling, but you have a passion for it, and you find ways of inviting others to come and see what God can do. You also find ways of engaging our community in ways that reveal God's love for them, Some of you have been given 12) the gift of exhortation. You make a point of affirming others. You cheer them on! If you've been given this spiritual gift, please use it all the more because, in a world filled with critics, we need more cheerleaders!
Spirit-filled churches are bold because the Holy Spirit is bold. They are filled with Spirit-filled Christians because the Spirit fuels our ministries. They are open, inviting, and loving because Christ Jesus was an inviter and because God is love. Spirit-filled churches stand on God's word! They know it, preach it, teach it, study it, and live it out! And finally, while Spirit-filled churches may or may not speak in tongues, they all share a passion for faithfulness and personal growth in Christ! We are small and Presbyterian. We have an old and glorious building and we don't have a parking lot. We're low on technology, but we're filled with love for one another and for God, and we engage the community as if we were several times our size. The banner in back tells the world that we were founded in 1835, but we're not through dreaming yet. No we're not, and we are still seeking God's guidance for tomorrow. Many of our members are doing what their spiritual gifts demand and even more of them will be answering God's call in the coming year. No doubt, we have some work to do, but it's not undoable! Not under God, not in Christ, not with the Holy Spirit leading us on! Not if we use our spiritual gifts for the common good. Can I get an "amen?"
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