“Come and R. I. D. E.”

R = REALLY LOVE GOD

I = INTENTIONALLY RELATE

D = DEVELOP GOD GIVEN GIFTS

E = ENCOURAGE OTHERS TO COME AND RIDE

Rewind: Last session we learned how to share the message with others to encourage them to “Come and Ride,” involves two separate and unique parts; my testimony and the Good News.

Synopsis: To learn where our mission field is and how to raise up fruit for God’s kingdom in that field.

The __________ to become fishers of men is in Jesus’ teaching and our dedication.

Matthew 4:19 “Come, follow me and I will make you fishers of men.”

4 KEYS TO SPIRITUAL FISHING

Know your _________________.You are more successful where you have the greatest _________________ Fishing is based upon gentle attraction.

1 Corinthians 9:19-23 Though I am free and belong to no man, I make myself a slave to everyone, to win (or catch), as many as possible. To the Jews I became like a Jew, to win the Jews. To those under the law I became like one under the law (though I myself am not under the law), so as to win those under the law. To those not having the law I became like one not having the law (though I am not free from God’s law but am under Christ’s law), so as to win those not having the law. To the weak I became weak, to win the weak. I have become all things to all men so that by all possible means I might save some. I do this for the sake of the gospel, that I may share in its blessings.

John 1:40, 44 Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, was one of the two who heard what John has said and who had followed Jesus. The first thing Andrew did was to find his brother Simon and tell him, “We have found the Messiah” (that is the Christ). And he brought him to Jesus… Philip like Andrew and Simon, was from the town of Bethsaida. Philip found Nathaniel and told him, “We have found the one Moses wrote about in the Law, and about whom the prophets wrote – Jesus of Nazareth.”

Know the ___________________ in your pond by knowing their ____________, __________ and __________ Fish nibble on various baits, don’t stick to just one.

Proverbs 13:16 Every prudent man acts out of knowledge.

Matthew 9:4 Knowing their thoughts, Jesus said, “Why do you entertain evil thoughts in your hearts?”

Mark 2:8 Immediately Jesus knew in his Spirit that this was what they were thinking in their hearts, and he said to them, “Why are you thinking these things?”

Cast the bait of ________________. To catch fish you must ___________ to them.

Fishing is a sport of patience that requires many instances of give and take.

1 Corinthians 9:22b-23 (LB) “Whatever a person is like, I try to find common ground with him so that he will let me tell him about Christ and let Christ save him. I do this to get the Gospel to them and also for the blessing I myself receive when I see them come to Christ.”

Remember that fish eat ________________________________________. Anyone can put bait in the water, but fish choose when and to what they are attracted!

Colossians 4:5-6 Be wise in the way you act toward outsiders; make the most of every opportunity. Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone.

THE DIFFERENT SOILS OF RECEPTIVITY.

Hard Soil = A _________________ heart

Matthew 13:4 As the farmer was scattering seed, some fell along the path, and the birds came and ate it up.

Shallow Soil = An ___________________ heart

Matthew 13:5-6 Some fell on rocky places, where it did not have much soil. It sprang up quickly because the soil was shallow, but when the sun came up, the plants scorched, and they withered because they had no root.

Soil with Weeds = A _____________________ heart

Matthew 13:7 Other seed fell among thorns, which grew up and choked the plants.

Good Soil = A __________________ heart

Matthew 13:8 Still other seed fell on good soil, where it produced a crop – a hundred, sixty, or thirty times what was sown.

Examine your soil and circle the category you fall into.

Genesis 3:19 By the sweat of your face you shall eat bread, until you return to the ground, because from it you were taken: For you are dust and to dust you shall return.

_________________ is a process of moving people through different stages of receptivity.

STAGES OF RECEPTIVITY

_________________ = self-satisfied, skeptical, or spiritually apathetic.

_________________ = aware of spiritual void or unmet need in life.

_________________ = someone looking for answers or solutions to questions.

_________________ = seeing the difference between believers and unbelievers.

_________________ = learns why and how to become a Christian.

_________________ = receives Christ and is ready to change

GROUND ZERO = NEW LIFE IN CHRIST

_________________ = gets baptized and connected to a church family.

_________________ = practice habits necessary for spiritual growth.

_________________ = uses God given gifts to serve others.

_________________ = sharing the Good News with non-believers, has a mission.

_________________ = living completely for the glory of God.

Understand, people move through these stages at different speeds or may require more than one exposure to a stage before moving forward. Usually when we get stuck the number one reason is _______. Every stage requires a _____________.

1 Corinthians 3:6-8 (NLT) I planted the seed in your hearts, and Apollos watered it, but it was God who made it grow. It’s not important who does the planting or who does the watering. What’s important is that God makes the seed grow. The one who plants and the one who waters work together with the same purpose. And both will be rewarded for their hard work.

What makes people receptive? ______________ either positive or negative.

HOW TO BE A CHANGE AGENT

• _________________ for an opportunity with each person.
• _________________ a relational bridge.
• _________________ them to a church function
• _________________ a conversation with a spiritual theme or issue.
• _________________ your story or personal testimony.
• _________________ them to accept Jesus as their Savior.
• _________________ them to the church family.

Be aware of the different resources to help you with any of the above steps:

Read Inside the Mind of Unchurched Harry and Mary, Lee Strobel, Zondervan

Pick up tracts such as: The Roman Road, Becoming a Christian, The Greatest Gift.

Be prepared to give away a Bible, such as the New Testament for New Believer’s.

Go online: Christian evangelistic resources

Check the local library for books on Christian evangelism.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR PARTICIPATION IN AND COMPLETION OF THE

DISCIPLESHIP UNIVERSITY COURSE

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“Come and R. I. D. E.”

R = REALLY LOVE GOD

I = INTENTIONALLY RELATE

D = DEVELOP GOD GIVEN GIFTS

E = ENCOURAGE OTHERS TO COME AND RIDE

Rewind: Last session we learned the motivation for joining God at work is all about being God’s ambassadors and doing what brings glory to God. It is good for us to be burdened for sinners and desire to reveal God’s heart and train followers.

Synopsis: How to share the message with others to encourage them to “Come and Ride,” involves two separate and unique parts; my testimony and the Good News or Gospel of Christ.

A personal _______________ is the most persuasive form of communication. Ads on TV exploit this powerful form to convince us to purchase what they are selling.

The Bible confirms this form of communication as well:

David – “Come and listen, and I will tell you what God has done for me.”

Samaritan Woman – “Many of the Samaritans from that town believed in Jesus because of the woman’s testimony.”

Blind man – “I don’t know whether he is good or bad, but I know this; I was blind and now I can see!”

Peter & John – “We cannot help speaking about what we have seen and heard.”

Paul – The Lord stood near Paul and said, “Take courage! As you have testified about me in Jerusalem, so you must also testify in Rome.”

Jesus – “I tell you the truth, we speak of what we know, and we testify to what we have seen, but still you people do not accept our testimony.”

Psalm 105:1 Give thanks to the Lord, call on His name; make known among the nations what He has done.

Psalm 96:1-3 Sing to the Lord a new song; sing to the Lord, all the earth. Sing to the Lord, praise His name; proclaim His salvation day after day. Declare His glory among the nations, His marvelous deeds among all peoples.

The __________ of your testimony.

1. It is unique! There are no others just like it.
2. It is personal and easy to understand.
3. You are the authority on it, which makes it difficult to argue with.
4. People love to hear personal stories and they remember them.
5. People can relate to your story and it builds relational bridges.
6. It the postmodern world it may be the most effective witness.

If you became a Christian as an __________ then these are the four ___________ a personal testimony can include.

WHAT MY LIFE WAS LIKE BEFORE I MET CHRIST.

What common circumstances would an unbeliever identify with?

What were your attitudes that an unbeliever would identify with?

What was most important to you?

What substitute for God did you use to find meaning in your life?

(Sports/fitness, success at work, marriage, sex, making money, drugs/alcohol, having fun, entertainment, popularity, hobbies)

HOW I REALIZED I NEEDED CHRIST.

What significant steps led up to your conversion?

What needs, hurts, or problems made you dissatisfied with the way you were living without God?

How did God get your attention? What motivated you?

HOW I COMMITTED MY LIFE TO CHRIST.

What specifically did you do? Where did it happen?

What did you say in your prayer? Be specific.

THE DIFFERENCE IT HAS MADE IN MY LIFE.

What benefits have you experienced or felt?

What problems have been resolved?

How has Jesus helped you change for the better?

How has it helped your relationships?

Give a current example.

If you became a Christian as a __________ but fell away or never _____________ until a deeper ________________ as an adult. then:

Use the same four steps, but start with the time just prior to your recommitment. Give some examples of how you were trying to meet your own needs without Christ and how that failed, then describe what caused you to realize you needed Christ directing your life and how you made a FULL commitment to him. Then explain how Jesus is currently meeting your deepest needs in life.

If you became a Christian at an _________ age and never ______________, then:

Use the same four steps with this modification: Point out some deep need or common problem that you see other people trying to resolve. Point out how unsuccessful their attempts are to meet their own need. Then explain why you never experienced that problem by trusting in God early in lie. Don’t mention the exact age, and then continue with steps three and four.

SUGGESTIONS FOR PREPARING YOUR TESTIMONY

• Pray and ask God to give you the right words.
• Write your testimony out, God honors preparation.
• Keep it short and to the point. Don’t lose sight of your goal.
• Avoid excessive, unnecessary details.
• Attempt to keep your testimony less than three minutes.
• Refer to experiences most people have in common.
• Be honest about your continuing struggles, life is never perfect!
• Don’t imply that your problems stopped at conversion.
• Spend most of your time on step four.
• Emphasize WHY you received Christ, the benefits of doing it.
• Don’t exaggerate or brag about previous sins.
• Keep away from negative remarks about religions or other people.
• Use very little scripture, but use one that made a difference.
• Don’t answer questions that haven’t asked.
• Give concrete examples of the changes in your life.
• Dates, names and ages don’t matter, avoid them.
• Be prepared and practice until it feels and sounds natural.
• Read it aloud and edit it to make it conversational and humorous.
• Let someone you know critic it and make suggestions on how to improve it.
• Don’t sound preachy, dramatic, and mystical or talk down to people.
• Use humor as it reduces tension and relaxes people. And please smile!

SOME COMMON GROUND CIRCUMSTANCES TO THINK ABOUT

Could you give a testimony about how Jesus helped you with any of the following experiences?

Positive: Adoption, breaking a bad habit, financial gain, raising children, marriage healed or strengthened, new baby, new business, new friends, success, new job, renewed love, or restored relationships.

Major Crisis: Abuse, addiction, accident, abortion, bankruptcy, broken dream, eating disorder, death, depression, disease, discrimination, divorce, empty nest, financial problems, infertility, incest, jail, or surgery.

REALIZE THAT YOU HAVE MORE THAN ONE TESTIMONY!

Phrases to avoid: “I just praise the Lord for…” “I am so blessed…” “Hallelujah!” “It was glorious” “I was convicted” “The Lord laid it on my heart” “Amen”

HOW TO LEAD INTO A TESTIMONY

The most important ingredient is: ________ for opportunities to share Jesus.

2 Corinthians 5:20 “We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making His appeal through us…”

Listen for _____________ or ________ that Jesus has helped you with.

1 Corinthians 10:13 “No temptation has seized you except what is common to man, And God is faithful; He will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, He will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it.”

“You know that used to be a big issue in my life too, in fact I felt pretty (hopeless, frustrated, etc.) until I discovered something that made a difference in my life…”

Refer to something in the news that deals with a common _______or __________.

“Did you read or hear about… I can sure identify with those people. It wasn’t long ago that I struggled with the same issue, but then something happened that changed everything for me…”

____________ to people you’ve known for a while but never ______________ to.

“Bill, I need to apologize to you. We’ve known each other for a long time, and I consider you to be a good friend, but friends don’t keep secrets – and I’ve never told you about the best thing that ever happened to me. I guess I was afraid that you might have thought I was some kind of a nut. Anyway…”

SHARING THE GOOD NEWS

The universal part of your Life Message, is the Gospel of Christ, the Good News of how we can be saved, forgiven, and experience a personal relationship with Christ Jesus. The moment you are called into that relationship, you become a messenger of the Good News to others who have not heard or responded to it. And in fact, you prolong Christ’s return if you do not share.

OWN THESE BASIC TRUTHS OF THE GOOD NEWS!

God became man so that I ___________________________________.

Matthew 1:23 “The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel, which means God with us.”

Hebrews 4:14-15 We have a great high priest who has gone through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to the faith we profess. For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are, yet was without sin.

Jesus died for my sins so that I _______________________________.

Hebrews 2:9-14-15 But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels, now crowned with glory and honor because he suffered death, so that by the grace of God He might taste death for everyone… Since the children have flesh and blood, he too shared in their humanity so that by his death He might destroy him who holds the power – that is, the devil – and free those who all their lives were held in slavery by their fear of death.

Jesus destroyed death so that I _______________________________.

2 Timothy 1:8-10 So do not be ashamed to testify about our Lord, or ashamed of me his prisoner. But join with me in suffering for the gospel, by the power of God, who has saved us and called us to a holy life – not because of anything we have done but because of His own purpose and grace. This grace was given us in Christ Jesus before the beginning of time, but it has now been revealed through the appearing of our Savior, Christ Jesus, who has destroyed death and brought life and immortality to light through the gospel.

Salvation is a free gift so that I ______________________________.

Romans 3:23-24 For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified freely by His grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus.

It is based on faith so that all I do ________________________________.

Mark 1:15 Jesus said, “Repent and believe the Good News!”

Romans 1:17 For in the gospel a righteousness from God is revealed, a righteousness that is by faith from first to last, just as it is written: “The righteous will live by faith.”

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“Come and R. I. D. E.”

R = REALLY LOVE GOD

I =  INTENTIONALLY RELATE

D = DEVELOP GOD GIVEN GIFTS

E = ENCOURAGE OTHERS TO COME AND RIDE

Rewind: As we learned in the last session, we must join God in His work of reaching the lost for His kingdom, and the reason for us doing that is not only crucial, but biblical.

Synopsis: People are more inclined to be emotionally, physically, spiritually and financially involved if they recognize the opportunity to be a part of something that has great significance and benefit to mankind.

STEP TWO: ______________________________________________________.

John 3:16 For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life.

God has entrusted us to be His _____________________.

2 Corinthians 5:15-19(CEV) And Christ did die for all of us. He died so we would no longer live for ourselves, but for the one who died and was raised to life for us. We are careful not to judge people by what they seem to be, though we once judged Christ in that way. Anyone who belongs to Christ is a new person. The past is forgotten, and everything is new. God has done it all! He sent Christ to make peace between himself and us, and He has given us the work of making peace between himself and others. What we mean is that God was in Christ, offering peace and forgiveness to the people of this world. And He has given us the work of sharing His message about peace.

God desires His people to work for _____________________________________.

Ephesians 1:11-13 (GNB) All things are done according to God’s plan and decision; and God chose us to be his own people in union with Christ because of his own purpose, based on what he had decided from the very beginning. Let us, then, who were the first to hope in Christ, praise God’s glory! And you also became God’s people when you heard the true message, the Good News that brought you salvation. You believed in Christ, and God put his stamp of ownership on you by giving you the Holy Spirit he had promised.

God desires that we be burdened for _______________________.

Luke 15:1-10 Now the tax collectors and “sinners” were all gathering around to hear him. But the Pharisees and the teachers of the law muttered, “This man welcomes sinners and eats with them.” Then Jesus told them this parable: “Suppose one of you has a hundred sheep and loses one of them. Does he not leave the ninety-nine in the open country and go after the lost sheep until he finds it? And when he finds it, he joyfully puts it on his shoulders and goes home. Then he calls his friends and neighbors together and says, ‘Rejoice with me; I have found my lost sheep.’ I tell you that in the same way there will be more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who do not need to repent. “Or suppose a woman has ten silver coins and loses one. Does she not light a lamp, sweep the house and search carefully until she finds it? And when she finds it, she calls her friends and neighbors together and says, ‘Rejoice with me; I have found my lost coin.’ In the same way, I tell you, there is rejoicing in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents.”

Jesus’ mission while on earth was three fold: to reveal the __________ of God, to train _____________ and to ________ and _________ the lost.

Luke 4:16-21 Jesus went to Nazareth, where he had been brought up, and on the Sabbath day he went into the synagogue, as was his custom. And he stood up to read. The scroll of the prophet Isaiah was handed to him. Unrolling it, he found the place where it is written: “The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to release the oppressed, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.” Then he rolled up the scroll, gave it back to the attendant and sat down. The eyes of everyone in the synagogue were fastened on him, and he began by saying to them, “Today this scripture is fulfilled in your hearing.”

Matthew 4:18:20 As Jesus was walking beside the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon called Peter and his brother Andrew. They were casting a net into the lake, for they were fishermen. “Come follow me,” Jesus said, “and I will make you fishers of men.” At once they left their nets and followed him.

Luke 19:10 For the Son of Man came to seek and save the lost.

Matthew 9:10-13 While Jesus was having dinner at Matthew’s house, many tax collectors and “sinners” came and ate with him and his disciples. When the Pharisees saw this, they asked his disciples, “Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and ‘sinners’?” On hearing this, Jesus said, “It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. But go and learn what this means: ‘I desire mercy, not sacrifice.’ (Hosea 6:6) For I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners.”

Matthew 9:35-37 Jesus went through all the towns and villages, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the good news of the kingdom and healing every disease and sickness. When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. Then he said to his disciples, “The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few.”

John 9:1-5 As Jesus went along, he saw a man blind from birth. His disciples asked him, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?” “Neither this man nor his parents sinned,” said Jesus, “but this happened so that the work of God might be displayed in his life. As long as it is day, we must do the work of him who sent me.”

What Jesus’ mission was, is the mission of __________________________.

Acts 1:6-8 So when they met together (the disciples), they asked him, “Lord, are you at this time going to restore the kingdom to Israel?” Jesus said to them: “It is not for you to know the times or dates the Father has set by His own authority. But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”

Jesus’ life through believers produces _______________.

John 15:1-5, 8, 15-17 “I am the true vine, and me Father is the gardener. He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit He prunes so that it will be even more fruitful. You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you. Remain in me, and I will remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me. I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing…this is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples…” “I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master’s business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you. You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit – fruit that will last. Then the Father will give you whatever you ask in my name. This is my command: Love each other.”

Turning even just one person away from sin will be ___________________.

James 5:19-20 My brothers, if one of you should wander from the truth and someone should bring him back, remember this: Whoever turns a sinner from the error of his way will save him from death and cover over a multitude of sins.

James 2:14-17, 22-24, 26 What good is it, my brothers, if a man claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save him? Suppose a brother or sister is without clothes and daily food. If one of you says to them, “Go I wish you well; keep warm and well fed,” but does nothing about his physical needs, what good is it? In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead… You see Abraham’s faith and his actions were working together, and his faith was made complete by what he did. And the scripture was fulfilled that says, “Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness,” and he was called God’s friend. You see that a person is justified by what he does and not by faith alone… As the body without the Spirit is dead, so faith without deeds is dead.

There are only four chapters in the entire Bible that don’t deal with evangelism, _________________ and _________________. When __________ entered the world, the need for _______________ began. When Satan is _____________, then anyone whose name is not written in the ___________________ will be thrown into the ________________________.

Exodus 32:31-34 “Oh what a great sin these people have committed! They have made for themselves gods of gold. But now, please forgive their sin – but if not, then blot me out of the book you have written.” The Lord replied to Moses, “Whoever has sinned against me I will blot out of my book. Now go, lead the people to the place I spoke of, and my angel will go before you. However, when the time comes for me to punish, I will punish them for their sin.”

Luke 10:20 Jesus replied, “I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven. I have given you authority to trample on snakes and scorpions and to overcome all the power of the enemy; nothing will harm you. However, do not rejoice that the spirits submit to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven.”

Revelation 20:12-15 And I saw the dead, the great and the small, standing before the throne, and books were opened; and another book was opened, which is the book of life; and the dead were judged from the things which were written in the books, according to their deeds. And the sea gave up the dead which were in it, and death and Hades gave up the dead which were in them; and they were judged, every one of them according to their deeds. Then death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death, the lake of fire. And if anyone’s name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire.

________________ we must possess the ____________ of God. ______________ we must submit to the __________ of God. _________________ we must rely on the __________ of God. _________________ we must put all __________ in God.

1 Peter 3: 8-9 Live in harmony with one another; be sympathetic, love as brothers, be compassionate and humble. Do not repay evil with evil or insult with insult, but with blessing, because to this you were called so that you may inherit a blessing.

Romans 12:1 Therefore, I urge you brothers, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God – this is your spiritual act of worship.

John 16:13-14 When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all truth. He will not speak on his own; he will speak only what he hears, and he will tell you what is yet to come. He will bring glory to me by taking from what is mine and making it known to you.

Malachi 3:10 “Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. Test me in this,” says the Lord Almighty, “and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that you will not have enough room for it.”

Name someone you personally know who is lost. _____________________

Now pray for yourself or someone to speak the good news of Jesus Christ to them.

R = REALLY LOVE GOD

I =  INTENTIONALLY RELATE

D = DEVELOP GOD GIVEN GIFTS

E = ENCOURAGE OTHERS TO COME AND RIDE

Synopsis: So far we have learned in the previous three studies based on our vision statement that we must: Really Love God, Intentionally Relate, and Develop our God-Given Gifts. We will now conclude with:

E = Encourage Others to “Come and Ride.”

As a church representing Christ, we need to intentionally reach out to the community in ways that meet their needs just as he modeled. False thinking is: “Build it and they will come.” That may be a fine premise for a movie, but the reality is people in the community will have no regard for what is going on inside our building if they don’t sense a connection outside of our building. So this next series of four weeks, which will conclude the Discipleship University classes, will endeavor to make us think outside the confines of the church building and search for ways that we can reach out to the community with a heart-of-Jesus style love.

STEP ONE: _______________________________________________.

The Great Commission of Matthew 28:18-20 Jesus states:

“All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”

Evangelism must be _________________ led, not man _______________ efforts.

2 Corinthians 2:17 We do not peddle the Word of God for profit. On the contrary, in Christ we speak before God with sincerity, like men sent from God.

2 Corinthians 4:2 We have renounced secret and shameful ways; we do not use deception, nor do we distort the Word of God. On the contrary, by setting forth the truth plainly we commend ourselves to every man’s conscience in the sight of God.

Philippians 2:3-4 Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others.

Colossians 4:2-6 Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful. And pray for us, too, that God may open a door for our message, so that we may proclaim the mystery of Christ, for which I am in chains. Pray that I may proclaim it clearly, as I should. Be wise in the way you act toward outsiders; make the most of every opportunity. Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone.

John 7:18 He who speaks on his own does so to gain honor for himself, but he who works for the honor of the one who sent him is a man of truth; there is nothing false about him.

1 Corinthians 2:1-5 When I came to you, brothers, I did not come with eloquence or superior wisdom as I proclaimed to you the testimony about God. For I resolved to know nothing while I was with you except Jesus Christ and him crucified. I came to you in weakness and fear, and with much trembling. My message and my preaching were not with wise and persuasive words, but with a demonstration of the Spirit’s power, so that your faith might not rest on men’s wisdom, but on God’s power.

The following is taken from: “Experiencing God, Knowing and Doing the Will of God,” by Henry Blackaby & Claude King.

God ___________ you to join Him. The Bible is the record of God’s activity in the world. In it He reveals Himself by His nature, His purposes and plans, and His ways. The Bible is not primarily a book about individual persons and their relationship with God, but rather it is about the activity of God and His relationship with individuals. The focus is on God and His activity.

God works _______________ people. The Bible reveals that God has always been involved in the world. He has never been absent from it or from what is taking place in history. When we read the Bible, we are reading the redemptive activity of God in our world. We see that He takes the initiative and involves His people with Him. He chooses to work through them to accomplish His purposes.

God makes __________ and ____________ them to His ________________.

The Bible reveals that when God wants to do something, He takes the initiative and invites His servants to adjust their lives so that they can complete His plans. The prophet Amos writes in Amos 3:7, “The Sovereign Lord does nothing without revealing His plan to His servants the prophets.”

God’s revelation is my ____________________ to join Him. When we want to learn how to know and do the will of God, we can find no better example than Jesus. He perfectly executed every assignment the Father gave Him to do.

John 5:17; 19-20, “My Father is always at his work to this very day, and I too, am working. I tell you the truth, the Son can do nothing by himself; he can only do what he sees his Father doing, because whatever the Father does the Son also does. For the Father loves the Son and shows him all he does. Yes, to your amazement he will show him even greater things than these.”

This describes a love relationship through which God accomplishes His purposes. This model is not only for your personal life, but for the church. It is not a step-by-step approach or program, it is all about intimately relating to God and others.

The ____________ God speaks to me is the when He wants me to ____________.

Some of us assume that when God speaks to us that we have time to process and ponder the correct timing for doing His will. The moment God speaks to you is God’s timing! If it wasn’t time to do something, then God wouldn’t speak to you about it! So, when God speaks to you, you need to trust and believe in God.

So how do I know when God speaks?

There are four ways God uses to speak to us:

1. _________________________
2. _________________________
3. _________________________
4. _________________________

Sin has so affected us that we cannot understand the truth of God unless the Holy Spirit of God reveals it to us.

Romans 3:10-11 “There is no one righteous, not even one; there is no one who understands, no one who seeks God.”

When the Holy Spirit teaches you the Word of God sit before Him and respond to Him. As you pray, first listen, and then watch to see how God uses the Word to confirm in your heart a word from Him. Watch and learn what He is doing around you through circumstances. The God who is speaking to you as you pray, and the in the Scriptures, is the God who is working around you in circumstances and in the church. There is no secret formula to know that God is speaking to you, but evidence from scripture shows us that every person God spoke to knew it was Him speaking to them.

Hebrews 1:1 “In the past God spoke to our forefathers through the prophets at many times and in various ways, but in these last days He has spoken to us by His Son.”

The key to ______________ God’s ___________ comes from having an intimate love relationship with God.

John 8:47 “He who belongs to God hears what God says. The reason you do not hear is that you do not belong to God.”

When God speaks He reveals His ________________________________.

Genesis 6:12-13 God saw how corrupt the earth had become, for all the people on earth had corrupted their ways. So God said to Noah, “I am going to put an end to all people, for the earth is filled with violence because of them. I am surely going to destroy both them and the earth, so make yourself an ark…”

Exodus 3:9-10 And now the cry of the Israelites has reached me, and I have seen the way the Egyptians are oppressing them. So now, go. I am sending you to Pharaoh to bring my people the Israelites out of Egypt.

God’s plans and purposes will be matched to our __________________.

When God called Abram He said, “I will make your name great.” (Genesis 12:2) What God meant was; I will develop your character to match your assignment.

As a church joining God in His work of evangelizing, our ____________ (how we act), _________________, (who we reflect) and _______________ (our values) must be transformed by the ____________________.

1 Corinthians 2:1-5 When I came to you, brothers, I did not come with eloquence or superior wisdom as I proclaimed to you the testimony about God. For I resolved to know nothing while I was with you except Jesus Christ and him crucified. I came to you in weakness and fear, and with much trembling. My message and my preaching were not with wise and persuasive words, but with a demonstration of the Spirit’s power, so that your faith might not rest on men’s wisdom, but on God’s power.

Romans 12:1-2 Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God – this is your spiritual act of worship. Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is – His good, pleasing and perfect will.

Galatians 6:7-10 Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows. The one who sows to please his sinful nature, from that nature will reap destruction; the one who sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life. Let us not become weary in doing good, for at a proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers.

So… now that you’ve:

• ______________ about your gifts
• ______________ your gifts
• ______________ your gifts

What’s left?

______________ your gifts!

Where do gifts fall in this group?

One person sent me an email asking “What happened to wisdom?” Good question! And how is wisdom defined again?

Wisdom is the special gift whereby the Spirit endows particular Christians with an understanding of God’s will and work as it relates to ________________________.

Charles Bryant, in Rediscovering the Charismata, defines it as:

“a practical application of knowledge (divine and natural) in _______________________ situations that call for the grace or favor of God.”

It is also particularly alarming to see Faith, Teacher, and Intercession score so low. But it is greatly encouraging to see so many people list Serving as a dominant gift, and that dominance doesn’t surprise me at all.

The Three-Tiered Implementation

It is easier now more than ever to have an impact on your world.

• ___________________________
• ___________________________
• ___________________________

Identifying our gifts and then thinking of implementation strictly within our body of believers is ____________ ____________ ______. There are opportunities for service in our church, in our community and in our world. The only exception I see to this rule is the role of pastor. I believe the level of personal involvement necessary as a pastor makes in impractical in a world implementation, but still very possible in the church and community.

The Chart (click here to open the chart in a new window)

Conclusion

Just as the question is never “do I have gifts?” but “________________________________?” the question should never be “will you use your gifts?” but always “_____________ will you use your gifts?” Use this mnemonic for OBEDIENCE as your starting point: (from Rediscovering the Charismata)

O – ________________ God’s calling
B – ________________ a study of the gifts
E – ________________ feelings and fantasies
D – ________________ to commit yourself to a gift
I – ________________ the gifts of others
E – ________________ with the gifts you think you might have
N – ________________ doubt God’s word and promises
C – ________________ all notions of pride over gifts
E – ________________ God to produce results

Missionary

It is the special gift given by the Holy Spirit to certain members of the body of Christ (local church) to minister whatever other spiritual gifts they have in a second culture or second community.

1 Corinthians 9:19-23

Though I am free and belong to no man, I make myself a slave to everyone, to win as many as possible.  To the Jews I became like a Jew, to win the Jews. To those under the law I became like one under the law (though I myself am not under the law), so as to win those under the law.  To those not having the law I became like one not having the law (though I am not free from God’s law but am under Christ’s law), so as to win those not having the law.  To the weak I became weak, to win the weak. I have become all things to all men so that by all possible means I might save some.  I do all this for the sake of the gospel, that I may share in its blessings.

Healing

It is the special gift whereby the Spirit employs certain Christians to restore health to the sick.

James 5:13-16

Is any one of you in trouble? He should pray. Is anyone happy? Let him sing songs of praise.  Is any one of you sick? He should call the elders of the church to pray over him and anoint him with oil in the name of the Lord.  And the prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well; the Lord will raise him up. If he has sinned, he will be forgiven.  Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective

Luke 9:1-2

When Jesus had called the Twelve together, he gave them power and authority to drive out all demons and to cure diseases, and he sent them out to preach the kingdom of God and to heal the sick.

Intercession

It is the special gift whereby the Spirit enables certain Christians to pray for extended periods of time with great positive effect for the building of the Kingdom.

1Thes 3:10-13

Night and day we pray most earnestly that we may see you again and supply what is lacking in your faith.  Now may our God and Father himself and our Lord Jesus clear the way for us to come to you.  May the Lord make your love increase and overflow for each other and for everyone else, just as ours does for you.  May he strengthen your hearts so that you will be blameless and holy in the presence of our God and Father when our Lord Jesus comes with all his holy ones.

1 Tim 2:1-2

I urge, then, first of all, that requests, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for everyone– for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness.

Craftsmanship

It is the special gift whereby the Spirit endows certain Christians to use hands and minds to build up the Kingdom through artistic, creative means.

Exodus 28:3-4

Tell all the skilled men to whom I have given wisdom in such matters that they are to make garments for Aaron, for his consecration, so he may serve me as priest.  These are the garments they are to make: a breastpiece, an ephod, a robe, a woven tunic, a turban and a sash. They are to make these sacred garments for your brother Aaron and his sons, so they may serve me as priests.

Hospitality

It is the special gift whereby the Spirit enables certain Christians to open their homes willingly and offer lodging, food, and fellowship cheerfully to other people.

Gen 18:1-5

The LORD appeared to Abraham near the great trees of Mamre while he was sitting at the entrance to his tent in the heat of the day.  Abraham looked up and saw three men standing nearby. When he saw them, he hurried from the entrance of his tent to meet them and bowed low to the ground.  He said, “If I have found favor in your eyes, my lord, do not pass your servant by.  Let a little water be brought, and then you may all wash your feet and rest under this tree.  Let me get you something to eat, so you can be refreshed and then go on your way– now that you have come to your servant.” “Very well,” they answered, “do as you say.”

Faith

It is the special gift whereby the Spirit provides Christians with extraordinary confidence in God’s promises, power, and presence so that they can take heroic stands for their future of God’s work in the church.

Heb 11:1

Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.

Discernment

It is the special gift whereby the Spirit certain Christians to know with assurance whether some behavior is of God or of Satan.

Acts 5:3-6

Then Peter said, “Ananias, how is it that Satan has so filled your heart that you have lied to the Holy Spirit and have kept for yourself some of the money you received for the land?  Didn’t it belong to you before it was sold? And after it was sold, wasn’t the money at your disposal? What made you think of doing such a thing? You have not lied to men but to God.”  When Ananias heard this, he fell down and died. And great fear seized all who heard what had happened.  Then the young men came forward, wrapped up his body, and carried him out and buried him.

Acts 16:16-18

Once when we were going to the place of prayer, we were met by a slave girl who had a spirit by which she predicted the future. She earned a great deal of money for her owners by fortune-telling.  This girl followed Paul and the rest of us, shouting, “These men are servants of the Most High God, who are telling you the way to be saved.”  She kept this up for many days. Finally Paul became so troubled that he turned around and said to the spirit, “In the name of Jesus Christ I command you to come out of her!” At that moment the spirit left her.

Mercy

It is the special gift whereby the Spirit enables certain Christians to feel exceptional empathy and compassion for those who are suffering so that they devote large amounts of time and energy to alleviate it.

Luke 10:30-37

In reply Jesus said: “A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, when he fell into the hands of robbers. They stripped him of his clothes, beat him and went away, leaving him half dead.  A priest happened to be going down the same road, and when he saw the man, he passed by on the other side.  So too, a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side.  But a Samaritan, as he traveled, came where the man was; and when he saw him, he took pity on him.  He went to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then he put the man on his own donkey, took him to an inn and took care of him.  The next day he took out two silver coins and gave them to the innkeeper. ‘Look after him,’ he said, ‘and when I return, I will reimburse you for any extra expense you may have.’  “Which of these three do you think was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of robbers?”  The expert in the law replied, “The one who had mercy on him.” Jesus told him, “Go and do likewise.”

Giving

It is the special gift whereby the Spirit enables certain Christians to offer their material blessings for the work of the church with exceptional willingness, cheerfulness and liberality.

2 Corinthians 8:1-5

And now, brothers, we want you to know about the grace that God has given the Macedonian churches.  Out of the most severe trial, their overflowing joy and their extreme poverty welled up in rich generosity.  For I testify that they gave as much as they were able, and even beyond their ability. Entirely on their own, they urgently pleaded with us for the privilege of sharing in this service to the saints.  And they did not do as we expected, but they gave themselves first to the Lord and then to us in keeping with God’s will.

Administration

It is the special gift whereby the Spirit enables certain Christians to understand the goals of a given segment of the Church’s ministry and to direct that area effectively, keeping the Church on course.

Acts 15:12-21

The whole assembly became silent as they listened to Barnabas and Paul telling about the miraculous signs and wonders God had done among the Gentiles through them.  When they finished, James spoke up: “Brothers, listen to me.  Simon has described to us how God at first showed his concern by taking from the Gentiles a people for himself.  The words of the prophets are in agreement with this, as it is written:  “‘After this I will return and rebuild David’s fallen tent. Its ruins I will rebuild, and I will restore it,  that the remnant of men may seek the Lord, and all the Gentiles who bear my name, says the Lord, who does these things’  that have been known for ages.  “It is my judgment, therefore, that we should not make it difficult for the Gentiles who are turning to God.  Instead we should write to them, telling them to abstain from food polluted by idols, from sexual immorality, from the meat of strangled animals and from blood.  For Moses has been preached in every city from the earliest times and is read in the synagogues on every Sabbath.”

Leadership

It is the special gift whereby the Spirit enables certain Christians to motivate, direct and inspire God’s people in such a way that they voluntarily and harmoniously work together to do the Church’s work effectively.

Heb 13:7

Remember your leaders, who spoke the word of God to you. Consider the outcome of their way of life and imitate their faith.

Judges 3:10

The Spirit of the LORD came upon him, so that he became Israel’s judge and went to war. The LORD gave Cushan-Rishathaim king of Aram into the hands of Othniel, who overpowered him.

Exodus 18:13-16

The next day Moses took his seat to serve as judge for the people, and they stood around him from morning till evening.  When his father-in-law saw all that Moses was doing for the people, he said, “What is this you are doing for the people? Why do you alone sit as judge, while all these people stand around you from morning till evening?”  Moses answered him, “Because the people come to me to seek God’s will.  Whenever they have a dispute, it is brought to me, and I decide between the parties and inform them of God’s decrees and laws.”

Helps

It is the spiritual gift whereby the Spirit empowers certain Christians to willingly bear the burdens of other Christians and help them in such a way that they can do their tasks more effectively.

Acts 6:2-4

So the Twelve gathered all the disciples together and said, “It would not be right for us to neglect the ministry of the word of God in order to wait on tables.  Brothers, choose seven men from among you who are known to be full of the Spirit and wisdom. We will turn this responsibility over to them and will give our attention to prayer and the ministry of the word.”

Serving

It is the special gift whereby the Spirit empowers certain Christians to identify unmet needs of people and implement plans to meet those needs. Serving one another, like witnessing, is a calling of all Christians, but there are some who have a special desire to find ways to serve, and get great blessing from it. There seems to be a special desire to meet physical needs in the people who have this gift.

Gal 6:1-2

Brothers, if someone is caught in a sin, you who are spiritual should restore him gently. But watch yourself, or you also may be tempted.  Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.

Knowledge

It is the special gift whereby the Spirit enables certain Christians to understand in an exceptional way the great truths of God’s Word and to make them relevant to specific situations in the church.

Eph 3:14-19

For this reason I kneel before the Father, from whom his whole family in heaven and on earth derives its name.  I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge– that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.

Wisdom

See it is the special gift whereby the Spirit endows particular Christians with an understanding of God’s will and work as it relates to the living of life.

James 3:13-17

Who is wise and understanding among you? Let him show it by his good life, by deeds done in the humility that comes from wisdom.  But if you harbor bitter envy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast about it or deny the truth.  Such “wisdom” does not come down from heaven but is earthly, unspiritual, of the devil.  For where you have envy and selfish ambition, there you find disorder and every evil practice.  But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere.

Exhortation

It is the special gift whereby the Spirit enables certain Christians to stand beside fellow Christians in need and bring comfort, counsel and encouragement so they feel helped.

Acts 11:23-24

When he arrived and saw the evidence of the grace of God, he was glad and encouraged them all to remain true to the Lord with all their hearts.  He was a good man, full of the Holy Spirit and faith, and a great number of people were brought to the Lord.

Acts 14:21-22

They preached the good news in that city and won a large number of disciples. Then they returned to Lystra, Iconium and Antioch, strengthening the disciples and encouraging them to remain true to the faith. “We must go through many hardships to enter the kingdom of God,” they said.

Music

It is the special gift whereby the Spirit enables certain Christians to praise God through various forms of music and enhance the worship experience of the local congregation.

1 Corinthians 14:26

What then shall we say, brothers? When you come together, everyone has a hymn, or a word of instruction, a revelation, a tongue or an interpretation. All of these must be done for the strengthening of the church.

Mark 14:26

When they had sung a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives.

Teacher

It is the special gift whereby the Spirit enables particular Christians to communicate the truths of God’s Word so that others can learn.

Heb 5:12-14

In fact, though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you the elementary truths of God’s word all over again. You need milk, not solid food!  Anyone who lives on milk, being still an infant, is not acquainted with the teaching about righteousness.  But solid food is for the mature, who by constant use have trained themselves to distinguish good from evil.

Pastor

It is the special gift whereby the Spirit enables certain Christians to assume responsibility for the spiritual welfare of a group of believers.

1 Pet 5:1-11

To the elders among you, I appeal as a fellow elder, a witness of Christ’s sufferings and one who also will share in the glory to be revealed: Be shepherds of God’s flock that is under your care, serving as overseers– not because you must, but because you are willing, as God wants you to be; not greedy for money, but eager to serve; not lording it over those entrusted to you, but being examples to the flock.  And when the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the crown of glory that will never fade away.  Young men, in the same way be submissive to those who are older. All of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, because, “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.”  Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time.  Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.  Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.  Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that your brothers throughout the world are undergoing the same kind of sufferings.  And the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast.  To him be the power for ever and ever. Amen.

Evangelist

It is the special gift whereby the Spirit enables particular Christians to share the Gospel to unbelievers in such a way that the unbeliever becomes a disciple of the Lord Jesus.

Acts 8:26-40

Now an angel of the Lord said to Philip, “Go south to the road– the desert road– that goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza.”  So he started out, and on his way he met an Ethiopian eunuch, an important official in charge of all the treasury of Candace, queen of the Ethiopians. This man had gone to Jerusalem to worship, and on his way home was sitting in his chariot reading the book of Isaiah the prophet.  The Spirit told Philip, “Go to that chariot and stay near it.”  Then Philip ran up to the chariot and heard the man reading Isaiah the prophet. “Do you understand what you are reading?” Philip asked.  “How can I,” he said, “unless someone explains it to me?” So he invited Philip to come up and sit with him.  The eunuch was reading this passage of Scripture: “He was led like a sheep to the slaughter, and as a lamb before the shearer is silent, so he did not open his mouth.  In his humiliation he was deprived of justice. Who can speak of his descendants? For his life was taken from the earth.”  The eunuch asked Philip, “Tell me, please, who is the prophet talking about, himself or someone else?”  Then Philip began with that very passage of Scripture and told him the good news about Jesus.  As they traveled along the road, they came to some water and the eunuch said, “Look, here is water. Why shouldn’t I be baptized?”  And he gave orders to stop the chariot. Then both Philip and the eunuch went down into the water and Philip baptized him.  When they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord suddenly took Philip away, and the eunuch did not see him again, but went on his way rejoicing.  Philip, however, appeared at Azotus and traveled about, preaching the gospel in all the towns until he reached Caesarea.

Prophet

It is the special gift whereby the Spirit empowers certain Christians to interpret and apply God’s revelation in a given situation.

1 Corinthians 14:1-5

Follow the way of love and eagerly desire spiritual gifts, especially the gift of prophecy.  For anyone who speaks in a tongue does not speak to men but to God. Indeed, no one understands him; he utters mysteries with his spirit.  But everyone who prophesies speaks to men for their strengthening, encouragement and comfort.  He who speaks in a tongue edifies himself, but he who prophesies edifies the church.  I would like every one of you to speak in tongues, but I would rather have you prophesy. He who prophesies is greater than one who speaks in tongues, unless he interprets, so that the church may be edified.

1 Corinthians 14:30-33

And if a revelation comes to someone who is sitting down, the first speaker should stop.  For you can all prophesy in turn so that everyone may be instructed and encouraged.  The spirits of prophets are subject to the control of prophets. For God is not a God of disorder but of peace.

1 Corinthians 14:37-40

If anybody thinks he is a prophet or spiritually gifted, let him acknowledge that what I am writing to you is the Lord’s command.  If he ignores this, he himself will be ignored.  Therefore, my brothers, be eager to prophesy, and do not forbid speaking in tongues.  But everything should be done in a fitting and orderly way.

Apostle

It is the gift whereby the Spirit appoints certain Christians to lead, inspire and develop the churches of God by the proclamation and the teaching of true doctrine.

Acts 12:1-5

It was about this time that King Herod arrested some who belonged to the church, intending to persecute them.  He had James, the brother of John, put to death with the sword.  When he saw that this pleased the Jews, he proceeded to seize Peter also. This happened during the Feast of Unleavened Bread.  After arresting him, he put him in prison, handing him over to be guarded by four squads of four soldiers each. Herod intended to bring him out for public trial after the Passover.  So Peter was kept in prison, but the church was earnestly praying to God for him.

Acts 14:21-23

They preached the good news in that city and won a large number of disciples. Then they returned to Lystra, Iconium and Antioch, strengthening the disciples and encouraging them to remain true to the faith. “We must go through many hardships to enter the kingdom of God,” They said.  Paul and Barnabas appointed elders for them in each church and, with prayer and fasting, committed them to the Lord, in whom they had put their trust.

As you review your results you may want to ask yourself:

• Do I agree with the results? Why or why not?
• Am I using my strongest gifts? How, or what do I need to do differently?
• Are there gifts which I’d like to make stronger? How would I do that?
• How does what I have learned from the inventory fit into my ministries?
• What does this exercise lead me to do now?

The discernment of gifts is not a solo practice. One’s gifts should be affirmed by the community. Discuss your gifts openly with your group. If you encountered surprises, share them. If you have some doubts, discuss them humbly. Ask for feedback, support, or clarification. Contribute to the affirmation process for the others in your group.

Participants in session two took a Spiritual Gifts Inventory. If you’d like to take the online version that scores itself, rather than download the PDF, please click here.

Note: If you are viewing this abstract on the category summary page the hyperlinks will not be active. Please click on the title of the session. Thanks.

Introduction (vv. 1-3)

Why is Paul addressing this issue?

• v. 1 – “regarding your question…”
• The church is ___________________ about gifts, just as we should be
• “I don’t want you to misunderstand this.”
  • Understanding is essential to _____________________
  • v. 3 – the Holy Spirit is essential to understanding

1. The Overriding Principle (vv. 4-6)

• This first and overriding principle of this unit is this: ___________________________

⁴ There are different kinds of spiritual gifts, but the same Spirit is the source of them all. ⁵ There are different kinds of service, but we serve the same Lord. ⁶ God works in different ways, but it is the same God who does the work in all of us.

• Look at what the passage says:
  • The Spirit is the source of all gifts
  • God works (through those gifts) in all of us

• v. 4 – “different kinds of gifts..” How does diversity lead to unity?
  • Answer: __________ and ___________ (like an orchestra)
  • The source is the Holy Spirit. The focus is serving God. (v. 5)

• v. 6 – God does the work “in all of us.”
  • ______________ _____________ receives a gift, or gifts
  • If you don’t know what yours are, it’s not because you don’t have them. It’s because you haven’t __________________ them.

1. 2. The ___________________ of Gifts (vv. 7-11)

⁷ A spiritual gift is given to each of us so we can help each other.

• What is the purpose of gifts? ________________________________________
• And in case I didn’t drive the point home well enough, who gets gifted according to verse 7: ALL believers
• vv. 8-10 list the gifts in no particular order. Why?
  • Are some called to help more than others? No.

• How are we gifted?

¹¹ It is the one and only Spirit who distributes all these gifts. He alone decides which gift each person should have.

• ______________ _____________ selects gifts for you, based specifically on His perfect knowledge of you. Who are you to argue?

1. The ___________________________ of Gifts (vv. 12-26)

• The illustration of the human body: one body, many diverse parts, working in harmony
  • What happens when a part is out of harmony: ___________________

• v. 14 – the _______________________ of service

¹⁵ If the foot says, “I am not a part of the body because I am not a hand,” that does not make it any less a part of the body.

• Whether you choose to be the “foot” or not, you are still the foot! Whether you choose to use your gift or not, you are still gifted and God still expects you to use that gift. Not doing so places you in direct conflict with God’s plan for you and His body the church.
• In the parable of the talents (Mt. 25:14-28) all are gifted differently, but the same expectation is placed on them: growth. What did the bad servant lose? Nothing. But, what did he gain? Nothing.
• And what happened to him?

²⁸” ‘Take the talent from him and give it to the one who has the ten talents. ²⁹For everyone who has will be given more, and he will have an abundance. Whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken from him. ³⁰And throw that worthless servant outside, into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’

• Service is _______________________. Deny that mandate and God will remove your gift, and maybe even remove you!

• v. 17 – the _____________________ ___________________ of service

¹⁷ If the whole body were an eye, how would you hear? Or if your whole body were an ear, how would you smell anything?

• As we’ll see in a minute there are “better” gifts to strive for, but there is no variance in the obligation to serve. We are all necessary to maintaining a healthy body.

• vv. 18 – 21   – the _____________________ __________________ of service

¹⁸ But our bodies have many parts, and God has put each part just where he wants it. (emphasis added)

• Looking back to verse 11, remember that the Spirit decides on the distribution of gifts. Here is an added emphasis to that point. The gifts that you have are a direct result of God’s knowledge of you, his child, and what He wants you to do. That is more than significant.

• vv. 22 – 27  – the ________________________ of service

• Our perspective vs. God’s perspective:

²² In fact, some parts of the body that seem weakest and least important are actually the most necessary

• Paul’s wry humor comes through in this explanation about the parts we cover and the parts we don’t.

1. 1. The parts we pay the most attention to are generally the least useful in the everyday operation of the body.

• EGR – ______________ ________________ _________________

1. The beauty of God’s plan is that those “difficult” parts of the body should not be shunned but instead receive more honor and care so they can function. Why?

²⁵ This makes for harmony among the members, so that all the members care for each other. ²⁶ If one part suffers, all the parts suffer with it, and if one part is honored, all the parts are glad.

• Just like the song says, “I’m so glad I’m a part of the family of God.” Remember the verse?

You will notice we say “brother” and “sister” ‘round here
It’s because we’re a family, and these folks are so near
When one has a heartache we all share the tears
And rejoice in each victory with this family so dear

• v. 28  – the overriding ______________________ of service

²⁷ All of you together are Christ’s body, and each of you is a part of it.

1. The ______________________ of Gifts (vv. 28 – 31)

• Now Paul makes a list in particular order. Why? Because these are the things that are most important to the church.

²⁸ Here are some of the parts God has appointed for the church:

first are apostles,
second are prophets,
third are teachers,
then those who do miracles,
those who have the gift of healing,
those who can help others,
those who have the gift of leadership,
those who speak in unknown languages.

• So, what is important to the church?

1. ______________ _________________
2. Interpretation and application of _________  ___________
3. Communication for edification of _________  ___________

• See a recurring theme?

• And what is last on this list? ______________. That is so typical of our “upside down” human theology. What is it we spend so much time fretting and arguing over? The least important thing.

Conclusion (vv. 29 – 31)

²⁹ Are we all apostles? Are we all prophets? Are we all teachers? Do we all have the power to do miracles? ³⁰ Do we all have the gift of healing? Do we all have the ability to speak in unknown languages? Do we all have the ability to interpret unknown languages? Of course not! ³¹ So you should earnestly desire the most helpful gifts. But now let me show you a way of life that is best of all. (emphasis added)

• What does this tell you? While you have tendencies in given areas, God is willing and able to gift you in other areas, specifically those germane to ___________ and ________________ His word.

Bennis and Nanus from the book Leader:

“The truth is that leadership opportunities are plentiful and within reach of most people.”

1 Timothy 3:1 Here is a trustworthy saying: If anyone sets his heart on being an overseer, he desires a noble task.

John Maxwell – “He that thinks he leads and hath no one is following him is only taking a walk.”

Leadership is being the person others will gladly and confidently follow.

1 Peter 5:2-4 Be shepherds of God’s flock that is under your care, serving as overseers – not because you must, but because you are willing, as God wants you to be; not greedy for money, but eager to serve; not lording it over those entrusted to you, but being examples to the flock.

Shepherds know the condition of their sheep by maintaining a constant watch.

John 10:3-5 “The watchman opens the gate for the shepherd and the sheep listen to his voice. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. When he has brought out all his own, he goes on ahead of them, and his sheep follow him because they know his voice. But they will never follow a stranger; in fact, they will run away from him because they do not recognize a stranger’s voice.”

Three components of developing as a leader are communication, recognition and influence. When you start to __________________ effectively this leads to ___________________ and that leads to ___________________.

John 10:11-13 “I am the Good Shepherd. The Good Shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. The hired hand is not the Shepherd who owns the sheep. So when he sees the wolf coming, he abandons the sheep and runs away. Then the wolf attacks the flock and scatters it. The man runs away because he is a hired hand and cares nothing for the sheep.”

Leadership means becoming a servant, not desiring to be served!

Taken from: “Developing the Leader Within You,” by John Maxwell.

The differences between being the boss and being a leader are:

The boss drives his workers; the leader coaches them.

The boss depends upon authority; the leader on goodwill.

The boss inspires fear; the leader inspires enthusiasm.

The boss says “I”; the leader, “we.”

The boss fixes the blame for the breakdown; the leader fixes the breakdown.

The boss knows how it is done; the leader shows how.

The boss says “go”; the leader says, “Let’s go!”

Matthew 20:25-28 Jesus called the disciples together and said, “You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their high officials exercise authority over them. Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be your slave – just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”

Leadership begins with the _____________ not the ____________.

Most people define leadership as the ability to ___________________________.

This type of thinking can create two problems:

1. ____________________________________________________________.
2. ____________________________________________________________.

Even the most introverted person will influence ___________ people in a lifetime!

No one is excluded from being a ______________ or a _______________, but realizing your ________________ is your responsibility.

1 Corinthians 12:14-15, 18-20 “Now the body is not made up of one part but of many. If the foot should say, “Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body,” it would not for that reason cease to be a part of the body… But in fact God has arranged the parts in the body, every one of them, just as He wanted them to be. If they were all one part, where would the body be? As it is, there are many parts, but one body.”

FIVE LEVELS OF LEADERSHIP:

1. ______________________, based on ____________________________.
2. ______________________, based on ____________________________.
3. ______________________, based on ____________________________.
4. ______________________, based on ____________________________.
5. ______________________, based on ____________________________.

When leaders lack __________________, followers lack __________________.

Life consists of ___________________ who find us ________________ to their impressions and help __________ us into the persons we are.

Hitler was a leader and so was Jim Jones. Jesus of Nazareth, Martin Luther King Jr., Winston Churchill and John F. Kennedy all were leaders. While their value systems and management abilities were very different, each had their followers.

Small Group Leader Challenges

Challenge # 1:

Keep the __________________ on track, to avoid ________________.

Suggested remedy: ________________ goals and evaluate __________________.

Ask: What is the main purpose of our meeting and do we support that purpose?

Group goals that are agreed to, clearly understood and simply expressed, have a greater success at being maintained by the group and passed on to others.

Challenge # 2:

Maintain group _______________ and _______________.

Suggested remedy: ______________ concerns and __________ for one another.

Ask: As a group, are we caring more for one another?

Romans 12:10-13 Be devoted to one another in brotherly love. Honor one another above yourselves. Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord. Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, and faithful in prayer. Share with God’s people who are in need. Practice hospitality.

Challenge # 3:

Knowing when to __________.

Suggested remedy: Revisit the groups ___________ and _______________.

Ask: Have we achieved what we set out to do?

Challenge # 4:

Knowing when to ______________.

“A spiritual community is where I live, where I receive my identity, where I find and fulfill my purpose and where my life gets defined.” – Glenn Wagner

The design of a small group must hold the following three things:

1. A VISION FOR THE DESIRED RESULTS AND PURPOSE.
2. THE SPECIFIC TYPE OF GROUP AND ITS DYNAMICS.
3. THE NEEDS OF THE PEOPLE INVOLVED.

In small group organizing, an agreement reached by a group of people concerning the interactions and activities of their meetings is called A COVENANT.

How Does a Covenant Help a Group Succeed?

• It gives the group a PURPOSE AND AN IDENTITY.
• It allows THE NEEDS, HOPES AND EXPECTATIONS to be known at the outset.
• It helps avoid misunderstandings DUE TO ASSUMPTIONS of group function.
• It binds the group with COMMITMENTS that deal with DREAMS.
• It becomes a tool to COMMUNICATE information to OTHERS.
• It assists the LEADERS in carrying out THEIR FUNCTIONS.
• It becomes the BASIS for EVALUATION.
• It sets the NORMS to refer to in times of CONFLICT or renegotiation.

Different Ways Covenants Are Decided

ASSUMED, these are sections of the covenant that are allowed to happen that are neither validated nor written.

NEGOTIATED, these are sections that the group discusses and agrees to.

GIVEN, these are sections which are prescribed by the leader and the group participants follow and commit to as they join the group.

Small Group Covenant Planner / Design Worksheet

Group Name:

Purpose:

Community grouping to serve:

Desired results:

Type:

Parameter       Assumed, Negotiated, Given

Size:                                                                                        A         N         G

Start date:                                                                           A         N          G

Length of meetings:                                                    A         N         G

If and when members are added:                      A         N         G

Frequency of meetings:                                            A         N         G

Meeting location:                                                           A        N         G

Duration of meeting:                                                   A         N         G

Curriculum:                                                                       A         N         G

Special agreements:

1. _______________________________       A        N         G

2. _______________________________       A        N         G

3. _______________________________       A        N         G

Invitation and prayer

Now that you have developed a tentative design for your small group, take two important steps that will immediately help this dream become a reality:

1. Write out a three-sentence promotional piece for a newsletter, bulletin, or brochure. Include the name of the group, a description, and the time and place of the first meeting.

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1. Always pray for the group! Here is a suggested prayer:

Dear God, I think you that you have designed the church to be a living, breathing body. You desire that through being together in various ways that your Holy Spirit can do a variety of works in and through these groups and communities. At this time Lord, I believe you have given me the desire and ability to lead the kind of small group I have designed. God, send to me the people who will most benefit from being a part of such a group. Through Jesus Christ, I pray.

How Do I Prepare to Launch the Group?

Always go to the familiar! Think back on a party of friends or a family gathering that you hosted. Write out how you prepared for it.

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As you prepared, what were some of the factors you considered?

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Proverbs 16:3

“Commit your works to the Lord, and your plans will be established.”

Purpose to Action Worksheet

This is a sequential guide of important questions to be used over the course of the first few weeks or months of group meetings and should be a helpful guide in your planning for each meeting.

1. How will the group recognize when the results are being achieved in the group? Are results being achieved in the interactions of the members and the actions of the group? What would be some concrete indicators?

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1. What are the processes, materials, or actions we will use to accomplish the purposes defined for this group?

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3.  What stages will we likely encounter as we move toward accomplishing our purposes?

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4.  What are the foreseeable obstacles we may encounter and what are some possible solutions?

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5.  What, therefore, are the major steps needed at various points to move the group toward its purposes?

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Meeting Planner

The difference that even 15 minutes of planning can make to the success of a group is immense. Here is a simple planning tool to use for each meeting. For your first three meetings, be sure to write out your plan in full.

Opening time:                        Closing time:

Pre-meeting set up details:

How will we build relationships in this meeting? On what level of communication are the group members?

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What are the special arrangements for this meeting? Who will handle them?

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Do any of the people have special needs right now? How can they be addressed?

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Time    Goals for this time     Person responsible         Resources needed

Part 1

Part 2

Part 3

Part 4

Proverbs 11:14 For lack of guidance a nation falls, but many advisers make victory sure.

Proverbs 24:6 For waging war you need guidance, and for victory many advisers.

“Think Tank”

Gather around you 4 OR 5 others and take about ten minutes to develop your Purpose to Action Plan using the worksheet on page 5. Then, using the Meeting Planner on page 6, plan the first two meetings together with a desired RESULT.

You may want to begin with a prayer like this:

Dear God, you hear us puzzling through the questions of our lives and tell us “Be at peace.” Inspire our imaginations, remind us of your faithfulness to us, and help us gather our best thoughts and dedicate them to the community you have given us. We ask this in the name of your Son, our Lord Jesus Christ.

Identify a List of Prospects

With your “Think Tank,” people around you, identify 3-5 people you know who might be excited about joining your group, make a list of names and phone numbers and then call and tell them about the group. Make note about their RESPONSE and any referrals they might have about possible prospects, and if there are any special needs they might require that you have not covered.

Design a Meeting Reminder

This step may seem minor, but it is very helpful. Take a moment to design a REMINDER card and to designate a reminder phone caller/s for each prospective member of your group to be contacted a couple of days before your first meeting.

These important steps will move you toward actually launching your small group successfully.

“An airplane without a flight plan is considered an endangerment to safety, since without a scheduled take off or specified landing point it has no pre-determined destination. Like a plane, groups need a flight plan for success!”