Christian Community - The Witnessing Gifts

By Monty Hope --
If your strongest spiritual gifts are knowledge, teaching, faith, prophecy, exhortation, evangelism, healing, and/or the interpret of tongues, God has wired you for witnessing.  For those of us who may not be strong in each of these, it is still our obligation to witness. Here is why:

1. Obedience.  Jesus said in Matthew 28:18-20, “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.”
2. Compassion.  We do not want anyone to suffer the eternal agony and damnation of Hell.  We all sympathize with and minister to the earthly troubles of our fellow man.  Let us consider their eternal fate to be of an even greater importance.

God has enabled each of us with special, spiritual gifts.  They all come from the same place  God.  The Holy Spirit works through us to use them.  No matter how you boil them down, they only have two real purposes.

1. The support of the existing Christian community.
2. The growth of the Christian community through witnessing

Here is a recap of the simple witnessing model Jimmy and I demonstrated.  You can study it in great depths is you go to the following website:  http://www.wayofthemaster.com/.  Jimmy and I did not rehearse.  In fact, I only asked for his help right before class started.  I hope it came across as well as I felt it did.  Thank you Jimmy for being a great sport!

• W:  Would you consider yourself a good person?

• D: Do you follow the 10 commandments?

• J: If God judged you against those commandments, would you be guilty?

• D: Knowing God’s judgment based on those commandments, what would be your eternal destiny? 

These leading questions should give you a great basis for sharing Jesus with others.  God bless and have a great week!

Do you have one of the Spiritual Gifts that can lead others in Witnessing? Do you have one of the Spiritual Gifts that can model Outreach, showing us what it looks like and leading by your own example. We need you; the Kingdom needs you. Here are the Spiritual Gifts that drive the Outreach of the Christian Community:

• Evangelism - The gift of evangelism is the gift of faith-sharing and proclaiming the gospel of Jesus Christ to those we meet.  Evangelism is primarily a one-to-one or small group experience, grounded in building relationships with others and inviting them to make a decision for Christ.  Gifted evangelists do not force their faith on others, but offer relationship with God as a gift, and are ready to tell the story of God and Christ in their own lives.
• Exhortation - The gift of exhortation is manifest in people who offer encouragement, wise counsel, unflagging support, and empowerment.  Those who exhort stay focused on helping people maximize their own potential and live from their own gifts and skills.  Exhorters help people feel good about themselves, build confidence, and not grow discouraged.  Often, those with the gift of exhortation make others feel good just by being present.
• Knowledge - The gift of knowledge allows people to automatically convert facts, data, and information into useful and important knowledge.  People possessing this gift can learn in a variety of ways, retain what they learn, and understand how learning can be applied in meaningful and productive ways.  Those gifted with knowledge have a voracious and insatiable desire to learn more, and they seek multiple avenues for deepening their understanding of God’s world, God’s will, and God’s people.
• Teaching - The gift of teaching allows people to transform data and information into life changing knowledge.  Teachers do not have to stand in front of a class to teach.  Often gifted teachers communicate best in informal, one-on-one settings.  Teachers have the uncanny knack of helping people learn effortlessly.  People internalize and retain the knowledge and learning they receive from gifted teachers.  Good teachers transform more than they inform.
• Faith - The gift of faith is more than belief in Jesus Christ, but an abiding foundation of confidence that God works all things together for good, and that they people of God can rise above any obstacle.  Faith is the bedrock upon which we build lives, congregations, and communities.  People with the gift of faith hold fast to the deep conviction that no matter what we see with our eyes, we can trust the promises and plan of God.
• Prophecy - The gift of prophecy is the ability to speak God’s word to others, or more appropriately to be open for God to speak God’s word through us.  Prophets do not predict the future, but offer insight and perspective on current conditions and how things might turn out if changes aren’t made.  Prophets are incisive, clear, and often controversial, communicators.  Prophets see things that others often don’t, and they have the courage to “tell it like it ought to be.”
• Healing - Servanthood is the gift of doing for others, sometimes to the exclusion of meeting personal needs.  Servants look for ways to do for others both within and beyond the congregation and community.  Servants do not choose to serve, but serve from a sense of identity and call.  Gifted servants never feel put-upon or taken advantage of, but see each opportunity to do for others as a way to be true to self.
• Tongues - The gift of tongues is a communication gift that allows people to speak foreign languages and convey concepts they never formally studied.  People with this gift “pick up” the ability to communicate across barriers of language, culture, age, or physical limitation (some people with the gift of tongues work with the deaf or blind).  The gift of tongues is not a “secret” prayer language, but a way to communicate the faith to people in a known language.

(Source: www.umc.org)

Christian Community - The Outreach Gifts

The Apostle John writes in 1 John 3:16-19, "We (Believers) know what real love is because Jesus gave up his life for us. So we also ought to give up our lives for our brothers and sisters. If someone has enough money to live well and sees a brother or sister in need but shows no compassion how can God's love be in that person? Dear children, let's not merely say that we love each other; let us show the truth by our actions. Our actions will show that we belong to the truth so we will be confident when we stand before God."

These verses are about loving one another, which all of us are called to do. John uses rich people as an example, but this verse can equally apply to those who have special hobbies, talents, and skills. It's not a message only for those with money to give. It's a message about reaching out to people.

Outreach, like missions and evangelism, is one of those “church words” used so often that we hardly ever talk about its definition or its application to the Christian Community. What is Outreach?

• Some churches use Outreach to talk about local ministry, as in “A part of our community Outreach is to send volunteers to serve in a local soup kitchen.”
• Some churches use Outreach to talk about benevolence as in “We ‘reached out’ to this family who lost everything in a fire, and we have helped them find temporary housing.”
• Some churches use Outreach to talk about evangelism as in “Our Outreach ministry provided 2,000 evangelistic brochures at this year’s fall festival.”

So, what does it mean?

The reality is that Outreach looks like all three of those definitions.

Outreach is giant umbrella that covers any possible effort (missions, ministry, evangelism, benevolence, events, fellowship activities - everything) to build relationships beyond the church family toward the goal of seeing people acknowledge Jesus as their Lord and Savior, and then move toward their own involvement in a Christian Community. The end-goal of all Outreach is to grow the Christian Community with believers on the journey to being disciples.

Satan does not want that to happen. And, you and are eased into poor thinking and poor doing.

• We fall into the trap of "donating" or "serving" and then disappearing. Bringing donations to LICS is simply a service project unless those donations are  ultimately used to build relationships through which Jesus can be shared with some. Changing the oil of widows at our church is simply a service project unless there is intentional effort to build relationships through which Jesus is shared with oil change recipients. There's no blessing in short-changing the Outreach experience. The blessing comes in seeing the Kingdom enlarged.
• We fall into the trap of being distracted with our own lives. I can hear Satan cackle from the darkest corner of hell over how busy we become with no time left over for real ministry Outreach. Each of us knows people who need Jesus and each of us knows people who need connection with a Christian Community. But, we say to ourselves, "I'm so busy. I don't have time to invest in others right now." If you and ignore the spiritual condition of others long enough, we will become hard-hearted toward Outreach and subsequently Evangelism.
• We fall into the trap of the what-ifs: What if they aren't Baptist and I offend them in some way? What if they say 'no' when I try to talk to them? What if I invite them to intersect my community and they have a bad experience? What if I get the reputation of being a Jesus freak? What's the blow-back on me if people in the neighborhood start whispering about us - 'They've gone off the deep end?'

Within our Christian Community are those who have the Spiritual Gifts of Outreach ministry. These good people love to build relationship with others, and will find it a joy to talk about faith and Christian Community. And, while we should all have a heart for lost people, those gifted for Outreach are the ones who set the pace, who provide the example, and who encourage all of us to step out and build relationships. Those with Outreach-focused gifts will be those possessing the Spiritual Gifts of Apostleship, Evangelism, Prophecy, Compassion, Servanthood, Healing, Miracles and Tongues.

What if you and I don't build relationship with other people? What if you and I don't talk to others about Jesus? What if you and I don't invite people to engage Christian Community? What if no other person in Lexington ever ministers to that hurting family and invites them to faith? What if you or I represent the last chance for someone to come to Jesus and escape eternal punishment? What happens if that family isn't led in faith, those young people grow up outside of faith, marry others outside of faith, and a generation is raised up outside of faith. How many hundreds of people could be saved by your involvement with just one Lexington family? How many hundreds of people could be lost because I ignored the lost or grew timid in my own faith? I can't bear that responsibility. I must share Jesus. I hope you are convicted likewise.

One life can make a difference.

Today, I serve more than 4,000 North American congregations as they seek to build relationships with people toward a goal of sharing Jesus. I have been ordained to the gospel ministry. How did all that happen? It happened because in a valley of unemployment, depression, and poor decisions, one believer reached out and said, "Where are you with Jesus?" And, then he poured his life into mine. And, in that man I saw the reflection of a Savior who said, "Come and follow me." One life reaching out to another life.

Do you have one of the Spiritual Gifts that can lead others in Outreach? Do you have one of the Spiritual Gifts that can model Outreach, showing us what it looks like and leading by your own example. We need you; the Kingdom needs you. Here are the Spiritual Gifts that drive the Outreach of the Christian Community:

• Apostleship - The gift of apostleship compels people to reach out to new and unfamiliar groups and individuals to invite them into relationship with God and community.  Apostles share the story of faith in other lands, cultures, and traditions, as well as welcoming the stranger in their own land.  Apostles extend the hand of friendship to those of other generations, nations, and languages.  Many apostles desire to be missionaries.
• Evangelism - The gift of evangelism is the gift of faith-sharing and proclaiming the gospel of Jesus Christ to those we meet.  Evangelism is primarily a one-to-one or small group experience, grounded in building relationships with others and inviting them to make a decision for Christ.  Gifted evangelists do not force their faith on others, but offer relationship with God as a gift, and are ready to tell the story of God and Christ in their own lives.
• Prophecy - The gift of prophecy is the ability to speak God’s word to others, or more appropriately to be open for God to speak God’s word through us.  Prophets do not predict the future, but offer insight and perspective on current conditions and how things might turn out if changes aren’t made.  Prophets are incisive, clear, and often controversial, communicators.  Prophets see things that others often don’t, and they have the courage to “tell it like it ought to be.”
• Compassion - The gift of compassion moves people to action on behalf of those in need.  Compassion is not a simple caring about others, but such a radical caring that we have no choice but to make sacrifices for others.  Those with the gift of compassion rarely ask “Should I help,” but instead focus on how to help.  Compassion makes us fundamentally aware of the Christ in others and springs from our desire to care for all of God’s creatures and creation.
• Servanthood - Servanthood is the gift of doing for others, sometimes to the exclusion of meeting personal needs.  Servants look for ways to do for others both within and beyond the congregation and community.  Servants do not choose to serve, but serve from a sense of identity and call.  Gifted servants never feel put-upon or taken advantage of, but see each opportunity to do for others as a way to be true to self.
• Healing - Servanthood is the gift of doing for others, sometimes to the exclusion of meeting personal needs.  Servants look for ways to do for others both within and beyond the congregation and community.  Servants do not choose to serve, but serve from a sense of identity and call.  Gifted servants never feel put-upon or taken advantage of, but see each opportunity to do for others as a way to be true to self.
• Miracles - The gift of miracles is not about performing miracles, but about living in the miraculous reality of God’s creation.  Those gifted with miracles never doubt the power and presence of God in creation, and are able to help others see and believe in God’s power.  The gift of miracles does not focus on the extraordinary, but sees the miraculous in the mundane and normal.  Living in the spirit of the miraculous, people see God in nature, in relationships, in kind acts, and in the power of love.
• Tongues - The gift of tongues is a communication gift that allows people to speak foreign languages and convey concepts they never formally studied.  People with this gift “pick up” the ability to communicate across barriers of language, culture, age, or physical limitation (some people with the gift of tongues work with the deaf or blind).  The gift of tongues is not a “secret” prayer language, but a way to communicate the faith to people in a known language.

(Source: www.umc.org)

Christian Community - Nurturing Gifts

The 20 or so spiritual gifts outlined in 1 Corinthians, Romans and 1 Peter can be grouped into four larger groups: Nurturing, Witnessing, Outreaching and Organizing.

Today, we will take a snapshot look at "The Nurturers," who are gifted with Faith, Exhortation, Wisdom, Discernment, Shepherding, Helping & Compassion. These gifts, as a whole, focus on serving others as they grow spiritually. Those with the Nurturing gifts "handle people with care," building fellowship with the Christian Community and cultivating strong relationships between people within the community. As with healthy plants, Nurturing sometimes involves pruning and the identification of weeds. The Nurturers take care of people, visit people, and enjoy being together with the Christian Community. Because most spiritual gifts are going to focus on encouraging and supporting the body of believers, many people will like have one of the Nurturing gifts as one of their top five or six gifts.

Please keep in mind that spiritual gifts are not personality traits. They are not reflective of skills, hobbies or professional employment. These are supernatural gifts provided to believers by the Holy Spirit for work within the body of believers. As you and I serve, our giftedness will come from a place of joy and not from a place of chore.

There are lots of online resources that help us understand the different gifts. My explanations, below, are an amalgamation of several sources.

Faith.
In 1 Corinthian 12:9, “And, to another faith.” Faith means persuasion, credence or moral conviction.  It is an assurance and belief. The author of Hebrews wrote, “faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.” The gift of faith involves a prompting from God to trust Him for the supernatural, to continue even when there are different circumstances.

A person with the gift of faith is “fully persuaded” that God has the ability to answer prayer and work everything according to His will. It is similar to Acts 20:22 when Paul was “drawn irresistibly” by the Holy Spirit to Macedonia. When a person with this gift learns about certain situations that seem impossible, God seems to nudge them to trust Him. This nudge is more than a quiet trust; it is an open, stepping out and affirming God in the situation. God gives them a sense of assurance in His ability and desire to work in the future. They feel free to ask God for His intervention without usurping His sovereignty.

The gift of Faith encourages people and the community. It gives hope to believers. It instills God’s confidence in God’s ability to help them reach God’s vision for them. It is the rudder of the Christian Community, reminding everyone that God is in control and does abandon those He loves.

Exhortation
The gift of Exhortation is the special ability to counsel or challenge others toward a healthy relationship with Jesus Christ.  People who possess the gift of Exhortation will not avoid conflict. It is not that they love conflict. In fact, everything inside them may hate conflict. People with the gift of Exhortation feel a deep responsibility before God to challenge and encourage those that may be taking a path that does not honor the Lord, to correct their misguided choices.

In Acts 14:22, the Apostle Paul consistently serves to “strengthen the disciples and to encourage them to remain true to the faith." In Act 11:23, Barnabas encouraged the people of Antioch to remain true to the Lord with all their hearts. Again, in 1 Thessalonians 2:12, the Apostle Paul describes their ministry among the Thessalonians as “encouraging, comforting and urging you to live lives worthy of God, who calls you into his kingdom and glory." When this gift is utilized appropriately, it will either be received by humble and contrite hearts, or the recipients will respond with hostility and transference. They may assert that the person using the gift of Exhortation is judgmental, critical or harsh.

Wisdom
In 1 Corinthians 12:8, Paul writes, “To one there is given through the Spirit the message of wisdom.” The Biblical use of the word wisdom puts the emphasis on the thought process that takes the Scriptures and makes an intelligent application to a life situation. The result is insight which allows one to exercise sound judgment. To have the gift of wisdom then is to be able to apply Biblical, spiritual knowledge to living a Godly life. It is also being able to make scriptural truths relevant and practical in everyday living and decision-making. The “message of wisdom” is being able to know the mind of Christ and His word as it pertains to specific situations.

A person with this gift loves to read, meditate and commune with God, drawing wisdom that applies the Scriptures to everyday living. It is similar to a mechanic being able to hear a car run and know what it wrong and how to fix it. This gift allows a person to “hear” life situations and apply truth to the situation.

Discernment
Discernment is distinguishing between the spirits. Discernment means to be able to distinguish between right and wrong, good and evil. It is having a logical, judicial ability to think through issues. It is the ability to “discern” whether a saying, teaching, doctrine, written word, or event is good or evil; true or false; and if the source, meaning or intentions are of God, the person or Satanic deception. There is an ability to “read between the lines” and get to the truth of an issue. It's not just a "gut feeling," but a real knowing that something doesn't seem to be right . . . or, that it does. There is an urgency to pray and ask for wisdom.

A person with this gift can help counsel community members who are struggling with a moral dilemma, an addiction, or low self-esteem. Discerners prayerfully clear through the fog to the motivation behind actions and thoughts.

Shepherding
The translation of Paul’s gift listing in Ephesians 4:11 translates this into the word “pastor.” Having this gift doesn’t mean you should run out and become a church pastor, but a person with this gift will likely find joy in the training and caring for the needs of the Christian “group” moreso than individuals. Those with this gift are often patient, people-centered and love to pray for others. The shepherd will have a burden to see people grow and learn, and will be more concerned with doing for others than for what others do for them.

Those with this gift make good group leaders, people who mentor and provide spiritual guidance toward faith development. Those who are Shepherds share their own faith journey to make the way easier for others.

Helping
It would be easy to say that those with the gift of Helps really do help others. They jump in to help community members with practical aid, providing meals, lawn service, and meeting others needs in times of crisis. And, that’s probably true, but it goes deeper, too. Proverbs 25:11 says, “Their words are like apples of gold in settings of silver” to the spiritually weak. People with this gift are cheerful, confident, and joyous. They provide practical help, but also help people in faith just by being near people during the pain of life. They lead with mercy, grace and love.

Compassion
This gift is often referred to as the gift of Mercy. They move to action of behalf of those in need.  People with this gift don’t pause to say, “Should I help?” they drop everything to help. It is a radical caring, leaving no choice but to serve others immediately. Because of this “drop and serve” giftedness, people with the gift of Compassion can identify distress in people. What makes them special is that they can provide comfort, and have the special ability to show empathy – to feel WITH others not just FOR them. They go to uncomfortable places knowing they may have to relieve some of their own pain as part of their service. They make decisions based on feelings rather than logic, and they are often quiet and low-key.
Those with Compassion reach into lives during the height of great emotion – sorrow and joy.