“Now concerning the spiritual…”

In just a few days we will begin a series on spiritual gifts here at Groton Bible Chapel, one that I believe will challenge our convictions about this vital topic, begin to shape our community, and move us further to fulfill the vision the Lord has given us to RENEW- through Equipping believers, Enfolding the lost, and being an Encouraging presence here in our community, in new and exciting ways.

Over the last couple of months, the pictured eight volumes have been the background and pre-reading that I have used as companion to studying the four primary passages of the New Testament on the subjects of both the Holy Spirit, and His grace gifts to believers in Jesus- that is, “Spritual Gifts”. Those passages are: Romans 12, 1 Corinthians 12, Ephesians 4 and 1 Peter 4. In addition, the account of Pentecost in Acts 2 became an important companion passage as well.

My primary purpose in writing this blog entry is to, (hopefully), whet your appetite for your own diligent study of the Scriptures on these matters. More than perhaps any sermon series in recent years: (Joshua/Judges, the Pastoral Epistles of Paul, Esther, Ruth, the Women of the Bible, Matthew, Romans, Isaiah, or the other shorter, more topical series along the way, such as, “Family Life”, or “What Is This Church?”), this particular series will not give so much concrete doctrinal positions on these issues (don’t fret), so much as provoke the average believer to consider a careful study of these passages, while recognizing the various ways in which Christians, both historically and today, have understood and applied these passages. In addition, the more historical position of GBC, my own personal take, and the general current position of the Chapel will be shared, (not without some exceptions I am sure), on things like the importance of the gifts, the relationship between clergy/laity, and certainly things like tongues, healing gifts, miracles and the like- or said another way the “sign gifts”, verses “serving gifts”.

With these thoughts in mind, I want to address the books shown here and make some general recommendations for your own study/preparation, as well as share some seminole thoughts about the topic(s), and finally, share the goals of this series.

From the top John Stott’s Baptism and Fullness, several editions deep now after it’s original printing in 1975, is my number one recommendation for your reading. It is the most concise and brief undertaking of the topic, and Stott’s sound exegesis and commentary are enough to prove a very helpful guide in studying spiritual gifts.

Francis Chan’s more recent book, Forgotten God- on the matter of the role of the Holy Spirit, while less a treatment on spiritual gifts, is a healthy reminder of the personhood, and role of the Holy Spirit in the life of the believer and the Church. Forgotten God is a quick and fruitful read.

Martin Lloyd Jones’ Joy Unspeakable is a transcribed series of talks from the mid 1960’s. Jones, makes a firm and repeated case, primarily from the Acts 2 account of Penecost, as well as the 1 Corinthains 12 “situation” for a clear “second blessing”, or move of the Holy Spirit, beyond that of initial regeneration at conversion. He then argues that the subsequent manifestations of the Spirit overflow in us, as it were, in “joy unspeakable”, quoting of course, 1 Peter 1:8- Whom having not seen, ye love; in whom, though now ye see him not, yet believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory. [KJV]. While Jones’ exegesis may be questionable to our GBC sensiblities, his praxis is compelling, and, as we’ll expound on this summer, ought leave us affirming with him, “Yes, I want more of the Spirit’s work, (and joy), in my life!

J.I. Packer’s, Keep In Step With The Spirit, and D.A. Carson’s, Showing the Spirit, go hand in hand as absolutely excellent and complimentary theologies on the Holy Spirit, and the gifts of the Spirit. I cannot recommend them enough, and I am unsure of which one to recommend over and above the other, which is why I’ve grouped them together, (maybe a slight favorite toward J.I. Packer’s book). Taken together, they will give a firm, deep, and vivid understanding of the Bible’s teaching on this topic. That said, these two should be taken in small doses, at a studious pace, with your Bible open beside.

Jim Cymbala’s, Spirit Rising, is in the same vein as Chan’s Forgotten God as it is a call to yearn for more of the Spirit of God, and includes testimonies of the Holy Spirit’s work from among Cymbala’s own fellowship.

Biblical Eldership, by Alex Strauch, while not a book on spiritual gifts, grounds the believer in the Bible’s teaching on church leadership. Namely, that Elders (and Deacons), are the “offices” of church leadership, while all of the grace gifts, serve as manifestations of the Spirit’s work within the Body, as unity within diversity- yet among equals, (see Paul’s body illustration in 1 Corinthians 12).

Finally, we come to, A New Apostolic Reformation, by Doug Geivett and Holly Pivec. A must-read for our time in lieu of the 5-Fold Ministry Movement, and 7 Mountain Mandate of the NAR. This volume exposes a heresy within the Body, that is, a false teaching that exists within, not without, the global Church. Our understanding of, not only the Holy Spirit, but biblical church governance, and spiritual gifts, all culminates practically in responding to this movement, (a movement that is global and pervasive especially among millennials). The authors do a good job of dealing with these questionable teachings, while not being unnecessarily divisive within the Bride of Christ. A final thought here. For some the idea of, “What’s the big deal, shouldn’t we be about unity within the Body at all costs?” This read ought to remind us just how much of Paul, Peter, and John’s words — the lionshare of the New Testament that is — are about preserving the purtiy of doctrine over and above “unity”. To be sure this is a line that requires discernment rather than dogmatacism in either extreme, but we must, “test the spirits”, as John exhorts us in 1 John 4, not preach, “a different Gospel”, as Paul warns in Galatians 3, and yet, “be like minded”, as Peter pleads in 1 Peter 3.

Now some foundational thoughts regarding the summer. First, all of the above passages are Pauline, minus of course the very short passage from Peter’s first letter, and Luke’s account of Pentecost in Acts 2. And so we can ask — What is Paul’s goal in writing these passages to these early churches? (Certainly there is some overlap). We’ll hope to answer questions like…

1. What is Paul’s intent in naming the gifts in the order(s) that he does in the various passages?
2. What did he expect from the New Testament believers in response from these letters?
3. 1 Corinthians 12 in particular was certainly written as a “corrective” to several issues that this brand new church was having. What were the issues? And how does understanding those issues help us to put Paul’s admonishments and exhortations in perspective?

There are other operating questions that will drive our exegesis, namely-

1. Was pentecost to be a pattern for all Christians for all time?
2. Is there a “second blessing” or a later manifestation of the Holy Spirit as it appears there was in at least two or three specific situations in the New Testament church?
3. Furthermore, related to these first two questions- What is the place of these narrative passages of the Holy Spirit’s moving in the New Testament in Christian teaching?

Aside from these, perhaps more intriguing aspects to studying the spiritual gifts passages of the New Testament, the larger issue that we are intent to drive home is that every believer in Jesus should: 1. Know their spiritual gift(s) 2. Be using their gift(s), and so as a goal for our summer, we will be encouraging the completion of a “spiritual gifts assessment tool” throughout the summer series, and then we will end the summer with a “ministry fair” of sorts and invite/exhort all in the GBC family to commit to serving in a ministry area that fits their gifting.

It is my prayer that the Lord would use this series in an atypical way, perhaps to the more typical or traditional summer series’ we’ve done in the past. May we be provoked to study on our own, prodded to learn more of how God has equipped each one of us, and profoundly moved to see that every person matters, in both the form and function of the Body of Christ- the local church, as Pauls says…

From him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work. — Ephesians 4:16

So- which book(s) will you read?