The Earnest Contender

Friday, July 14, 2006

Examples of Spiritual Gifts in the Church (Part 2)

Here are just a few examples from Blogdom:

Joe is a unique and dear brother in Christ. His humor, wit and genuine love for the brethren are displayed through his biblical teaching, gentle rebukes, and more often than not - his kind words to and for others. He also carries a load of responsibility in his local church along with a Christian radio station. I am not sure what he would say about it, but I have a hunch he has a manifold gifts including the gifts of teaching, ministering, exhortation, and administration. If you want to see another practical way that our gifts work together for God’s glory see his post on Director of What?. Let us know what you think.

Rose desires nothing more than to have reasonable fellowship in blogdom. Among her other gifts, one that is most evident is mercy. Rose’s Reasonings is a great place to express your ideas back to this very busy mom of three [?].

Jeremy loves the study of God’s Holy Book and is concerned about communicating the glory of God. I don’t think he can help but make comments on the Word that our Lord has entrusted to our stewardship in this dispensation. I don’t know what other gifts he possesses (I’ll bet its not tongues) but the gifts of teacher, helps and exhortation seem apparent to me. Explore his blog at Doxoblogy.

Matthew loves the opportunities God gives him to tell others the gospel of God’s love and His grace. My guess is, if your not saved, Matthew wishes you were - and he would love to tell you how to become a child of God today. If you are saved, he might encourage you to tell the good news too! Matthew's gifts include evangelist and exhortation and perhaps discernment. See what you think when you visit his blog at Dyspraxic Fundamentalist.

Bobby is a teacher. See if you can catch him at Devoted Life . Go prepared with an open mind and you will come away having learned more about our relationship with God.

Jodie is a teacher with the gift of mercy - read Hungry Six.

Just so you'll know, KC has the gift of helps. He's a good teacher, too. Click over to his blog here.

JRush has the gift of pastor/teacher - he is at Anvil and Fire.

Antonio is a teacher/exhorter with a passion for the lost. Though he is often misunderstood, he has a lot of content - he can be read here.

My bluecollar friend, Mark, IMHO is an exhorter. I may not always agree with his admonitions, but I am not ashamed to say he is my friend, no matter what! More importantly, he is my brother in Christ. You will find him at BlueCollar.

Jeff at Anti-Itch Meditation, if I am not mistaken, is a discerning pastor/teacher. He has written a book that is free for the taking (it's a gift). I've read it with much enjoyment and I recommend it to you.

Brian was last seen Leaving Oz for Yeshua and would like us all to grow For Love of God. He is a discerner and exhorter; am I wrong? If I am, he will let me know.

Loren is a brother in Christ who has the gift of pastor/teacher, beyond a doubt, in my mind, because he is a shepherd who is sensitive to the leading of our blessed Lord and offers a gentle answer to any one who asks for the reason of his hope. He has another gift too. It may surprise some that I feel this way. Although many say they recognize the gift of prophet, semantically, I would say he has the gift of exhortation. You should read his parable on The Sheep-dog.

I don’t know the Ibex Scribe, Angie, well enough to say what I think her gift/s are. Perhaps someone else can say.

Here are a few more. Can you identify their gift/s*?

Marc, Purgatorio

Daniel, Doulogos

Jonathan, From the Head of the Moor

Doug, He Knows

Jim, Faith Classics

Jeff, Think Sink

Nate, Freezing Cold Theology

Todd, USERNAMETODD

Gordon, Heavenly Heartburn

John, The Cutting Edge

I have been personally blessed and touched ... and at times challenged ... but feel I have grown because of these brothers and sisters in Christ and many, many others in Blogdom. This is how we grow up in the faith ... is it not? It is not my design; it is God's design. May we learn to praise Him for each of our imperfect brothers and sisters in Christ, and respect one another too as we disagree and learn - as we are challenged, stretched and blessed. Amen.

Other Examples: this is your turn to mention some. There are many others who I have not mentioned. Would you identify some for us too? Don't forget to link us to their site.

There will be one more post in conclusion of spiritual gifts.

*Click here for a guide to some gifts descriptions.

28 Comments:

Thanks for the link.

I've taken an "inventory of spiritual gifts" test at church a couple of times through the years; mine always came out as music and teaching.

By Jeff H, at 14/7/06 8:59 AM
John,

Amen John!!!!. Awesome post. If you are wondering about how it looks to others about you.

For you John I would say your gifts are pastor/teacher and minstering.

I also think Rose tends to definitely have the gift of teaching. I sure have benefited from both of you. The Lords blessing to your household.......

By Shawn, at 14/7/06 11:28 AM
By the way the gift of mercy is sweet to hear about. I always love to hear about those in the body who are given that gift. That reminds me to get together with my friend again who is in prison right now.

Isn't it interesting those on the blogdom tend to have very similar gifts after hearing what you say.

I pray for more evangelists and those with the gift of mercy alot lately. May God be glorified.

By Shawn, at 14/7/06 11:32 AM
John,
Yyou do have the gift of teaching and I am glad that you are willing to exercise it at our church coming up again in the fall. I look forward to that.
The body of Christ is a beautiful organism, fit together.

Shawn, those are relished comments. God bless. You are gifted with encouragement, wherever that falls in. :~)

By Rose~, at 14/7/06 12:40 PM
That is a great post. Thanks for the kind words.

Angie- probably Mercy, Exhortation and Helps.

God Bless

Matthew

By Matthew Celestine, at 14/7/06 1:09 PM
You're too kind. I thought my only gift was the gift of 'abasement'.

One of your gifts is definitely that of encouragement.

BTW, Good series. I've been reading along in my bloglines account.

By Jeremy Weaver, at 14/7/06 2:29 PM
Ditto to all these wonderful believers in our Lord.

You have a great blog. Both you and Terry Rayburn are of a sound mind. You two are very similar. Slightly differing in theology but close.

Terry has a great blog at Grace for life. Sometimes I think he is often overlooked. Just throwing him in their because I know this will be a popular post.

By Bhedr, at 14/7/06 7:47 PM
BTW, Brother. If you yourself was wondering...and I think you have done good to recognize everyone, but if you were wondering what lay at the heart of why I dropped some links...it was not for negative reasons. I felt that the ones I dropped already had a large following and are very profitable, but I have had a conviction that the ones like yours and Terry's are overlooked, yet are dripping with a great deal of Devotional content. I hope this is helpful to others understanding.

Exhorter? Not a natural gift, but perhaps it is being cultivated:-)

I think you are right on the discerner part, but oh the gift is a double edged sword that I must learn to be careful with. After all it belongs to God and he must teach us fools how to weild what belongs to him.

I like how Dr Jim Berg describes gifts on his series "Quieting a noisy Soul".

He said God is pouring His glory into Walmart zip-lock freezer bags when speaking of the verse in Corinthians, "We have this treasure in earthen vessels..."

By Bhedr, at 14/7/06 8:03 PM
John,

Just wanted to drop by and say hello!

Hello.

I hope all is going well with you, brother!

Antonio

By Antonio, at 14/7/06 8:49 PM
Rose,

Yes one of those.... ;-) I find the verses about "encouraging one another daily" to be so critical. I don't always do it though, but it does seem burned into my head.

By Shawn, at 14/7/06 11:48 PM
John, thanks for adding me to your list! I was a little bit surprised to see myself there. I can't say for certain what my gifts are, but lately I have been attempting to improve in the area of encouragement. About a year ago I was told by the coordinator of women's ministries at the church I was attending then that I would make a good Bible teacher, so maybe I've got the gift of teaching, but if I do it is as of yet undeveloped. I plan to change that soon!

Matthew, thanks for your thoughts on what my gifts might be. It is always interesting to hear what other people see in me!

By Angie, at 15/7/06 12:37 AM
BTW,

As far as Jonathan Moorheads gift...see if you can step back and see past the differance in his soteriology and Roses. If you can remove that from the table then I think you will discover that they have the same gift. I mistook it at one time as being taunting or pushing the envelope, but both of them have the ability to draw out a subject and bounce it against your presupositions and cause you to re-evaluate. I think it is unfortunate that many of us react against this negatively. Unfortunately I reacted against both, but in time it helped me see something. I did at one time myself. Actually JMoor and Rose's blog's are very similar if you ask me...but differ in view points. Step back and see if you can see this.

I wonder if anyone else has noticed this.

Even though I see things a little more like JMoor, it doesn't mean that Rose's points have gone un-noticed and both have been profitable in the blogisphere.

By Bhedr, at 15/7/06 10:24 AM
Brian that is a fascinating thought about JM and Rose~.

Yes, I think you are right, Brian.

God Bless

Matthew

By Matthew Celestine, at 15/7/06 10:40 AM
Hey Matthew,

We agree:-)

Take care brother and brethren and sisters...going on vacation to Bush Gardens and Williamsburg for the week.

By Bhedr, at 15/7/06 11:19 AM
Jeff,
It’s a pleasure to link you.

Teaching is such a great ability to develop for anyone; it is a special joy to those who have the spiritual gift of teaching.

I have a friend with the gift of exhortation, and helps, but he is willing and often uses those gifts to teach.

By J. Wendell, at 16/7/06 7:19 AM
Shawn, mercy fits.
I think you are right on, that’s you.

What a wonderful gift for a daddy and a teacher to have. I think those in blogdom have these gifts even before my mention of them. I hope others can recognize and appreciate the spiritual gifts in themselves in others too.

BTW I am glad to have found your blog at
THE GLORY OF GOD IN THE FACE OF CHRIST

Thanks for reading.

By J. Wendell, at 16/7/06 7:21 AM
Rose~
Thank you my sister… I think Shawn is on to something.

By J. Wendell, at 16/7/06 7:21 AM
Hi Matthew,
You’re welcome!

“Angie- probably Mercy, Exhortation and Helps.”

Thank you for mentioning that.

By J. Wendell, at 16/7/06 7:22 AM
Jeremy- I am not “TOO” kind, I am realistic. I am not trying to be sappy.

In turn thank you for your kind words.

I have a couple of questions for you: What is a bloglines account? And who gave you a basement? I want one.

By J. Wendell, at 16/7/06 7:23 AM
Brian, you are on your toes!

Thanks for the contribution you make.

Link. Links. Linkage. (if you get time, no worries)

Enjoy your vacation (holiday).

By J. Wendell, at 16/7/06 7:24 AM
And with you, Antonio.

By J. Wendell, at 16/7/06 7:25 AM
Angie, you are an encourager.

And what Matthew said!

Thanks reading!

By J. Wendell, at 16/7/06 7:25 AM
John, thanks for the link - and I like this post.

I think people are not only edified in hearing their gifting affirmed, but it is fun also seeing what people think.

Marc over at Purgatorio seems to be an hospitality,

Jim at Faith Classics strikes me as having an evangelical gifting, and perhaps a mercy as well.

this is your turn to mention some. There are many others who I have not mentioned. Would you identify some for us too? Don't forget to link us to their site.

I think David Kjos has the gift of discernment.

By Daniel, at 17/7/06 12:17 PM
Daniel~
Thank you for your assessments, and for those links.

By J. Wendell, at 17/7/06 6:04 PM
John,

Thanks for the honorable mention in your blog review.

Daniel,

Mercy gift? You don't know how funny that is bro? People who know me would just laugh if they heard that. But I appreciate the sentiment. Most people have nailed me as a black and white prophet type.

I would desire to be an evangelist, I think we all would love to bring more people to Christ. (oops, you know what I mean)

Brian,

I must say I agree with your assessment of JMoor. You have really a gift with analzying things.

God bless,
Jim

By Jim, at 19/7/06 12:51 AM
Jim,
Is there a gift of humor?

By J. Wendell, at 19/7/06 8:21 PM
John,

I imagine there is, although technically speaking it wouldn't fit into one of these nice little labels.

I really appreciate men who can preach with soberness as well as humor.

By Jim, at 19/7/06 10:02 PM
Is there a gift of provocation?
;~)

By Rose~, at 19/7/06 10:04 PM