Spiritual Gifts: The UNIVERSALITY of gifts

How many people play the game?

It isn’t only ministers, pastors and those who work for the church who have received spiritual gifts. Rather every Christian has been given a gift which they should use ‘to serve others, faithfully administering God’s grace in its various forms.’ (1 Peter 4:10) Every Christian has a gift. Ministers must recognise this and use their own gifts to coach their people to use their gifts effectively to build up Christ’s body. Hence Ephesians 4:11-12,

It was he [Christ] who gave some to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to be evangelists, and some to be pastors and teachers, to prepare God’s people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up.

Who do the ‘works of service’? God’s people: You! Who prepares them? Their pastors and teachers (etc). Sometimes we tend to think that we are spectators watching and cheering a game played by the minister. But that is totally misguided. Ministers are coaches who train and prepare God’s people play the game: to love, to offer hospitality, to speak the story of Jesus and to serve others in gracious ways. Ministers are not the only ones playing the game. Sadly some ministers only spend their time coaching others, and don’t get in and play the game. Others are so busy playing the game that they forget they need to coach others. What we need are player-coaches.[1]

[This series on Spiritual Gifts belongs to the sermon titled 'Charisma (1 Peter 4:10)' which I preached at St Philips, York Street on Sunday night. You can downloaded it here or on the resource page.]

Spiritual Gifts

JI Packer writes ‘For centuries the churches assumed that only a minority of Christians (good clergy and some few others) had gifts for ministry, and they gave the whole subject of gifts small attention. Prior to the twentieth century, only one full-scale study of the gifts of the Spirit had been written in English, penned by the Puritan John Owen in 1679, 1680.’[1]

This week I will be writing a series of short pieces about our use of spiritual gifts in communities of faith. This series on Spiritual Gifts belongs to the sermon titled ‘Charisma (1 Peter 4:10)’ which I preached at St Philips, York Street on Sunday night. You can downloaded it here or on the resource page.

New Sermon: Charisma (1 Peter 4.10)

Last night I preached at St Philips on Spiritual Gifts (Charisma) from 1 Peter 4:10. You can find it on the resources page or below.

Charisma (1 Peter 4.10)
MP3 | St Philips, York Street (6PM) | 14 March 2010

Philippian Partnership #2

Click here to view the latest update.

The Missional Church… simple

Philippian Partnership

While sitting in a Roman prison, the apostle Paul wrote to the Philippians,

It was kind of you to share my trouble. And you Philippians yourselves know that in the beginning of the gospel, when I left Macedonia, no church entered into partnership with me in giving and receiving, except you only. Even in Thessalonica you sent me help for my needs once and again. (Philippians 4:14-16)

The Philippians were faithful and generous friends who repeatedly supported Paul in his rescue work of preaching and planting churches. Though poor themselves, they gave “beyond their means” and “overflowed in a wealth of generosity” (2 Corinthians 8:2-3). And when Paul landed in prison, they kept on supporting him. “Once and again” meant a lot to Paul. The Philippians loved Paul and believed in his mission, so through their faithful support they partnered with him to rescue others.

It is this kind of partnership I would like to invite you to join as I lead a team on mission between the City and Bondi. If you would like more information about our thinking and planning you can read more here. Otherwise I hope these monthly emails will enable you to prayerfully support us in mission.

A venue for our meetings

So far we have gathered a team of roughly 6 marrieds, 6 singles and 6 children who are excited to be on mission between the city and Bondi. Our plan for this year is to begin by planning, praying and studying culture and scripture. We will meet monthly until July, fortnightly until October, weekly until December, and then biweekly in 2011.

At present we have been meeting at the Surry Hills Neighbourhood Centre. The centre is located on Crown Street amidst designer stores, cafes, restaurants and pubs. The centre itself was designed by FJMT architects and City of Sydney, and “is a lavish architectural exercise in modernist eco-thinking, exotic materials and intricate detailing.” The venue reflects the kinds of people we hope to reach with the story of Jesus: ecologically sensitive and aesthetically attentive. It contains a function room which can accommodate 100 people seated theatre style, or 48 seated around 8 tables. Additionally there is also a separate meeting room in which we expect to run kids church, and a commercial kitchen.

During our meetings this year we will spend time planning, praying and dreaming of being the kind of church we see in Acts 2:42-47.

Please pray for us and let me know especially if your would like to be more involved in planting this church.

Living in Christ’s story

Toby Neal

(If you would like to sign up to join the Philippian Partnership click here and signup for the monthly emails.)

Living in Christ’s Story (sermon, essay, prayer)

I have posted a new sermon, essay and prayer on my Resources page.

Living in Christ’s Story (Faith & Hope) (1 Corinthians)
MP3 | Read | Summerfest Team Training | 4 January 2010

Cruciformity (The Theology of the Cross and the Christian Life in 1 Corinthians)
Read | Moore Theological College New Testament 3 | 2009

Prayer for Haiti
Read | St Phillips, York Street | 17 January 2010

Loneliness and God’s Story

Loneliness and God’s Story (Psalm 139) is a sermon I wrote a number of years ago and preached again recently at St Phillips, York Street. You can find it on my Resources page along with a number of other stuff I have shared in the past.

The Real and the Imitation Kingdom (in Revelation)

From Jesus’ Revelation to John:

Outcome

Seven Things To Do Before I Die

The Last Stand by ATAPLATA

There are exactly seven blessing/beatitudes in Revelation:

1. Read, hear and keep the words of John’s prophecy

Blessed is the one who reads aloud the words of this prophecy, and blessed are those who hear, and who keep what is written in it, for the time is near. (Revelation 1:3)

2. Die in the Lord

“Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on.” “Blessed indeed,” says the Spirit, “that they may rest from their labors, for their deeds follow them!” (Revelation 14:13)

3. Stay awake with my pants on

“Blessed is the one who stays awake, keeping his garments on, that he may not go about naked and be seen exposed!” (Revelation 16:15)

4. Accept the invitation to Jesus’  wedding feast

“Blessed are those who are invited to the marriage supper of the Lamb.” (Revelation 19:9)

5. Share in the first resurrection

Blessed and holy is the one who shares in the first resurrection! Over such the second death has no power. (Revelation 20:6)

6. Keep the words of John’s prophecy

“Blessed is the one who keeps the words of the prophecy of this book.” (Revelation 22:7)

7. Wash my robes in the blood of Jesus

Blessed are those who wash their robes, so that they may have the right to the tree of life and that they may enter the city by the gates. (Revelation 22:14)