The gifts of the Spirit have nothing to do with personal ambition or career orientation. They are not given to build individual reputations, to warrant superior positions in the local church, or to demonstrate spiritual advancement. They are not trophies, but tools...tools for touching and blessing others.

The prophet Joel foretold it (Joel 2: 28). Christ reminded His disciples it was coming (Acts 1: 8). And on the day of Pentecost, the prophecies and promises were finally fulfilled: a generous bestowal of the gifts of the Holy Spirit, marking a new dispensation of God's dealing with humanity. Since then God has been at work in the Church, manifesting Himself through the gifts of the Spirit. The purpose of spiritual gifts is the common good of the Church (1 Cor. 12: 7).

In 1 Corinthians 12: 8-12, Paul names some of the spiritual gifts that God distributes: words of wisdom, words of knowledge, faith, gifts of healing, miraculous powers, prophecy, the ability to distinguish between spirits, tongues and interpretation of tongues. Many of us have been taught that this list refers to a one-time, permanent endowment for each person.

GRACELETS
But I believe that Paul is not talking here about a dispensing of permanently held spiritual gifts. He is talking about passing touches of the Spirit at different times in different settings. Russell Spittler of Fuller Seminary calls them "gracelets. " I like that name. It implies that these are little expressions of God's grace. They come and they go, like fragrant flowers that open and close. In fact, they can come and go in milliseconds. One time a certain gift goes to one person. At another time it goes to another person. At any given time a person could minister in prophecy, in tongues, in healing, or in some other form of blessing for the good of others. That would be hard to accomplish in a church where most members are expected to be passive observers.

These are delicate nuances in our relationship with God, and we have to be sensitive enough to respond to them. If we do not, we will never learn to move in the power of the Holy Spirit.

Paul does not give the impression that in the Christian life some people are players and others are spectators. Christians are all players. Some of us might prefer to be spectators because it is safer just to watch. Sometimes it can be fun to watch because it is a good chance to criticize others. It is easier to be a spectator than a participant. But Paul does not give us that option. He indicates that everyone is to participate.

The Spirit touches all of us in certain ways at various times, but most of us either have not known that or have not known what to do with it. Thus, many of us have experienced a moving of the Spirit and have suppressed it. For example, when we are suddenly able to apply Scripture to the private life of someone we are talking with, that ability is a spiritual gift. When we walk into a room and suddenly know secret facts about people in the room, that knowledge is a spiritual gift. This is how gifts work. They are manifestations of the Spirit that come on us and work through us. We may not have names for all the gifts, but we can see them functioning.

All of us have had a few of these experiences, and we could have more of them if we were encouraged to have them. If we ask for the gifts and seek them, as the Scripture tells us to do, we will get more of them.

One thing that may have prevented us from asking for the gifts is that we have been taught that they are related to personality traits. For example, if a person is always happy, he might be told that his spiritual gift is to be an encourager like Barnabas. Yet some of the best encouragers I know have not been particularly outgoing or positive people. God does give us our unique personalities, so they are, in that sense, gifts from God. But spiritual gifts as I am discussing them are independent of personality traits.

The manifestation of the Spirit is not supposed to be the exception; it is supposed to be the norm. To how many of us does God give spiritual gifts? "To everyone. " Someone might think, "Not to me. What Paul is talking about hasn't ever happened to me." My answer is "Yes it has! You just didn't have the theology, the practice, or the encouragement to recognize it and respond."

Most of us, frankly, are just too dull and lethargic about our Christian witness and responsibility to be able to release the gifts. Furthermore, many of us are ignorant about spiritual gifts simply because we have not received biblical teaching about them and have not seen healthy examples of them (1 Cor. 12: 1). It is part of the job of apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors and teachers to encourage and prod the church to operate in the gifts. In many places today the Church is being encouraged and equipped to release the spiritual gifts.

ROLE, GIFT AND MINISTRY
As a young convert, I was often told that I was an evangelist because I led so many people to Christ. But I did not understand about gifts and ministry, and so I denied that I was an evangelist. "Don't you lead people to Christ?" I was asked. "Yes...but I thought we were all supposed to do that."

I led people to Christ because I thought that witnessing was my duty. But my duty became my passion, and my passion became my ministry. For the first ten years after I became a Christian, evangelizing people was the focal point of my life. Because this is what I was actually doing over and over, it became my ministry. The Spirit bestows a gift and provides the occasions and opportunities for its use: then the repeated use of the gift creates a ministry.

Sheer effort of will often produces works that are naturally good. For example, many people are truly hospitable: generous, warm, kind and considerate. Their hospitality is a blessing. I think of this as a role that all of us are called too. Everyone should anticipate serving in any and all ways, and we should anticipate any and all "gracelets" of the Holy Spirit as we go. So, for example, in our hospitality we may receive a prophetic insight into someone's life and offer it to him or her.

But there are others who have an actual spiritual gift of hospitality, an anointing of the Spirit that causes us to leave their homes refreshed spiritually as well as physically. Each of us is likely to discern some area where we characteristically experience particular fruitfulness and unction.

In time a gift evolves into a ministry. So, regarding hospitality, if they exercise hospitality frequently, they soon have the ministry of hospitality. A ministry may or may not be accompanied by formal recognition from church leadership. But that is not crucial. Why? Because our focus is on service to others.

So there is a role, a gift and a ministry. One can lead to the next, and there is no sharp line of distinction between them.

Like hospitality, intercessory prayer can be a role, a gift or a ministry. Most of us pray for others as a matter of course, as part of our Christian life. But sometimes there is a supernatural unction, an anointing, that comes upon us to pray for someone in particular. That is the gift of intercessory prayer. A habitual exercise of that gift produces the ministry of intercessory prayer.

Paul has more to say about those who are called to a specific ministry: "Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it. And in the church God has appointed first of all apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then workers of miracles, also those having gifts of healing, those able to help others, those with gifts of administration, and those speaking in different kinds of tongues. Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Do all work miracles? Do all have gifts of healing? Do all speak in tongues? Do all interpret? But eagerly desire the greater gifts." (1 Cor. 12: 27-31).

I see a distinction between spiritual gifts and ministries. When Paul asks if all are apostles, prophets, teachers and miracle workers, his answer is obviously no. This passage has often been misinterpreted and understood to be placing a limitation on the abundance of gifts. But I now see that these verses are Paul's word about church ministries. There should be people in each church appointed by God for these specific ministries.

For example, if an outstanding work of power takes place in one of the gatherings in our church, I can usually guess that one of five or six particular members happened to be praying for the person who received the miracle. These are the people in our church who have the ministry of miraculous powers. That is not to say that they walk around with miracles in their pockets. It is not a matter of aptitude. But while they are praying for people with coughs or backaches or other common ailments, they might come to someone with a far more significant problem - such as cancer or heart disease- and that disorder might be healed. We consider that a miracle.

It is the same when it comes to teaching. Some people seem to be called by God to teach, and they have that ministry. In contrast, there are many people who simply take on the role of teaching, do their duty, and do a good job. Not every competent teacher has the ministry of teaching. When those with the gift teach often enough, they have the ministry of teaching. It takes time before the gift of teaching matures and becomes a ministry in the church.

Spiritual gifts are for use anywhere and anytime - in the streets, marketplace, home, and of course, in the church.

In a given church body, everyone can partake of the array of spiritual gifts...then members are also called into particular ministries. Not everyone in a local church will be called to the ministry of evangelism, but a number of people will (Eph. 4: 11). Not everyone in a local church will be called to the ministry of healing the sick, but a portion will, and they may function in teams and ministry groups (1 Cor. 12: 30). Not everyone in a church will be called to teach, but some will (Eph. 4: 11; 1 Cor. 12: 29). Everyone has a place of service. We eagerly desire the spiritual gifts and are willing to move on into whatever ministries God wants for us. Where churches are coming into this kind of maturity, they are having an increasing influence on the surrounding community.

The gifts of the Spirit are not trophies, talents, traits or toys. The gifts of the Spirit are God's supernatural expressions of love, caring, kindness, healing and concern...bestowed upon us and through us.

The above article was adapted from Power Points by John Wimber and Kevin Springer (Harper Collins Publisher) and was first published in Equipping the Saints, Val. 7, No 4 / Fall 1993. Used by permission.