Goal #4: Cultivate

Goal Four: CULTIVATE! Nurturing the spiritual gifts (1 Corinthians 12:1-7) of every individual, church, and agency.

Now about spiritual gifts, brothers, I do not want you to be ignorant. You know that when you were pagans, somehow or other you were influenced and led astray to mute idols. Therefore I tell you that no one who is speaking by the Spirit of God says, “Jesus be cursed,” and no one can say, “Jesus is Lord,” except by the Holy Spirit.

There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit. There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord. There are different kinds of working, but the same God works all of them in all men.

Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good [1 Corinthians 12:1-7 (niv)].

Spiritual gifts are the means by which God organizes his church. Church of God Ministries and its partners in transformation desire that all believers in the Church of God—clergy and laity—will discover their gifts and, with the blessing and direction of the Holy Spirit, be who their gifts call them to be. The Bible says that the Holy Spirit gives spiritual gifts to believers for the purpose of service in and with the Christian community. Every believer has at least one spiritual gift. All need to discover their gift and become involved in the ministry of the church—as the Corinthians passage says, “for the common good.”

The effective church is the church that teaches and helps the believers learn their gifts and then assigns them to the work of the church based on their gift.

Spiritual gifts revealed in the Scriptures and in the lives of Christians are a great demonstration of the power of God in otherwise weak men and women. As believers become better acquainted with their own spiritual gifts by study and experience, they will share Paul’s confession with growing assurance: “When I am weak, then I am strong” (2 Cor 12:10).

Church of God Ministries and its transformational partners desire that all—every individual, congregation, and agency—who travel under the banner of the Church of God reformation movement will discover who they are within the body of Christ, how they are gifted by the Spirit to serve the body and the Kingdom, and where their giftedness is best utilized.

Over the next years, these resources will be refreshed, more fully developed, and new resources will be added.

Resources:

Monograph and Study Guide on the Holy Spirit and Gifts.
Davey, Jim and Rick Winford. Feeling the Wind (The Ultimate Adventure Series). Warner Press, 2001. (Student handbook also available.) During these 14 weeks, students learn to allow the Holy Spirit to guide their decisions.
Newell, Arlo F. The Holy Spirit: Power to Be Like Jesus. Warner Press, 1996. For new Christians and mature believers needing the Spirit's blessing and guidance; good for personal as well as small group study.
Shumate, Charles and Sherrill Hayes. Discover Your Gifts. Board of Christian Education of the Church of God, 1990. This workbook will help you discover your spiritual gifts and use them faithfully; for individual and group study.
Stephenson, Andy. Discovering Your Gifts: Experiencing a Life of Power (based on Feeling the Wind by Davey and Winford. An inventory for young people based on the Discover Your Gifts resource.
Snedden, Brenda. Sermon: CULTIVATE! Nurturing the spiritual gifts of every individual, church, and agency. (audio, manuscript)
Preaching, Teaching, and Discussion Resources: CULTIVATE! Inspiration, guidance, and helps on how to preach and teach about Transformational Goal #4 can be found by clicking on this link. On the new page you will find a variety of resources written and developed by your fellow pastors and area administrators as they have, on their own, with their congregations, and with other pastors engaged in transforming the culture by being the body of Christ.