_Holy Spirit // 4: Gifts discovered
stuart | January 26, 2012
Well, last week our cell group met again. After a quick recap on some common opinions held about the gifts of the Holy Spirit we swiftly moved on to get to what I’ve been looking forward to for a while - an exercise to help explore/discover how God may have gifted us, by his Holy Spirit.
An online survey was used…it was one of many available, so by no means the only, the best or even the most accurate help in determining how God may have gifted us. But, nonetheless very interesting…
Mobile devices in hand, everyone logged in and set off answering the direct, personal questions. By the way - technology is super when harnessed effectively. 5 years ago I’d have had to hand out about 10 sheets of paper per person!
Slowly but surely each person finished up and waited for the ‘results’. After taking time to read and digest what came through people started to share what had been identified as their primary spiritual gifts. Discussion began on what had discovered. Overall I believe there was an atmosphere of affirmation as God was affirming in us how he has gifted us. Yes, there were a couple of pleasant surprises but many discovered things that they perhaps already recognised somewhere deep within. But certainly there was a sense that God was using this to ‘connect some dots’. I felt a positive atmosphere in the room. The Holy Spirit at work…
From here? Well, I hope that this group of already dynamic young adults is able to reflect on what God has revealed, that they grow in confidence in the Holy Spirit and go on to become even more dynamic in him.
My question is this? Is the church all too often operating under power, sometimes even appearing to be ineffective in this world? I believe it is. Could this be, for this particularly group of Jesus followers, an awakening within? In anticipation, I really hope so.
OK. I turned on my computer this morning to do some work and stumbled across a youth ministry website that provides the names of literally thousands of youth groups. The following is just a small sample of those under the letter ‘A’. Hilarious.
I thought I would be better at keeping up with this! Anyways…let me update you with where we have got to with our study on the person and work of the Holy Spirit…
Last night we had our second cell group on the Holy Spirit - ‘Meet the Holy Spirit’ was the title of the session. This morning I’m trying to gather my thoughts about what we discussed…to say I feel challenged, stretched, out of my depth even, would all be fairly accurate. This is challenging stuff. Something within me also feels that it’s hugely significant for us. I love the group itself - all late teens/early twenties - those who I believe will be the ’shapers’ of days to come. A privilege to be amongst them…
I’m not long back from New Horizon where I was part of team Engage who had the responsibility of ministering to a group of over 100 young people each day aged 13-14.
Well…here are 3 of the lads who are down in Dublin (think Neil, the fourth member of the quartet is on the phone!) We have officially begun our Masters in Applied Theology at the Irish Bible Institute. The module this week is ‘Enabling Leadership’. This has been great so far…challenging, exciting, a bit tiring (not used to all this study again)…and lots and lots of reading and thinking!!!
Our hearts and prayers are with the family, friends and all connected with Ben Robinson this week. So sad, so tragic. So many questions…without answers. So much that we just don’t understand. Ben’s death will also have opened wounds of loss in the lives of others who have also lost loved ones…maybe even in their prime of life too. Two things I’ve wrestled with all week: 1 - while on earth we will never be able to understand and answer ‘why’ these things happen; 2 - I just know, deep inside, that the only place to turn (other than supportive friends/family) is to trust deeply in our God,who’s promises for us still remain…
This Christmas, think about the wonderful truth that we worship God Incarnate - that God would become man, that he would come to our Earth to make a way for us. This amazing Truth needs our attention not just at Christmas but always! Let this thought encourage you to worship God Incarnate this Christmas and into the year ahead. Read these amazing words of Don Carson and simply worship…





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