Arrivals and Departures: The Church as an Airport Jon Wright 9 th Jan 2005

Departure does not have to mean ‘The End’ People depart from Churches to new places / positions, sometimes happily and sometimes without the blessing of the Pastor Sometimes people come back but perhaps to a different position They can leave holes behind them One man’s hole is another’s opportunity!

Departure and Arrival are often linked together Arrival can be someone moving between Churches - they arrive in the new Church - perhaps to do something different there Arrival can mean someone in the Church steps up to take the position that has been left as a hole Arrival can mean someone taking a new position where before there was none

Arrivals and Departures: Free Gifts from God to help in Arrival God has gifts for each and every person - John 3:16 for example promises the gift of life God has gifts that are given to individuals - Rom 12:6-8 (prophecy, serving, teaching, encouraging, leading, showing mercy etc), 1Cor 12:7-10 (wisdom, healing, discernment, tongues, etc) Different Christians are given different gifts as different parts of the Church - Eph 4:11 (five-fold: apostle, prophet, evangelist, pastor, teacher)

Gifts are given for the benefit of the Church not the individual Parable of the Talents - Matt 25:14-30 (two servants invest their 5 and 2 talents and are commended, the third servant hides his 1 talent instead and is throw outside) Gifts are like seeds, they need to develop, be cared for Gifts can be taken back if not used, or not used correctly

Use of Gifts - 1 Cor They are to be used in love They are for the profit of the Church not the individual Gifts and talents are different things, a talented piano player is not a worship leader. Talents are what a person can do themselves, a gift is what God can do in and through one of his children However a gift often requires work on the part of the person - Noah’s preservation was a gift from God but he had to build the ark himself!

Abuse of a Gift - will result in the loss of the Gift. The parable of the talents shows that God will take a gift back. Abuse of a gift can also affect others, for example, the gift of speaking in tongues when not used in love will sound like a resounding gong or clanging symbol - 1 Cor 13:1. This will drive people away and also prevent others from using their gifts in love.

Some people never accept or ask for gifts because of self-doubt Satan is the great deceiver, if at all possible he will make you doubt that God has gifts for you He may already seed the doubt years before you even realize that there may be a gift Example, a teacher may have told you that you are not good at a subject, so you avoid any ministry related to subject. However this is FALSE, gifts are what God does through you not what you do on your own.

God is the God of 2 nd Chances If we repent from not using/accepting or misusing a gift that God may have taken away then God will forgive us and the gift may be given/returned. However this must be repentance and not self-pity We must not use God forgiveness as a license to misuse gifts.

Earnestly Desire The Greater Gifts - 1 Cor 12:31 If you want real joy, ask God want he wants to see in your life and then ask Him for it Seek the gift through which you can best meet the needs of others - 1 Cor 12:13-31 Seek the gift through which you can best manifest God’s love - 1 Cor 13 Seek the gift through which you can best edify (build-up) the body of Christ - 1 Cor 14

Summary - God is in Control Departures from the Church means opportunities for others (inside and outside the Church) to arrive God has an abundance of gifts which operate through his children for the benefit of the Church Gifts lost through misuse/nonuse can return Earnestly seek the best gifts!