Grace Fellowship Church Pastor / Teacher James H. Rickard Thursday, April 24, 2008

Memory Verse 1 John 1:9, “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”

The Upper Room Discourse John 13-16; John 13:16, Servant-hood, Pt.15

Doctrine of DOULOS Slave, Servant

G. The DOULOS must exercise his spiritual gift.

Doctrine of Spiritual Gifts

1. The Source of Spiritual Gifts. All three members of the Trinity are the source of spiritual gifts.

2. There are two categories of Spiritual Gifts. a. Temporary b. Permanent

3. The function of Spiritual Gifts.

4. The team concept of Spiritual Gifts.

5. The Relationship between Spiritual Gifts and Ministry / Service. a. Spiritual Gift b. General Service c. Specific Service

6. Determining your Spiritual Gift on the basis of your specific ministry, and not that of other believers.

7. Ministry as a Family.

Unfortunately, "ministry" has often been a destructive force to family life and the family unit because of individual over zealousness.

In those cases they neglect the more voluminous commands in scripture regarding general service related to their family. Eph 5:21-6:4; Col 3:12-20

Family is one of the four divine institutions from God for the freedom and protection of mankind. (Volition, Marriage, Family, Nationalism)

God gave Eve to Adam as his helpmate, (Gen 2:18), to complement her husband's ministry, rather than competing with him for ministry.

1 Cor 16:15, “Now I urge you, brethren (you know the household of Stephanas, that they were the first fruits of Achaia, and that they have devoted themselves for ministry to the saints).”

Consider your ministry as a family where your wife or husband and children can be a part of it and not resent it.

8. All Spiritual Gifts function in maximum effectiveness under spiritual adulthood, beginning at Spiritual Self-Esteem.

Regardless of spiritual growth, no spiritual gift can function apart from the filling of the Holy Spirit. Eph 5:18; Gal 5:16

When you have mastered the functions of virtue-love then your gift will function to the maximum.

Virtue-love includes personal love for God the Father, impersonal and unconditional love for all mankind, and occupation with the person of Jesus Christ.

Spectacular spiritual gifts do not imply spiritual growth, superior Christian experience, or Christian greatness.

Greatness comes by advancing to spiritual maturity and becoming an invisible hero.

When the believer has momentum inside the Plan of God, their gift starts to excel and maximum function occurs in spiritual adulthood.

9. The Permanent Spiritual Gifts in comparison to General Service.

Temporary gifts have ceased with the completion of the Cannon of Scripture. 1 Cor 13:8-10

With each specific permanent gift, scripture indicates that the function is also part of the General Service for those who do not have the gift.

PASTOR-TEACHER (POIMEN-DIDASKALOS) Shepherd and Teacher

Permanent Gift: Rom 12:7; 1 Cor 12:28; Eph 4:11-16; 1 Tim 3:1-7; 1 Peter 5:1-3; John 21:15- 17; Acts 18:24-28.

Pastor-Teacher is one gift having the supernatural ability to teach and to individually apply the truths of the Scriptures.

Grace Fellowship Church Thursday, April 24, 2008 Tape # Servanthood, Part 15 The DOULOS Must Exercise his Spiritual Gifts, Part 5 Upper Room Discourse, Pt 171 John 13:16; Eph 5:21-6:4; Col 3:12-20; 1 Cor 16:15 James H. Rickard Bible Ministries 2008