A twelve-lesson teacher manual on talent, the service gifts, the gifts of the Spirit, the equipping gifts, and the call of God. It aims to help every believer find his place of service and serve in love and order.
12 lessonsSmall group ready
Word · PDFTo read or download
Teachers, small group leaders, and pastorsWho it is for
"As each one has received a gift, minister it to one another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God."
1 Peter 4:10, NKJV
Overview
The Gifts of God teaches that every believer is a minister. Not every believer is a preacher, but every believer has something God gave him to serve others. The manual sets out four layers in a believer's life: talent, the service gifts of Romans 12, the gifts of the Spirit in 1 Corinthians 12, and the equipping gifts of Ephesians 4. It then shows how they all serve the call of God. It teaches that all of them come from one God, by grace.
The twelve lessons move in order. They begin with what ministry is, the four layers, and truths that govern every gift. They then study the seven service gifts, the nine gifts of the Spirit, and how love and order must govern all of them. The last lessons help a student find his shape, take his next step in serving, and understand the difference between gifting and calling. Lesson 12 is written for two sessions.
Every lesson follows the same plan. It defines the subject, says what it is and what it is not, names common mistakes, and prints the key Scripture in full from the NKJV. Each lesson has a teaching plan for a 60-minute session, leader notes, discussion questions with answer guides, and a close with four prompts: Receive, Respond, Release, and Rest.
It is written for the teacher, and suits pastors, small group leaders, and anyone who trains others. The Gift Discovery Profile at the back helps students notice where God's grace already flows. Lesson 11 describes one church's way of placing people in service, so teachers in other churches should keep the principles and use their own church's names and next steps.
Lessons
01What Is Ministry?Every believer is created, saved, called, and gifted to serve.In short. Ministry is using whatever God has given me to serve Him and meet the needs of others. It is not only for preachers, and it is not a way to earn a place with God. A disciple learns that he is a child of God first, and serves because he is His.
02The Gifts of God: Four Layers, One GiverTalent, service gifts, gifts of the Spirit, and equipping gifts.In short. A believer's life has four layers: talent, the service gifts of Romans 12, the gifts of the Spirit in 1 Corinthians 12, and the equipping gifts of Ephesians 4. They are not personality types, and they do not come from three different givers. The lesson aims to end comparing and to help a disciple ask what God has given him.
03Truths About the GiftsEight truths that govern every gift before we study any one.In short. Gifts are for others, they must not be buried, and each gift sees only part of the picture. Equal worth is not the same as equal weight, and a gift is not proof that a person is mature. A disciple learns to see himself as a steward, to value gifts unlike his own, and to watch his blind spots.
04Service Gifts I: Prophecy, Serving, TeachingThree ways grace flows through God's people.In short. Prophecy, serving, and teaching are ways grace makes believers serve, and each has healthy marks and watch-outs. They are not personality labels, and the gift of prophecy is not reading people or revealing hidden sin. A disciple notices where he already serves, and grows in love where his gift is weak.
05Service Gifts II: Exhorting, Giving, Administration, MercyFour more lanes, and the natural twin behind every lane.In short. Exhorting, giving, administration, and mercy are the last four service gifts, and Paul says how three of them must be done: with liberality, diligence, and cheerfulness. Each gift has a natural twin that looks the same but is only talent. A disciple learns that God cares how he serves, not only that he serves.
06Manifestation Gifts I: RevelationWord of wisdom, word of knowledge, and discerning of spirits.In short. The gifts of revelation are the Spirit showing a believer part of God's mind for a need, as He wills. They are not a right to expose people, and not every problem is a demon. A disciple learns what to do when God shows him something: pray first, check it, go through order, and act only in love.
07Manifestation Gifts II: PowerThe gift of faith, gifts of healings, and the working of miracles.In short. The power gifts are God's hands at work through believers, in the name of Jesus, for today. They are not formulas, and an unhealed person is not a person without faith. A disciple learns to pray for the sick in faith, never to blame the sick, and to trust God when the answer is wait.
08Manifestation Gifts III: UtteranceProphecy, different kinds of tongues, and interpretation.In short. Through the gifts of utterance God speaks to His church, and tongues have three uses: the initial sign of the Holy Ghost baptism, private prayer, and a public message. A personal word is not infallible, and it must be weighed with the Word and with counsel. A disciple learns to pray in the Spirit daily and to judge every word.
09Love and Order: How Every Gift Must OperateLove is the motive for every gift. Order is the setting.In short. Love is the motive for every gift, and order is the setting in which the gifts build the church. Order does not quench the Spirit, and a real gift does not excuse a wrong motive. A disciple learns to check his heart, control his spirit, and follow those who lead.
10Discovering My ShapeGifts, heart, abilities, personality, and experiences.In short. God shaped each person on purpose, and five things point to where he serves best: gifts, heart, abilities, personality, and experiences. These are clues to be tested by the Word, prayer, and counsel. They are not proof, and they are not an excuse to avoid serving elsewhere. A disciple learns that God wastes nothing, not even his pain.
11Serving Through the Local ChurchMinistry starts close to home and happens through the church.In short. Ministry is meant to happen through a local church, starting with the people closest to us. A gift does not give a right to a position, and a hard role is not always the wrong one. A disciple takes his next steps: join a small group, grow daily, complete his profile, and meet his equipper.
12The Equipping Gifts and the Call of GodGifting is what you can do. Calling is what you were sent to do.In short. The equipping gifts are people Christ gives to make others able, and calling comes at three levels: to Christ, to holiness, and to an assignment. Gifting is not calling, and calling is confirmed by the church, not announced by oneself. A disciple learns to walk in holiness, serve under authority, and release to others what he has received.
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