One of the problems we have with spiritual gifts is that when we have a spiritual gift, we naturally think that our spiritual gift is the primary one. You can get famous writing a book about your spiritual gift. Preachers do it all the time. They get something going in their church that flows from their ministry, something that God has taught them. They then go on to write a book about it and say that every church should be like theirs. And then, all across America, and sometimes across the world, there are preachers frustrated with their congregations, and more often congregations frustrated with their preachers about why the church is not doing things in a certain way. They look to a particular approach or model and think that maybe that is the answer. So they try to use that for a while, but it does not work well because it does not fit. And then there is another preacher who is writing a book about his spiritual gift and how it functions in his church. They say, “Well, maybe that’s the answer,” and try something else.
That is not what Paul is saying. Instead, God gives different gifts to different people, and somehow in the providence of God those various gifts work together to produce a healthy whole, which is the church of Jesus Christ. People have different gifts, and you need each one if the church is to function well. That is why the church must function together as the church. If you get a situation in which one or two people or, worse yet, just the minister does it all, then you have an unhealthy church. You have a one-sided church. You have a church that is not going to thrive. Now, sometimes that is the minister’s fault. He says that because he is the minister he is going to do it. Sometimes it is the people’s fault. They say, “Hey, you’re the minister. You do it. Why should we do it?” Both cases are wrong. Churches are working effectively when you have the kind of diversity that I believe we see here.
You need that in denominations. People in denominations have different gifts. Different churches have unique ministries, and they need to be balanced off against others. You even need it between countries because there are things happening in the churches in Africa that we need to learn about. Likewise, there are things happening in the churches in South America, Central America, China, and other places. Paul is saying when he talks about these different gifts that there are many gifts, and they are all necessary.
How many gifts are there? Paul has two lists here in chapter 12. There is one list in verses 7 through 11, which have nine gifts. And then at the end, in verses 27 through 30, there are also nine gifts. But guess what? They are not all the same nine. It is his way of saying that there are all kinds of gifts. There are three other passages in Scripture that also list gifts in a formal way: Ephesians 4:11; Romans 12:6-8; and 1 Peter 4:11. When I counted them I came up with nineteen gifts altogether. But not one of the lists is identical with the other lists. Sometimes the gifts are inverted. Sometimes you sense that different language is being used to describe the same thing. It is just a way of saying there are many gifts.
So, if you are concerned about your gift, and thinking about what it is, the place to start is with these lists. Look over them and ask yourself what gift you have. Pray and ask God to show you what your gift is. And when you come to know this, remember that your gift is needed in the particular church where you are.
