There are a lot of different and contradictory teachings on Spiritual gifts in the world wide church today. Here are some of the conclusions that I have come to in my study of Spiritual gifts over the years, and naturally I believe they are correct, though many of the differences between my view and others don’t really make that much difference.

– The church is repeatedly called the “Body of Christ” by the apostle Paul, and the people in the church who are believers each have a Spiritual gift or gifts, and they are a part of the body, either a foot, an ear, an eye, or whatever.

1 Corinthians 12:20-21 But now there are many members, but one body. And the eye cannot say to the hand, “I have no need of you”; or again the head to the feet, “I have no need of you.”

1 Corinthians 12:27 Now you are Christ’s body, and individually members of it.

– When all of the different body parts are functioning well the body is healthy.

– Often the individual body parts are not functioning, and the result is that the body will be sick or unhealthy, the church will not grow, reach the lost, or make disciples.

Ephesians 4:16 the proper working of each individual part, causes the growth of the body for the building up of itself in love.

– God decided what our gift would be and gave it to us, we don’t get to pick which one we want. It is our responsibility to discover what our giftedness is.

1 Corinthians 12:18 But now God has placed the members, each one of them, in the body, just as He desired.

1 Corinthians 12:11 But one and the same Spirit works all these things, distributing to each one individually just as He wills.

– Knowing the name of our gift isn’t important, but knowing what we do that seems to be blessed and used of God, empowered by God is what is important.

– I believe that we all are spiritual snowflakes, a unique person created by God to function and serve in a special way that will result in the growth of the body.

– When we are serving in the area of our giftedness we are empowered by the Spirit and we will feel energized and very joyful.

– There is no fast and easy way to discover your giftedness, but those who want to know and serve in the body will discover it.

– Serving, and functioning in the area of our giftedness is the only way to really live, and bear much fruit.

– God made me a teacher, and when I am teaching I sense His pleasure like nothing else I do.

– Everything makes me tired anymore at 75 years of age except for teaching, when I teach I am energized.