1. Recommended but not Required Resources
2. Getting Started: How to Overview the Topic of Spiritual Gifts
A. How and Why? (See PowerPoint Slide)
B. Two Great Categories of Gifts (1 Peter 4:1-11)
C. Dictionaries, Encyclopedias, Indexes, and Lists
D. Theological/Commentary Resources
3. Working with Dictionaries, Encyclopedias, Indexes, and Lists
A. Example:
B. Expand Your Cross References
C. Key Terms: Searching Transliterations
D. Organization and Breakdown
E. Using Indexes & Lists
4. Preparation for In-depth Study
A. Making the List of Gifts
B. Defining the Gifts via Word Study & Concordance Searching
C. Determine the Purpose and Use of the Gifts: Who? How? Why?
5. How to Study the Gift Passages / Working with Commentaries
A. Identify the narrowest passage as possible (1 Corinthians 12:8), typically one verse
B. Focus on a key word (verb or major noun) and key associated terms, this is usually at the phrase level
C. Get a definition
D. Get key cross references
E. Seek out additional details from the exegetical commentaries (grammar, theological, textual, Historical, etc.)
F. Look for biblical examples and personal application for today
6. Examining God’s Gifts to Men: OT to NT
A. Old Testament
B. Jesus’s Earthly Ministry
C. Pentecost/Early Church
D. Post-Apostolic Age
E. Tribulation
F. Millennial Kingdom
G. Eternal State
7. What can we learn from the exercising of God’s Gifts
A. Authentication of Message and Messenger
B. Can’t be Bought or Sold
C. Can Be Faked
D. Not a sign of Salvation
E. Does not always Require Faith in God
8. Working Though the Cessation/Non- Cessation Views
A. Key Passage Search
B. Cessation & Non-Cessation Authors and Arguments
C. Which gifts are being contested?
D. What, if any, are the Biblical Parameters?
E. How to test/authenticate a gift
F. Is there an end to the gifts? Yes! 1 Corinthians 13:8
9. How to discover and grow your spiritual gifts
A. Recognize you have at least one gift
B. Recognize the purpose and motive for the spiritual gifts
C. Make Yourself Available, in Prayer and in Practice
D. Examine your context, circumstances, natural abilities, resources, and talents
E. Examine your desires and motives
F. Explore by serving the needs of others and cultivating and developing your spiritual gift(s)
G. Test and Examine Your Effectiveness
H. Exercise the Gift Regularly, Do not Neglect the Gift
H. Study the Word
I. Grow in Holiness and Turn from Sin