Today’s Question: How do you handle spiritual gifts in a service?

(This question originally aired on January 22, 2008)

Pentecostal Community needs to be discussed.  Here is the simple outline from last night.  I hope it spurs conversation in Chi Alpha & in us.

What does it mean to be a “pentecostal” community?

We must be in community. (Deut 16: 11; Acts 2:1)

To be “in” community you must?
1. have like heart
2. have shared burdens
3. have joint commitment

We must be inclusive (Deut 16:11; Acts 1:13-14)

We must be missional

A Missional Community:
1. Has clear purpose. (John 21:3; Acts 3:6-8)

2.  Brings healing to their community.

3. Is culturally relevant.  (Acts 2:12-13)

4. Remains externally focused.  (Acts 2:14-21)

If you love people who are postmodern creatives, then you need to add this lesson to your to do list.  Cultural Creatives are the idea generators that are changing our culture.  They drive the throughts behind the technology that is driving the mad dash of the metamorphases of cuture.

These creatives are pooling in areas in our country.  They are gathering in cities like San Fransisco, Seattle, Austin, and Raleigh/Durham.

Here is a link to Earl Crep’s Podcast: http://earlcreps.libsyn.com/index.php?post_id=278911#

I have setup an account at twitter named: truelifeprayer.  If you want to be a part of this team: You can setup a twitter account, and start following truelifeprayer.

We will also be meeting once a month for a time of encouragment and prayer togther.  I will be talking more about this on Sunday.  My goal of this team is to challenge each other to build a Biblical life of prayer by having a lifestyle that is continuously praying.

How will I be using the twitter prayer team?

I will not be updating you with everything I am doing in a day.  (I just refilled my third cup of coffee on this Monday, but the twitter prayer team is not for updating that info).

Truelifeprayer will be twittering things like:

• Mark is about to  study for Sunday’s Message.  Please pray for God’s wisdom.
• John Doe’s gradma was hurt.  Please pray for healing.
• Pray for the lost in Brier Creek today.

Here is a video that walks through Twitter:

The two colleges have put an incredible number of missionaries on the world’s soil along with countless pastors & churches, and for one game a year you would think it was the ultimate battle of good vs. evil. One season I heard our pentecostal fans chanting, “We have the Spirit; We have him more; We have the Spirit, ACTS 2:4″. The non-pentecostal BBC put their fingers between their lips and babbled back, “Dubba, Dubba, Dubba”.

Looking back, I am laughing at both of our foolishness. The Pentecostals do not have more of the spirit than non-pentecostals. By stating we have more of the Spirit, we are propagating the same division that was found in Corinth.

“I always thank God for you because of his grace given you in Christ Jesus. 5For in him you have been enriched in every way—in all your speaking and in all your knowledge— 6because our testimony about Christ was confirmed in you. 7Therefore you do not lack any spiritual gift as you eagerly wait for our Lord Jesus Christ to be revealed. 8He will keep you strong to the end, so that you will be blameless on the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. 9God, who has called you into fellowship with his Son Jesus Christ our Lord, is faithful. ”
(I Corinthians 1:4-9, emphasis mine)

Christ is enough to keep you strong until the end. You do not lack any spiritual gifts. All the spiritual gifts are available to the follower of Christ.

The Baptism in the Holy Spirit is not a bridge to your spiritual gifts. All the gifts (including tongues and interpretation) are given to the believer at the time of his/her conversion and are developed over time. If you are a believer, you have spiritual gifts, and it is the role of the body of Christ to help you discover those gifts. (See I Cor 12-14)

The Baptism in the Holy Spirit is an empowerment to live missional lives in extraordinary ways (Acts 1:4-8). While the initial physical evidence of the Baptism in the Holy Spirit in the book of Acts was speaking in tongues, the ongoing evidence in the book of Acts was evangelism.

I want to let you know that my Pentecostal Doctrine is still forming because I think it should be. I welcome your questions and your thoughts.  I believe that God has equipped me with a unique voice to speak into the lives of “Emerging Pentecostals”.  This is a new breed of Christ followers that does not see the Baptism in the Holy Spirit as being a mark of God’s approval, but a mandate to martyrdom. (A Complete losing of self)

P.S. For all you pointy-headed theologians like me, here is a pdf  that I really enjoyed reading entitled, “Historical Perspective of the Baptism in the Holy-Spirit.” by Shane Clifton of Southern Cross College in Ausralia.

Historical Perspective on the Baptism in the Holy Spirit

My good friend Blaine and Kelly Hamilton emailed this to me.  I love to read papers like this. So, if you find something good send it my way.  Thanks Blaine and Kelly. (Blaine and Kelly are both true pentecostal theologians and have a great voice into the emerging pentecostal doctrine).

So here is my new chant: “I need the Spirit, I need