Wednesday 22 May 2013 

Last month, Michael Jensen wrote about spiritual gifts viewed in the light of Malcolm Gladwell’s theory of 10,000 hours practice leading to giftedness. Lee Burns gives a Pentecostal view of spiritual gifts.

One of the most influential revivals that birthed the Pentecostal movement at the turn of the 20th century was the “Azusa Street” revival. This occurred through the preaching of William J. Seymour. His teaching on Spirit Baptism with the evidence of speaking in unknown tongues became the foundational element in the classical Pentecostal movement at large.

In addition to the other major signs, such as healing and miracles that were evident throughout this revival, the most notable characteristic of the movement was its inclusive mutuality among the faith community. The New International Dictionary of Pentecostal and Charismatic Movements refers to the early Pentecostal movement as being a counter-cultural movement where “…men and women shared leadership responsibilities…The barrier between clergy and laity vanished, since participants believed that the endowment with spiritual power for ministry was intended to be received by all”.

Walter Hollenweger in his book Pentecostalism: Origins and Developments Worldwide notes that the early Pentecostal community “…witnessed the breakdown of barriers which normally divide people from one another: race class, gender, wealth, language, education, church affiliation and culture…” It is worth noting that the unity among believers across all social classes and the participation of each individual within the faith community was in itself a social/spiritual phenomenon. Congregational members were encouraged to participate by using both their natural gifts and their spiritual gifts in service for the edification of the saints.

In 1 Corinthians 12:1 Paul states, “Now, about spiritual gifts, brothers, I do not want you to be ignorant.” Throughout this letter, Paul was constantly addressing issues of dissension that had arisen among the community at Corinth. In chapter 12, he continues to address dissension with regards to the operation of spiritual gifts.

His concern was that certain individuals who were meant to be spiritual were in fact leveraging their Spirit-given abilities to attain superior status in the faith community. The issue here is not whether spiritual gifts exist and can be exercised by believers. The issue at hand for Paul was the misuse of these gifts that resulted in oppressive conduct. In other words, some were behaving in a worldly manner in their desire for individual status and recognition, as opposed to being spiritual and seeking inclusive mutuality and participation from the whole believing community.

In their worldliness, status was given for exercising certain spiritual gifts. Paul encourages the same congregation in 1 Corinthians 14 to participate in an orderly way when it comes to the exercising of spiritual gifts. The value of exercising spiritual gifts is for strengthening and edification of the community, not the individual’s status.

Spiritual gifts cultivate creativity, and in a strong faith community that creativity must be held in equal tension with order. Members can be released to exercise spiritual gifts when the need is necessary, whilst at the same time understanding that their primary function is to build mutual respect and equality in an orderly way amongst the community.

Paul’s first letter to the Corinthians still serves as a caution to every believer today. If the gifts that we have been blessed with become the source of our identity and not tools for building our communities, then the community will only suffer. If, however, individuals are able to exercise their spiritual gifts within the parameters of an ordered community, then their identity and value will be found in corporate reciprocity and not social status.

As displayed by the early Pentecostal community, exercising spiritual gifts in order to support and strengthen the body of Christ at large results in a dynamic faith community where individuals are encouraged to contribute and offer their gifts in service.

Lee Burns is Hills Campus Principal at Hillsong International Leadership College.