Gifts

I'm not sure what your particular church background was like, but most people are used to a certain style and focus of church services. Some focus on God as Father, with high ceilings and stained glass windows. The picture of God always inspires awe and reverence. Others focus more on the son. In these churches, people often think of God as a friend or brother. Still other churches focus on God as Spirit. They like to think of God as being everywhere, dwelling within us, and even giving us gifts.

When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place. Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting. They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them. (Acts 2:1-4 NIV)

Perhaps one of the greatest challenges with Spirit-filled churches, in comparison to other Father or Son focused churches, surrounds our understanding of Spiritual gifts. This is because gifts are discussed throughout the Bible, but people have a hard time accepting that they are real. Some won't accept that they were real back then. Others have no problem with God giving gifts in the past. They just don't think God does that still today.

Now for some time a man named Simon had practiced sorcery in the city and amazed all the people of Samaria. He boasted that he was someone great, and all the people, both high and low, gave him their attention and exclaimed, "This man is rightly called the Great Power of God." They followed him because he had amazed them for a long time with his sorcery. (Acts 8:9-11 NIV)

The other problem that comes up regularly is the concern that emotional Spirit-filled churches are actually led by shysters and crooks who are really just trying to steal people's money. They consider emotionally charged church services similar to Simon the sorcerer. The crowds are gathering and Simon, the logic goes, is performing magic tricks and illusions just to get their money.

So how about you? What do you think about when you hear the term "Gifts" in relation to God's Spirit? Are you worshipful? Are you skeptical? Do you trust that God gives good gifts?