In thinking through an approach to spiritual gifts I’m coming to the conclusion that our teaching in this area needs to be invitational and permission giving rather than prescriptive. Speaking with a number of people I’ve picked up a feeling of resistance to being told that “we should” or “we must”. That’s a bit of a challenge to preachers isn’t it.

So what does it look like when we inspire, motivate and give permission for people to express the spiritual gifts that God has given them? Do we need to start from a list? Inventories can be helpful in naming gifts that people had not recognised or valued. But in some cases it might be a case of starting with the stories of each person and discerning the ways in which God is gifting that person. We might in the process come up with a few spiritual gifts that have never made it onto any inventory.

Paul, in his writing in 1 Corinthians, seems to be encouraging the Christians of Corinth to value each others gifts. And so he deliberately lists gifts that may not have occurred to his readers. In introducing this topic in the Uniting Church its been fascinating to see the response to what we usually call the ‘supernatural’ or ‘spectacular’ gifts of miracles, healing, tongues, discernment of spirits, and capacity to ‘cast out spirits’. Uniting Church culture often discourages consideration of these gifts for fear of offending people with these “out-of-date” practices. I, however, am unapologetic about including them, as I believe that their inclusion is a learning point for us, helping us value those who are more comfortable with ‘charismatic’ or ‘pentecostal’ ministry and theology.