The Gifts of the Spirit – Teaching Plan
Key Thought: When we respond to the promptings of the Holy Spirit, He imparts gifts to each of us as He wills, to build up the body of Christ, serve the community, and glorify God.
1. Have a volunteer read I Corinthians 12:4-7,11.
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a. Ask class members to share a thought on what the most important point in this text is.
b. What is a spiritual gift? How is it different than a natural talent?
c. Personal Application : How can we recognize our spiritual gifts? Why is it so easy to overlook them? Share your thoughts.
d. Case Study : One of your relatives states: “What is the difference between the fruit of the Spirit and gifts of the Spirit? Should a Christian have both?” How would you respond to your relatives?
2. Have a volunteer read Ephesians 4:11,12.
a. Ask class members to share a short thought on what the most important point is in this passage.
b. What is the function of Spiritual gifts and how do they serve as a unifying force in the church?
c. Personal Application : What message can you take from the fact that different people have different gifts? Share your thoughts.
d. Case Study : One of your friends states, “I don’t have any gifts of the Spirit that I am aware of. I really am jealous of some people in the church who seem to have many gifts. But sometimes I think that I don’t like it that God has given them gifts and not me.” How would you respond to your friend?
3. Have a volunteer read Romans 12:3-8.
a. Ask class members to share a short thought on what the main idea of this text is.
b. What happens in a church when some members don’t use the gifts that God has given them?
c. Personal Application: What gifts do you believe God has bestowed in your church? Do you know your gifts? Do you use them? Share your thoughts.
d. Case Study : One of your neighbors states, “There are members of my church who have the gifts of prophecy, healing, and tongues. We look up to them, for God has used them richly. They are very proud of what God has given them.” How would you respond to your neighbor?
4. Have a volunteer read I John 4:1-3.
a. Ask class members to share a short thought on what the main idea of this text is.
b. The spirit of Antichrist denies that Jesus came in human flesh (Sarx) – human nature. Why is it important to believe Jesus came in the same flesh as we have?
c. Personal Application : How do we test the spirits and determine whether one is a true prophet or a false prophet? Share your thoughts.
d. Case Study : Think of one person who needs to hear a message from this week’s lesson. Tell the class what you plan to do this week to share with them.
Truth that is not lived, that is not imparted, loses its life-giving power, its healing virtue. Its blessings can be retained only as it is shared.”Ministry of Healing, p. 148).
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