"Pursue love, and earnestly desire the spiritual gifts" (1 Corinthians 14:1) Will you accept the challenge to earnestly pursue spiritual gifts? A practiced theology of God demands it. Discover how a pursuing love and spiritual gifts is actually a pursuit of God Himself!A Biblical perspective of the Holy Spirit's work through spiritual gifts will shift our expectations of what God will do in our lives, and what He wants to do through us. Discover how spiritual gifts in the church, by the Holy Spirit, is the extension of God's ways revealed in the Old Testament and the ministry of Jesus.With a deliberate pace, we will journey through the Old Testament to understand the ways of God, as well as review the ministry of Jesus on earth and discover that spiritual gifts by the Holy Spirit are part of the continual presentation of who God is, and how He works in the world.With simple clarity, each spiritual gift in 1 Corinthians 12:8-10 is introduced and defined, starting with an investigation of God's ways in the Old Testament and followed by insights gained from Jesus' ministry. With examples and teachings from the Book of Acts and various Epistles, we will illustrate each gift, intermixed with modern examples of God using His children to accomplish His plans though the gifts of the Holy Spirit.Dripping with Scripture, this book can be used in a group setting following the Faith in Action sections at the end of each chapter, or can be tackled individually for personal empowerment. Every chapter also ends with an Additional Resources section to spur further investigation into the various spiritual gifts of the Holy Spirit.Will you accept the challenge to earnestly pursue spiritual gifts? A practiced theology of God demands it. Pursuing love and spiritual gifts is actually a pursuit of God Himself. OUTLINE: Part I: Foundation in the Spirit1. Spirit & Truth2. Love & Power3. Power in the Church4. ImpartationPart II: Exploring the Gifts5. Prophecy6. Wisdom7. Words of Knowledge8. Discernment9. Healing10. Faith & Miracles11. Tongues & InterpretationDiscover the ways and nature of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit are all part of a connected story that results in the spiritual gifts being given to the church, and how we may partner with the ways of God.

What are spiritual gifts? Storms has spent several decades teaching on the topic of the spiritual gifts and equipping believers in the faithful practice of God's gifts. Yet there remains a great deal of confusion about the nature of the gifts and how they best function in the body of Christ. In this comprehensive guide to the spiritual gifts, Storms addresses the many bizarre and misleading interpretations while confronting the tendency to downplay the urgency of spiritual gifts for Christian living and ministry. He explains how spiritual gifts--both the more miraculous and the everyday--are given to build up the body of Christ. God has graciously provided these "manifestations of the Spirit" so that believers might encourage, edify, strengthen, instruct, and console one another, all with a view to an ever-increasing, incremental transformation into the image of Jesus Christ. Throughout this guide, Sam Storms unpacks the glorious truth that there is a supernatural and divine energy or power that fills and indwells the body and soul of every Christian believer. Understanding Spiritual Gifts is useful as a reference to address common questions about the gifts, but it also serves as a training manual for using and exercising the gifts in ministry. It is perfect for any individual or group who wants to grow in their understanding of spiritual gifts for today.

We love to share good news with the world—a great restaurant, a coveted promotion, a new baby—and that makes us evangelists for many things. So why don't we do the same with Jesus? Simply put, talking about Jesus is awkward. Yet when we brave the awkwardness, we see God work. Beau Crosetto helps us move out of our comfort zones and beyond the awkwardness to share the life-transforming power of God with others.

Written by an L. A. County homicide detective and former atheist, Cold-Case Christianity examines the claims of the New Testament using the skills and strategies of a hard-to-convince criminal investigator. Christianity could be defined as a “cold case”: it makes a claim about an event from the distant past for which there is little forensic evidence. In Cold-Case Christianity, J. Warner Wallace uses his nationally recognized skills as a homicide detective to look at the evidence and eyewitnesses behind Christian beliefs. Including gripping stories from his career and the visual techniques he developed in the courtroom, Wallace uses illustration to examine the powerful evidence that validates the claims of Christianity. A unique apologetic that speaks to readers’ intense interest in detective stories, Cold-Case Christianity inspires readers to have confidence in Christ as it prepares them to articulate the case for Christianity.

The Bible teaches us that we are to be filled with God's Spirit and that God's presence and grace is manifested among his people as they serve, love, and minister to one another. Yet some of the gifts that God offers to his people aren't commonly seen in many churches today. Gifts of prophecy, healing, tongues, and other supernatural gifts of God seem to be absent, and many Christians are unsure how to cultivate an atmosphere where God's Spirit can work while remaining committed to the foundational truth of God's Word. How can Christians pursue and implement the miraculous gifts of the Spirit without falling into fanatical excess and splitting the church in the process? In Practicing the Power, pastor and author Sam Storms offers practical steps to understanding and exercising spiritual gifts in a way that remains grounded in the word and centered in the gospel. With examples drawn from his forty years of ministry as a pastor and teachers, Storms offers a guidebook that can help pastors, elders, and church members understand what changes are needed to see God move in supernatural power and to guard against excess and abuse of the spiritual gifts. If you long to see God's Spirit move in your church and life, and aren't sure why that isn't happening or where to begin, this book is for you.

Foundational Teaching from a Charismatic Healing Minister and a Catholic Scholar International healing minister Randy Clark teams up with Mary Healy, a respected Catholic scholar, to show not only that the gifts of the Spirit still exist today, but that they are not optional; they are the necessary tools God has given for both building his Church and spreading the Gospel. With wisdom and practical insight, Clark and Healy walk you through biblical texts, dispel misconceptions, and show that there is an endless variety of gifts. They also show how the gifts are not just for a select few, but distributed freely by the Holy Spirit among believers. After laying this foundation, the authors reveal how you can activate the gifts in your own life and use them to benefit others. In this hurting world, you can give people more than just a message--you can help usher them into an encounter with God.

Are we following Jesus the wrong way? Do you ever wonder if maybe following Jesus has been a little too complicated? Like there are too many badges to earn or bridges to cross to be a disciple? What happens in many churches is very rarely discipleship. More often it is a nice religious service or class. It should be very concerning to us that we are not making disciples. If we can't even define what a disciple is and yet we have thousands of disciple-making ministries, shouldn't that at least cause us to question if we've actually defined the problem that discipleship is intended to solve? It seems like there is a different definition of discipleship for every Christian you talk to. If we can't even agree on a definition, is it any surprise that churches are creating disengaged Christians who can't answer basic questions of Christianity, don't seem to care about Christian ethics, and don't really seem to experience the presence of God? This book is an attempt to create a common definition based on one of the most foundational Christian doctrines--the Trinity--to help churches and people obey the command to make disciples.

Unwrapping God's gifts - wisdom, knowledge, faith, healing, miracles, prophecy, discernment of Spirits, tongues and interpretation of tongues. Concentrating on the nine gifts that the apostle Paul listed together in 1 Corinthians 12, Dr. Sam Storms gives readers a biblical introduction to the spiritual gifts that God bestows on every generation of believers. He combines a solid biblical foundation and practical advice with first-hand illustrations of these gifts in action. Spiritual gifts are nothing less than God himself in us, energizing our souls, imparting revelation to our minds infusing power in our wills, and working his sovereign and gracious purposes through us.

Are Miraculous Gifts for Today? takes you to the heart of one of the most dividing questions in the Church today: how are the Holy Spirit’s miracles at work among God's people now? Is he still actively giving the gifts of tongues, prophecy, and healing that fill the book of Acts? Is he driving out demons when Christians command them to flee? Or are these events confined to the time of the early church and the apostles? This volume of the Counterpoints series provides an impartial format for comparing the four main positions on present-day miracles (including the history and distinctions between the three positions that affirm miraculous gifts) with voice also given to a large sector of open-but-cautious evangelicals: Cessationist: there are no miraculous gifts of the Holy Spirit today. Pentecostal: gifts are intended for today, with certain nuances focused on baptism and speaking in tongues. Charismatic: gifts are intended for today and should be actively practiced. Third Wave: gifts are intended for today, with greater emphasis on baptism and less on tongues. This thought-provoking book will help Christians on every side of the miraculous gifts debate to better understand their own position and the positions of others. The Counterpoints series presents a comparison and critique of scholarly views on topics important to Christians that are both fair-minded and respectful of the biblical text. Each volume is a one-stop reference that allows readers to evaluate the different positions on a specific issue and form their own, educated opinion.

A practical guide and hands-on workbook, perfect for everyone who wants to develop their divine, supernatural giftings. Jolande discusses topics like, the power of healing, words of wisdom and encouragement; she dives into the topic of dreams and visions, as well as the various aspects of prophecy. She tells us about the supernatural gifts that have been made available for us to walk in and how we can use these to serve others in love. www.activatingyourspiritualgifts.com