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Gifts of Word

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Week 2 Study Guide

The body, like a church, is composed of many members that work together in different ways in a unified organism. No one part of the body carries its importance over another – all the parts in their various capacities are necessary for the proper functioning of the whole. The notion of gifts, underlines the varieties of activities in the church. All the gifts are understood as serving the unity of the body that exists to promote unity of faith and knowledge of the Son of God.

The gifts of word serve for the “building up” of the body of Christ, a coming “of the knowledge of the Son of God, to maturity” and to the full stature of Christ. The church, in this vision, is a true center for spiritual discipline and development. Maturing into the full stature of Christ is the call of every baptized Christian, and the church serves the fulfillment of this call.

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Answers to the blanks in the bulletin:

The gift of Apostleship set one apart as called out by God and sent to a specific people.
The gift of Prophecy calls one to instruct, warn, correct, and forecast the end result.
Evangelism is being able to communicate the gospel message through word and deed.
Pastoring is to use your abilities to sustain people on their journeys.
Teaching is having the ability to clearly explain and effectively apply the truth of Jesus Christ.
To offer Encouragement is to Comfort, Consolation, and Counsel.
The gift of Knowledge is the supernatural ability to bring together the teachings of God for people’s lives.
Wisdom is being in tune with the heart of God.

Ephesians 4:7-16
7 But grace was given to each one of us according to the measure of Christ’s gift. 8 Therefore it says “When he ascended on high he led a host of captives, and he gave gifts to men.”
9 In saying, “He ascended,” what does it mean but that he had also descended into the lower regions, the earth? 10 He who descended is the one who also ascended far above all the heavens, that he might fill all things. 11 And he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers, 12 to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, 13 until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ, 14 so that we may no longer be children, tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by craftiness in deceitful schemes. 15 Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ, 16 from whom the whole body, joined and held together by every joint with which it is equipped, when each part is working properly, makes the body grow so that it builds itself up in love.