8. Gifts Empowered by the Holy Spirit (part 1)

Sees spiritual gifts as specialized Spirit-empowered abilities designed to build up the Church and expand the Kingdom. Notes similarities to and distinctions between God-given talents and spiritual gifts, and reviews Jesus' Parable of the Talents (Matthew 25:14-30). Notes that gifts are given according to grace, not merit, examines the purposes of the gifts (Ephesians 4:12-13; 1 Corinthians 12:7), and the debate between cessationism vs. continuationism. Then examines the five gifts in Ephesians 4:11 -- apostle, prophet, evangelist, pastor, and teacher.