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How This Ministry Came About In
1998, I found myself teaching a Sunday School class on Spiritual Gifts. It was a
topic that was fairly new to me and I did a lot of preparation and reading to be
able to teach it. At the time, it was just another topic to teach, something
suggested by one of the class members.
I was was unprepared for the impact that this
study would have on the class members and on my own life. As the class went
through the gifts one by one, each member discovered important things about how
God had gifted them specifically to do his work. In short, it brought us all a
clarity about our purpose in life, work, and personal ministry.
By the end of the session, the class members
were empowered with a strong sense of mission, fueled by who God made us to be.
Over the next year, the class, which had been fairly passive in the church's
ministry, became active, plugging into activities that they were well suited for
by God's particular gifting.
This was good for the church, but it also was
good for each individual,. because when we are doing what God has equipped us to
do, the "work" is easier and energizing, instead of hard and draining. Burn out
became a thing of the past. Enthusiasm and excitement was obvious, and
catching. That was the beginning of this ministry. Since then, I have preached
and taught on Spiritual Gifts, creating materials that have been used by
individuals, churches and colleges worldwide, and conducted workshops and
retreats. The study and ministry inspired me to go for my D. Div degree, which
I completed in 2004 after five years of study.
About Spiritual Gifts
Paul writes of Spiritual Gifts often
in his letters. In fact, it is arguable that he writes more about Spiritual
Gifts than nearly any other single topic. In Corinthians 12:1, he writes:
"Now concerning spiritual Gifts, brethren, I do not want you to be un-informed."
He wrote of them often: In Romans, In Corinthians, in Ephesians. He wrote of
them in the body of his letters, where he generally put his most important
doctrines. His message is clear: Spiritual Gifts are important to Christians.
I believe that most Christians want to know God's
will for their lives. One of the best ways to know that will is to understand
that he has equipped each of us with particular gifts, and that those gifts are
empowered by the Holy Spirit. If we know what our gifts are, we will know much
about what we are meant to do.
Most of us join a church and start to fill a slot
or few in the church's work.. But too often, that is just what is going on -
people are called to fill slots. What if, instead, we each were doing something
we were made to do, and uniquely qualified to do?
We believe that two things would happen. First,
the work would be done better, because it would be done by people created to do
it. And secondly, I believe those doing the work would be energized and excited,
because now the work we are each doing is empowered by the Holy Spirit. We would
not be alone in it, but rather working hand in hand with God. Churches, and the
people in them would be energized.
Knowing and understanding our gifts can be
transforming to our lives and ministries. Here at Quarry House, we offer several
ways to learn and grow in understanding of Spiritual Gifts:
Contact Us
If you have a story of how a deeper knowledge of
Spiritual Gifts has changed your life or ministry,
I'd love to hear from you. Of if
you would like to talk about my teaching or preaching spiritual gifts at your
church, then contact us by
e-mail, or by
phone, and let's talk about your needs.
Tom Atkins
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