Several weeks ago I had a conversation with a pastor about the topic of spiritual gifts. He made a comment that did not come to my mind again until just recently. The pastor said, “I believe that there must be spiritual gifts that God gives us as believers, to continue His plan and program here on earth, that are not listed in Scripture.”
I thought about that comment this week as I examined my own life. I have been a Christian for 20 years. I was 42 years old when I was born again. My life changed immediately. God gave me the gift of teaching. Within a month of my conversion I was leading a ladies Bible Study, not because I wanted to lead, but I needed to be in a group study, and no one else would lead it. I have lead a Bible Study almost continually for the last 20 years (believe me, my knowledge and technique have greatly improved since that day in 1987.)
I know that God has given me the gift of teaching. It is supernatural – I love the research, the reading, the studying, but most of all I love leading women into the pages of Scripture. And, most supernaturally of all – I am good at it!
Upon self examination I also have come to the conclusion that there probably are spiritual gifts that we do not recognize as such. I believe that one of the gifts is the desire to be in God’s Word. The “gift” of Bible Study.
All gifts are to edify the church and to bring glory to God. For the person who loves to study the Bible (maybe not teach or preach the Bible) the study of Scripture does glorify God and build up the church.
Why would I say that Bible Study is a “spiritual gift?” A spiritual gift is a supernatural, special action, a special lifestyle – not all Christians have it. I believe that there must be a spiritual gift of “Bible Study.”
If we are Christians, love God, serve God, and are obedient, why is it that so many Christians are not in the Word of God on a regular basis? I say this not to be critical – on the contrary, I say this to explain why so many Christians do not study the Word.
I am no spiritual giant. I am just a woman who loves the Lord and loves to be in the study of the Word. Paul even said, he could not help but preach the word. I cannot help but be in the Word. It is a supernatural need. There must be a spiritual gift of “Bible Study.”
My days of criticizing women who do not study Scripture are over. I have come to this decision after years of being not only disappointed, but so very surprised, when it is brought to my attention that women have no interest in the Word of God. What do I base this on?
Over the 20 years that I have been a Christian I have been a member of seven churches, eleven pastors, and have taught numerous Bible Studies, and Sunday School classes. In those 20 years I have only found two “pockets” of women who have loved to study Scripture – women who were willing, and looked forward to, opening up the Bible during the week to seek out answers, and then to come back into the group and discussed what they had found. What a joy these ladies have brought into my life.
I have always had women who come to my Bible Study and Sunday School classes, but more often than not, they want to just show up and listen, not to go home and study for themselves.
My dear sweet ladies at Chilhoweehills Baptist Church in Knoxville TN, and the dear sweet ladies at Shadow Mountain Community Church in El Cajon CA are the two groups that gave me encouragement when I was discouraged by the level of commitment among women when it came to Bible Study. I believe that God blessed me during these two points in my life with women who also had the “spiritual gift of Bible Study.”
Thank You God for giving me these ladies as an encouragement.
(Coming next – Part II Spiritual Gift of Bible Study)
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