Week 4 / 5
How Do We Use the Gifts?
Spiritual gifts aren’t meant to be flashy or self-focused—they’re meant to build up the Church and serve others in love. This week, we’ll dive into what it actually looks like to use our gifts in a healthy, Christ-centered way. With scripture, real-life reflection, and some thoughtful practices, you’ll be encouraged to see your role in the Body of Christ and take steps toward using your gifts with wisdom, humility, and purpose. It’s all about unity, love, and serving like Jesus—together.
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How do we use the gifts
Opening Prayer & Questions
Begin your time together in prayer. Then discuss the following questions.
- What did you learn or experience during last week’s practice?
- How would you encourage someone else to work on developing their gifts?
Read together: 1 Corinthians 12-13
Highlighted Verses
“There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit distributes them. There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord. There are different kinds of working, but in all of them and in everyone it is the same God at work. Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good.”
Background concepts
The letters to the Corinthian churches were written to totally dysfunctional churches. It is hard to read these letters and assume that these churches were doing anything correctly in a biblical sense. But their unfortunate dysfunction is a blessing to us, because it led Paul to write to them and offer some very important directions to the Church concerning the use of spiritual gifts.
Corinth had a very diverse, and also very divided and hierarchical society. Proverbially speaking, it was known as a nation full of ladder-climbers (people looking to be seen and recognized). Status in that society was gained and lost based on your ability to perform or to show off your special skills. Unfortunately, that hierarchical and positional way of thinking didn’t stop at the doors of the church. Many of the Corinthian Christians seemed to think that by showing off their spiritual gifts they could gain status in the Church. So Paul utilized the concept of operating in spiritual gifts as a great teaching opportunity for the Church.
One of his key points was simply that they were One Body. The Corinthians were diverse. There was no question about that. But so are the parts of our bodies. Paul emphasized eyes, ears, hands and feet–showing that each is important, and necessary to the other. When we think about using spiritual gifts, that’s really the first point we need to emphasize: We are made to use them together, and for one united purpose. The Church isn’t a place to show off. Jesus taught us that the least among us is the greatest. We are made to serve. And to do so together.
In unity despite diversity.
With love and wisdom.
To preach the gospel and build the Church.
Together.
Group discussion
Questions:
- What truths stood out to you as you read Chapter 12?
- Did you know that the context of the famous “love chapter” was actually about using our spiritual gifts? How does thinking about 1 Cor 13:4-7 impact how you think about using your gifts?
- What common misconceptions or unbiblical practices might hinder proper use of gifts?
- What positive examples of people operating in their gifts have you seen in Generations Church? (Maybe even take time to show how you have noticed the members of your small group serving, and take time to encourage and build them up.)
Time of prayer:
Pray for each other, that you grow in your gifts, love, and unity in the Church.
For your individual time with the Lord
The Practice
Day 1 Your Role in the church
1 Cor 14:26 (ESV)
“What then shall we say, brothers and sisters? When you come together, each of you has a hymn, or a word of instruction, a revelation, a tongue or an interpretation. Everything must be done so that the church may be built up.”
Thoughts to consider:
Have you ever taken the time to consider your role in the church? The gifts of the Spirit are to be used for the good of the Body of Christ—that’s all of us! That means they are meant to be shared not kept to ourselves for our own good.
Make a list for yourself today, noting 10 ways that your spiritual gift can be used to bless the Body of Christ.
Day 2 Guidelines
As we saw in 1 Corinthians 13, biblical love is the best guideline we can receive regarding the use of our gifts. Beyond the context of love, some gifts receive more attention, probably because understanding their boundaries isn’t so obvious.
With that in mind, have you ever considered what guidelines the Apostle Paul could have listed for someone who has your gifts?
Think through the times you have served with your gift. Then dig through Romans 12, or 1 Corinthians 12-14 noting verses that might apply to your gifts as well.
Day 3 Serving others like Jesus did
Give God some room to move in your imagination today.
Imagine this: You are one of the disciples, and Jesus just showed you the ultimate act of servanthood. He had the greatest gifts of anyone in the history of the world, yet he got on his hands and knees and washed your feet.
Now imagine yourself humbly serving others in your gifts. How can you make your service more like that of Jesus?
© Copyright 2025 - Copyright notice
All photographs and graphics as well as the design of this online-document are protected by copyright. Unless expressly stated otherwise, the copyright of the cultivate-series lies with generations church Leipzig e.V. Please ask Tyler Charvat (Legal Notice generationschurch.de) if you would like to use the mentioned contents of this document.
Texts of this document are licensed under CC BY-NC 4.0. This means you may distribute, remix, adapt, and build upon the material in any medium or format, for noncommercial purposes only and you are required to give credit to the creator.
Scripture quotations marked (ESV) are taken from The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
How do we use the gifts
Opening Prayer & Questions
Begin your time with God in prayer. Then reflect on the following questions.
- What did you learn or experience during last week’s practice?
- How would you encourage someone else to work on developing their gifts?
Read together: 1 Corinthians 12-13
Highlighted Verses
“There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit distributes them. There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord. There are different kinds of working, but in all of them and in everyone it is the same God at work. Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good.”
Background concepts
The letters to the Corinthian churches were written to totally dysfunctional churches. It is hard to read these letters and assume that these churches were doing anything correctly in a biblical sense. But their unfortunate dysfunction is a blessing to us, because it led Paul to write to them and offer some very important directions to the Church concerning the use of spiritual gifts.
Corinth had a very diverse, and also very divided and hierarchical society. Proverbially speaking, it was known as a nation full of ladder-climbers (people looking to be seen and recognized). Status in that society was gained and lost based on your ability to perform or to show off your special skills. Unfortunately, that hierarchical and positional way of thinking didn’t stop at the doors of the church. Many of the Corinthian Christians seemed to think that by showing off their spiritual gifts they could gain status in the Church. So Paul utilized the concept of operating in spiritual gifts as a great teaching opportunity for the Church.
One of his key points was simply that they were One Body. The Corinthians were diverse. There was no question about that. But so are the parts of our bodies. Paul emphasized eyes, ears, hands and feet–showing that each is important, and necessary to the other. When we think about using spiritual gifts, that’s really the first point we need to emphasize: We are made to use them together, and for one united purpose. The Church isn’t a place to show off. Jesus taught us that the least among us is the greatest. We are made to serve. And to do so together.
In unity despite diversity.
With love and wisdom.
To preach the gospel and build the Church.
Together.
Reflection Questions
Questions:
- What truths stood out to you as you read Chapter 12?
- Did you know that the context of the famous “love chapter” was actually about using our spiritual gifts? How does thinking about 1 Cor 13:4-7 impact how you think about using your gifts?
- What common misconceptions or unbiblical practices might hinder proper use of gifts?
- What positive examples of people operating in their gifts have you seen in Generations Church?
Time of prayer:
Pray for the church, that you and the church will grow in your gifts, love, and unity.
For your individual time with the Lord
The Practice
Day 1 Your Role in the church
1 Cor 14:26 (ESV)
“What then shall we say, brothers and sisters? When you come together, each of you has a hymn, or a word of instruction, a revelation, a tongue or an interpretation. Everything must be done so that the church may be built up.”
Thoughts to consider:
Have you ever taken the time to consider your role in the church? The gifts of the Spirit are to be used for the good of the Body of Christ—that’s all of us! That means they are meant to be shared not kept to ourselves for our own good.
Make a list for yourself today, noting 10 ways that your spiritual gift can be used to bless the Body of Christ.
Day 2 Guidelines
As we saw in 1 Corinthians 13, biblical love is the best guideline we can receive regarding the use of our gifts. Beyond the context of love, some gifts receive more attention, probably because understanding their boundaries isn’t so obvious.
With that in mind, have you ever considered what guidelines the Apostle Paul could have listed for someone who has your gifts?
Think through the times you have served with your gift. Then dig through Romans 12, or 1 Corinthians 12-14 noting verses that might apply to your gifts as well.
Day 3 Serving others like Jesus did
Give God some room to move in your imagination today.
Imagine this: You are one of the disciples, and Jesus just showed you the ultimate act of servanthood. He had the greatest gifts of anyone in the history of the world, yet he got on his hands and knees and washed your feet.
Now imagine yourself humbly serving others in your gifts. How can you make your service more like that of Jesus?
© Copyright 2025 - Copyright notice
All photographs and graphics as well as the design of this online-document are protected by copyright. Unless expressly stated otherwise, the copyright of the cultivate-series lies with generations church Leipzig e.V. Please ask Tyler Charvat (Legal Notice generationschurch.de) if you would like to use the mentioned contents of this document.
Texts of this document are licensed under CC BY-NC 4.0. This means you may distribute, remix, adapt, and build upon the material in any medium or format, for noncommercial purposes only and you are required to give credit to the creator.
Scripture quotations marked (ESV) are taken from The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
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