What Are Spiritual Gifts?: Rethinking the Conventional View

Kenneth Berding

Kregel Publications, 2007 - Religion - 363 pages

In this groundbreaking work, New Testament scholar Kenneth Berding suggests that we have misunderstood spiritual gifts themselves and how they function, and thus have embarked on a misplaced search to find individualized spiritual gifts. Berding reconsiders at a fundamental level what spiritual gifts are and argues that the Holy Spirit does not give personalized abilities or enablements, but rather ministries to be undertaken.

What people are saying

User Review  - Darryl - Christianbook.com

Berding's presentation of "spiritual gifts" is quite enlightening and freeing from the limitations of the popular teaching of spiritual gifts. His work is accessible for the beginner and intermediate ...

Contents

• Preface: 7
• Acknowledgments: 11
• Abbreviations: 13
• Pauls Four Lists: 15
• Ephesians 4116 Romans 1218 1 Corinthians 12131: 17
• Understanding the Conventional View Spiritual Gifts as Special Abilities: 25
• A Biblical Alternative Spiritual Ministries: 32
• So What? Exploring Some Implications of the SpiritualMinistries View: 43
• On the Meaning of Words: 53
• Greek Words Dont Solve the Problem Part 1 What Does Charisma Mean Outside of 1 Corinthians 12?: 56
• Greek Words Dont Solve the Problem Part 2 What Do Charisma and Pneumatika Mean in 1 Corinthians 12?: 65
• Pauls Central Concern Building Up the Body of Christ Through the Ministries of Its Members: 71
• How Paul Uses Lists: 78
• The Lists in Context Part 1 Ephesians 41112: 85
• The Lists in Context Part 2 Romans 1268: 93
• The Lists in Context Part 3 1 Corinthians 122830: 102
• The Lists in Context Part 4 1 Corinthians 12810: 111
• Grace That Has Been Given An Important Connection: 122
• But What About? Addressing Potential Objections: 133
• Ministry and Service in the Letters of Paul: 145
• Learning by Example Pauls Central Ministry Assignments: 151
• The Holy Spirit in the Letters of Paul: 158
• Empowering and Weakness in the Letters of Paul: 164
• Early Church Ministries in the Letters of Paul: 177
• Early Church Ministries Outside the Letters of Paul: 186
• What Difference Does It Make? Significant Implications of the SpiritualMinistries Approach: 192
• Knowing Where to Serve: 200
• A Description of Each Item in Pauls Four Ministry Lists: 206
• Romans 1248 One Sentence or Two?: 217
• How Bible Translations Influence Readers Toward the Conventional View: 226
• Notes: 271
• Scripture Index: 336
• Subject Index: 350
• Bible Version Permissions: 361

Popular passages

Page 16 - There is one body, and one Spirit, even as also ye were called in one hope of your calling ; one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who is over all, and through all, and in all.

Page 17 - Do not be conformed to this world but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that you may prove what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.

Page 17 - I appeal to you therefore, brothers and sisters, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship.

Page 19 - The eye cannot say to the hand, "I have no need of you," nor again the head to the feet, "I have no need of you.

About the author

Kenneth Berding (Ph.D., Westminster Theological Seminary) is associate professor of New Testament at Talbot School of Theology at Biola University, La Mirada, California. He is the author of Polycarp and Paul (Brill) and has extensive ministry experience both overseas and in the local church.

Bibliographic information

• Title: What Are Spiritual Gifts?: Rethinking the Conventional View
• Author: Kenneth Berding
• Edition: illustrated, annotated
• Publisher: Kregel Publications, 2007
• ISBN: 0825499089, 9780825499081
• Length: 363 pages
• Subjects: Religion / Christian Life / General; Religion / Christian Theology / Soteriology