discern – Shofar Durbanville Bible Studies

Leaders carry the responsibility to promote, discern and facilitate the ministry of the Holy Spirit among His people. This calls for leaders with purity in heart, boldness and trained discernment. So how can we grow in this skill?

Scripture

1 Thessalonians 5:19-22

19 Do not quench the Spirit. 20 Do not despise prophecies, 21 but test everything; hold fast what is good. 22 Abstain from every form of evil.

Observation and reflection questions

1. In a general sense, what does it mean to “not quench the Spirit”? What within an individual or assembly could “quench the Spirit”? (verse 19)

· What does this suggest of the task of leadership in promoting and facilitating the ministry of the Holy Spirit?

2. What does it mean to “test everything”?

3. How do you think verse 19 and 20 relate to each other?

· What does this suggest of the task of leadership in promoting and facilitating the ministry of the Holy Spirit within an assembly?

4. Consider the context of the instruction to “not despise prophesy”; how do you think verses 20- 22 relate to verse 19?

· What does this suggest of the task of leadership when individuals starts ministering in the group?

· What does this suggest of the responsibility of leadership in facilitating the work of the Holy Spirit within an assembly?

Personal Reflection and Application

The responsibility of leadership is to promote, discern and facilitate the ministry of the Holy Spirit among His people – because there are false prophesies stemming from wrong motives or deceptive spirits – yet leaders should never allow tradition, competition, fear or control to quench the Holy Spirit within an assembly. This calls for leaders with purity in heart, boldness and trained discernment.

1. Do you frequently bring words of prophesy to your congregation or small fellowship group? Why, or why not?

2. Do you recall a time when the Holy Spirit prompted you to share or speak or do something, yet you resisted and quenched Him? Pray about that now and ask the Lord to forgive you for quenching his Spirit.

2. When last were you corrected when bringing a word of prophesy (either directly or indirectly)?

How did (or would) you feel when being corrected?
How should you feel when being corrected?
Pray for a love for discipline leading to life and growth, and a resistance towards offence.

3. Think of your own fellowship group.

How do you promote prophesy and other Spirit-directed ministry? How could you promote it?
How often do you make time to wait on the Lord for prophesy and Spirit-directed ministry?
How do you test prophesy? How should you test prophesy?
How do you obey these prophetic utterances? How should you?

Pray about your answers here – ask the Lord to help you fan the flame of the Spirit in your fellowship group, and to not quench Him.

Skilled leaders have grown in the art of inviting and enabling others to make valuable contributions to the task at hand. This both gives value to the individuals and greatly enhance the realization of the goal.

Enjoy this short video of how to Cause Participation and invite the contributions of other in your small group, by Kobus Meyer.

Scripture

1 Corinthians 12:4-18

4 Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit; 5 and there are varieties of service, but the same Lord; 6 and there are varieties of activities, but it is the same God who empowers them all in everyone.

7 To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good. 8 For to one is given through the Spirit the utterance of wisdom, and to another the utterance of knowledge according to the same Spirit, 9 to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by the one Spirit, 10 to another the working of miracles, to another prophecy, to another the ability to distinguish between spirits, to another various kinds of tongues, to another the interpretation of tongues. 11 All these are empowered by one and the same Spirit, who apportions to each one individually as he wills. 12 For just as the body is one and has many members, and all the members of the body, though many, are one body, so it is with Christ…

14 For the body does not consist of one member but of many. 15 If the foot should say, “Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body,” that would not make it any less a part of the body. 16 And if the ear should say, “Because I am not an eye, I do not belong to the body,” that would not make it any less a part of the body. 17 If the whole body were an eye, where would be the sense of hearing? If the whole body were an ear, where would be the sense of smell? 18 But as it is, God arranged the members in the body, each one of them, as he chose.

Observation and reflection questions

Carefully study verses 4-6. Note the emphasis on (a) different abilities (b) from the same source. In your own words rephrase four phrases from these three verses that essentially says “the same ____ gives different ______”
Why does Paul say the Spirit gives different gifts to people within the congregation? What does the Lord wish to accomplish in doing this? (verses 7-12)
Consider the body metaphor in verses 14-18. Can you suggest one phrase that summarizes what Paul is meaning to say here? (in your own words)
What is the resultant attitude members should have towards one another? (can you think of one word that captures this attitude best?)
What then is the task of the leader of facilitator, considering the diversities of gifts and abilities within a group?

Personal Reflection and Application

It is scripturally impossible for one person to fully develop and nourish a congregation, because God gifts different people to build up a congregation as he wills. No one person can do it, so a leader must grow in the skill to invite and coordinate participation according to the abilities within the group.

Think of your fellowship group or work group.

What is the unique contribution that you bring to this group? What is your best strength within this group by which you can help or enhance them?
List the strengths and abilities of two other people within this group that can bless or enhance this group’s health or purpose.
Think of the person with whom you clash or differ with most; in which way can this person contribute which you can not?
What can you do to (a) call out, (b) enhance and (c) facilitate these unique gifts within the group?

At the next meeting with this group use the opportunity to affirm and encourage these strengths and anilities of these people.

Prayer

Thank God for your unique gifts, and declare yourself available to serve people with these gifts. Pray that God will open your eyes to see the strengths, gifts and abilities within the people around you and grant you grace to facilitate and encourage them as you work together in unity.