Written by Pastor Micah Eldridge

Read: 1 Corinthians 12:1, 31; 1 Corinthians 12:11; Romans 12:4-6; 1 Corinthians 13:13

Like most families, we have house rules. Phones are turned in at a certain time, curfews are obeyed, and chores are done on certain days. Rules help keep everyone safe and the house in order. But more important than rules, we also have standards: tell the truth, value each other, and look for ways to serve. Rules define boundaries; standards set benchmarks. Rules are necessary to live in a house together, but standards are essential to live in relationship together.

Lifegate Church is a spiritual home that houses a spiritual family, so it’s fitting that we have house standards to guide how we operate in our unique spiritual giftings.

We welcome and depend on the gifts of the Spirit. To serve one another and the world around us, we need supernatural abilities to empower us to do what we can’t do on our own. As John Thompson says in Convergence, “the spiritual gifts are the only guaranteed source of spiritual power.” We want to learn about, identify, and utilize the gifts for the good of others and the glory of God.

We don’t compete; we complement. The gifts are intended to work in cooperation. No single gift is sufficient for every situation. Healing may be strengthened by faith, evangelism by wisdom and knowledge, serving by leadership. When our gifts complement one another, we truly become one body.

We don’t compare; we coach. When we notice the gifting of others, let’s resist comparison. Instead, let’s get curious, ask questions, and learn from those with different giftings. Prophetic people and those with mercy sharpen one another. Teachers and shepherds help the body become better fed and pastored.

We do everything out of love. Love for Jesus and others guides all we do as a spiritual family. The gifts are used for love, from love, and within a community of love. They are not status symbols or assets for gaining power or influence. They are offered selflessly and, at times, sacrificially for the greater good.

This is not an exhaustive list, but it gives us standards for functioning together in our spiritual gifts. We won’t get it perfect every time, but as we aim at these standards, we’ll become more like Jesus for the good of others.