THE GIFTED PASTOR

THE GIFTED PASTOR: Finding an Using You Spirirtual Gifts
Kenneth H. Carter Jr.
c.2001 Abingdon Press pp.183 price.25.95
K.H.G. pastor of Mount Tabor united Meyhodist Church, Winston-Salem, North Carolina.

Introduction
Although the focus of the book is on spiritual gifts the pastor (church leader) is the point of reference. The gifts of the Holy Spirit are the key to the proper functioning of the body of Christ.
Ch.1. Spiritual Gifts and You.
All believers have a spiritual gift. It is a mistake to compare and contrast believers as those who have and those who have not. The assumption of spiritual gifts will impact pastoral ministry. Leaders have no control over the "distribution" of gifts. Each person is unique. Leaders would do well to become contemplative and listen to their people to discover this uniqueness. It is crucial that pastors are clear concerning their own gifts. Effective ministry comes out of one’s own giftedness.
Ch. 2. Spiritual Gifts 1Corinthians 12
"Each gift has its origin in one Spirit; thus there is unity within diversity". p.34. Romans 12 presents further context re: spiritual gifts. Eph. 4 presents the equipping aspect of giftedness.
Ch.3. Scripture and Spiritual Gifts. Self-Discovery.
This chapter summarizes the results of an "experiment" where a group of lay persons were asked to study specific passages of scripture dealing with five specific gifts and journal their findings. It was a discipleship exercise.
Ch.4. Spiritual Gifts; Some Conversation Partners.
For leaders to be servants is a huge challenge. Unity in our culture does not come easy because of things like instinctive discrimination (pecking orders).We help our selves by helping others. Small (community) groups create a great environment for discovering and developing spiritual gifts. To be effective, small groups must provide "inclusion, shared experience, trust, and task". p.68. A connection is made between spiritual gifts , stewardship, and the Sabbath (rest). Mentors are helpful in encouraging the expression of spiritual gifts.
Ch. 5. The Process of Spiritual Gift Identification.
Identification begins with a genuine search for gifts and an attempt to fill in the statement, "God- is my spiritual gift in the area of _____. yes or no? " p.89. The answer will be very much impacted by an understanding of scriptures on the topic and an attitude of response to the Holy Spirit’s leading. The goal of identifying spiritual gifts is a gift based ministry.
Ch. 6. Spiritual Gifts: Some words of Caution
There are four things that need to avoided. Gift denial through self rejection. Matthew talks about burying our talents. Gift exaltation which results in arrogance or spiritual superiority. Gift projection that would pressure others to have gifts similar to mine. This opposes diversity. Gift suppression where limits and controls are placed on others.
Ch.7. Teaching Sermons on Spiritual Gifts.
Seven short sermonettes are presented.
Ch.8. A Consumer’s Guide to Spiritual Gift Resources and Inventories.
Ten titles are presented with a brief review of each.
Ch.9. The Journey Toward Our Spiritual Gifts.
The pastor is key in people’s journey to spiritual gifts. There are continual changes in this journey. Thomas Merton has written considerably on this topic.
Ch.10. A Sending Forth: Spiritual Gifts Without Easy Answers.
Pastors don’t get a lot of training in spiritual gifts. It is important for them to have a proper perspective of their people and their spiritual gifts. It is also important that they keep a clear distinction between role and self. Conflicts need to be externalized. Spiritual gifts are not exercised alone. Partners or partnerships can take the form of "confidants or allies". p.171. Holy places (sanctuaries)are important in exercising spiritual gifts. A sense of purpose provides focus. Much of the material in this chapter comes from the writings of Ronald Heifetz and his book on leadership.
Ch. 11 A Blessing.
When pastors gain a proper appreciation of their role in providing God’s blessing and empowerment it brings perspective into their lives.

Comment
Spiritual gifts and gift based ministry is recieving much attention in many churches today. This book focuses on the "Gifted Pastor". Pastors need to look seriously at their giftedness and how that is fiting into their ministry. This book addresses that challenge. There is a bit of a denominational bent to this book but the strength of this presentation is it’s focus on spiritual gifts and pastoral leadership.