POWER WORDS OF THE SPIRIT Week 1 – The Spiritual Gifts ‘Now about the gifts of the Spirit, brothers and sisters, I do not want you to be uninformed.’ – 1 Corinthians 12:1 Focus This series, Power Words of the Spirit, builds on our church-wide study of the gospel of Mark by exploring how we can follow Jesus not only in character, but also in the way He operated in the gifts of the Spirit. Jesus spoke words of wisdom, knowledge, healing, prophecy, and love—always with the aim of revealing the Father and building up others. Across the next seven weeks, we’ll ask: How did Jesus operate in the spiritual gifts and speak powerful words of love? What should we, as His disciples, expect and desire to do ourselves? And what often holds us back? Drawing primarily from 1 Corinthians 12–14, we will explore both: Theology – a shared biblical understanding of the Spirit Model – how gifts can work in our local church context Practice – safe spaces to grow in these gifts Our prayer is that we would learn to use our words—and all the gifts God gives—in ways that honour Him and bless others. Study by: Charis Button Sermons related to each study can be viewed on the Hope Valley Church YouTube Channel. 1. Look Back Sharing Our Journey | 10–20 minutes Praise, Thanks and Encouraging Accountability Invite people to share from one or more of the questions below. It can be done as a whole group or in subgroups. It can also involve a worship song. What are you thankful for? Where have you seen God at work? How has God used you? How have you gone living out God’s Word since our last gathering? Where have you struggled to follow the way of Jesus? Has anything happened in the lives of those on your relational map who are far from God? (See the Relational Map Video) Care Share any concerns you have for yourself or others. Pray In prayer, capture the things you have shared above. 2. Look Up Opening God’s Word | 20–30 minutes Setting the Scene Paul reminds us in 1 Corinthians 12 that the Holy Spirit has uniquely gifted every believer—not just pastors, leaders, or “professional Christians.” Each member of the body of Christ has been entrusted with gifts that are meant to build up the whole church, so that together we reflect Jesus to the world. These Spirit-given gifts are not about status but about service, and they always flow out of love. At the same time, the wisdom of James 3 reminds us that our words carry immense power—they can create or destroy, bless or curse, heal or wound. This sits alongside Paul’s teaching as both a warning and an invitation: if our tongues can cause so much harm when uncontrolled, how much more could they bring life when surrendered to the Spirit? As we begin this series, we open the door for all of us to step into our Spirit-given role—learning to hear the voice of God and to speak “power words” over one another in love, so that the church might be strengthened and the world might glimpse God’s kingdom through us. If your group would like to discover more about how the Holy Spirit works in the Bible, check out this video from the Bible Project: If your group would like to discover more about the context of Paul’s teaching on spiritual gifts in chapter 12, check out this animated overview video from the Bible Project: If your group would like to discover more about how Jesus is both our Lord and model (as pertaining to spiritual gifts), check out this video teaching from Jon Thompson, SANCTUS Church: Disclaimer: Throughout this series we will often link to a variety of additional, external resources. We share these resources to help you grow in your walk with Jesus. Please note, their inclusion does not imply full agreement with all positions or teachings of the authors. We encourage you to practice discernment by testing everything against Scripture. Read: 1 Corinthians 12:1–11 and James 3:1–12 Invite two people to read each passage out loud to the group. Discussion Questions: Paul describes a variety of gifts but one Spirit (1 Cor 12). What does it mean that every believer, not just pastors or leaders, has a role in building up the church? How might this change the way we think about our own spiritual gifts? James 3 warns that our words can harm, while Paul points to Spirit-inspired speech that builds up (1 Cor 12). How does this tension speak to the responsibility—and the opportunity—every believer has when using their words? Why do you think God often chooses words—spoken or interpreted—as a way to build His church? How might this invite all of us to pay attention to how we speak in everyday life? Thinking about your everyday environments (home, work, social media, friendships), what are some ways your words could either hinder or contribute to the life of the church? What could it mean to intentionally speak “power words” in love? Paul roots the spiritual gifts in the unity of the body (1 Cor 12:12–27). How does love (see 1 Cor 13) safeguard against misuse of these gifts? 3. Look Forward Living Out God’s Word | 10–20 minutes Reflect on your own speech this past week: where did your words heal, encourage, or build up? Where did they harm or tear down? What spiritual gift (from 1 Cor 12) do you most desire God to grow in you, and how might you begin practicing it in small, faithful ways? This week, choose one intentional practice with your words (e.g., speak daily encouragement to a friend, refrain from gossip/criticism, pray aloud for someone). How will you keep accountable to this? Pray Invite each person to share a one-sentence prayer asking God to sanctify their words. Pray for those on your Relational Map and for opportunities to speak words of powerful love to them in the week ahead. Close by reading together Psalm 19:14: “May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing to you, Lord, my Rock and my Redeemer.” Contacts If you would like more information or further help please contact: 📧 scott.button@hopevalleychurch.com.au