Wed night bible study...

[MrJim]

at my local baptist church...

We are studying "spiritual gifts", gonna take a test (by C Peter Wagner), y'all probably have done something similar.

Let me ask ya--do any of you believe there are "apostles" today?

[Seeker of the Truth]

what's your definition of apostles?

[MrJim]

I'd always understood that an apostle was a designated person that had seen Jesus, and hence was a gifting of that age only...there were obviously more than 12 apostles since Paul was also an apostle, and there were probably (?) more back then but were only people that had lived during Jesus's time.

[aReformedPatriot]

No. Not in the sense of Matthew, Peter, Paul, John, etc.

[Seeker of the Truth]

Then no. Christ has done His work and the Apostles have done theirs so I see no need in "todays Apostles," If there are any at all.

[Joykins]

In the sense that apostle means "sent out", perhaps missionaries/evangelists could be considered modern-day apostles--especially ones that leave one country to preach the gospel in another.

[MrJim]

In the sense that apostle means "sent out", perhaps missionaries/evangelists could be considered modern-day apostles--especially ones that leave one country to preach the gospel in another.

Could be, but it's surely not what Mr. Wagner has in mind...check it (http://www.apostlesnet.net/index.asp?action=introduction). If you are "approved" and pay your dues (see membership) then I guess you get to be part of their elite apostle group.

Vespasia gave an excellent commentary on this over at the anabaptist forum...take a peek (http://www.christianforums.com/t4567982-apostles-in-the-21st-century.html).

What materials do the SBC or independent folk use on this spiritual gifts stuff. Can't imagine it's Wagner's stuff.

[Seeker of the Truth]

I think it's ridiculous to have all these regulations for missionaries and such. Christ did not put any regulations on anybody, or at least not the same that we've created. for some reason, we've taken all responsibility and put it into our hands instead of letting God take care of things.

[Pepperoni]

at my local baptist church...

We are studying "spiritual gifts", gonna take a test (by C Peter Wagner), y'all probably have done something similar.

What exactly do you mean by a "test"? Is this to determine what your spiritual gift might be??? :confused:

[MrJim]

What exactly do you mean by a "test"? Is this to determine what your spiritual gift might be??? :confused:

Oh yeah, it's pretty common. I took a "Spiritual Gifts Inventory" test probably 15 years ago. You answer a bunch of questions and then they can "determine" your gifts to put you to work in the church...

[Pepperoni]

Oh yeah, it's pretty common. I took a "Spiritual Gifts Inventory" test probably 15 years ago. You answer a bunch of questions and then they can "determine" your gifts to put you to work in the church...
That's interesting. I should give that a try. I'm sure there's probably one of these online somewhere. (In fact, I just googled it--there's several). As it stands now, I'm still trying to determine my spiritual gift by process of elimination, i.e. "I know it's not teaching", "I know it's not evangelistic."

[MrJim]

Problem with most of these "tests" is that they are predictable. I can answer what I think is right, but I suspect that spiritual gifts are more apparent to others in the body than to ourselves. Hey I may think I'm a teacher or a leader but I'm not convinced it's up to me to decide that.

[Seeker of the Truth]

Well, last semester I took "speech 101" and let me tell you, I slaughtered it!

lol, I'm deff. not a speaker!

'course, I could turn out like Moses :/