I have to be honest with you. I don’t have the gift of hospitality. I know that’s a strange confession for a pastor to make. But it’s true. If you knock on my door unannounced, […]
Tag: Holy Spirit
The Gifts That Make People Nervous
From the series: Empowered — Discovering and Developing Your Spiritual Gifts Let me name the elephant in the room. When most Christians hear the phrase “spiritual gifts,” they’re broadly fine — until the conversation gets […]
Three Kinds of Gifts — and Why Your Church Needs All of Them
From the series: Empowered — Discovering and Developing Your Spiritual Gifts There’s a pattern I’ve noticed in churches over the years. You walk through the door, spend a few weeks in the services, and fairly […]
Your Gifts Won’t Survive Without Community
From the series: Empowered — Discovering and Developing Your Spiritual Gifts Sarah sat nervously at the edge of the prayer circle. Three months into this church, she still felt like an outsider looking in — […]
When the Spectacular Blinds Us — Sensationalism, Accountability, and the Gifts of the Spirit
A reflection on charismatic culture, pastoral responsibility, and the cost of elevating gifting above character There is a particular kind of silence that has caused immeasurable damage to the charismatic and Pentecostal church. It is […]
Even Jesus was Empowered – and that changes everything 
From the series: Empowered — Discovering and Developing Your Spiritual Gifts There is a theological assumption so deeply embedded in the way we think about Jesus that most of us have never stopped to question […]
You’re Not Meant to Watch from the Sidelines
From the series: Empowered — Discovering and Developing Your Spiritual Gifts There’s a particular kind of frustration that settles into a church over time. It’s not the frustration of conflict or crisis. It’s quieter than […]
Why Spiritual Gifts Aren’t Optional
There’s a quiet assumption running through much of the Western church that goes something like this: spiritual gifts are for a certain kind of Christian. The upfront ones. The confident ones. The ones who seem […]
The Enemy is After Your Confidence
A while back I came across a statistic that stopped me in my tracks. A leadership conference speaker mentioned that seven out of ten pastors in America were looking for other work. When I dug […]
The wait is over “Empowered” is here
The Wait is Over: “Empowered” is Here!I can hardly contain my excitement as I write these words: “Empowered – Discovering and Developing Your Spiritual Gifts” is finally here! After months of writing, editing, and anticipating […]
Paul Benger 