Christian Spiritual Gifts —

About the Book

This book on Christian spiritual gifts is the fulfillment of over twenty years of work.  The major thrust of the book is to help churches understand the giftedness of their members.  The nominating committee of any church striving to place workers in church positions knows this is a difficult job.  Most of the time, workers are asked to fill a position with no regard given to their spiritual ability to do the work.  This book helps with this difficult problem.

Chapter one has straightforward definitions of the nineteen listed gifts.  We know there are more, but Paul choose these nineteen.  Chapter two defines the gifted men Jesus gave to the churches; plus, deacons and the non-ordained are listed to complete contemporary membership. There is an exercise to help the reader align the needed gifts to each office.  Chapter three reveals the correlation of the gifts by placing them in six categories.  This exercise will give the reader a deeper understanding of what a gift looks like.

Chapter four provides a different perspective of the gifts.  In Paul’s discussions of both the gifts and the body, usually the two are in direct relationship with one another.  The exercise is to divide the body into eight sections and then place the gifts with the corresponding body parts.  Chapter five will definitely separate this book from anything else written about spiritual gifts.  There are five contexts within which Paul has placed all the gifts. This has been a stunning revelation to all who have taken this study.

Chapter six is a study of the Corinthian problems with the gifts.  Plus, there is an encouragement to positively discuss each member of the study group as to their usefulness to the church.

About the Author

Don Polston has been in the ministry over forty years.  He is a graduate of The Baptist College of Florida, B/Min, and Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, M/A-RE.  He has ministered in five states starting two missions and one mission Sunday School and served in various denominational positions.  In 2004, he was invited to participate in the Oxford Round Table in Oxford, England.  He has preached revivals in Montana and Maine and led Bible conferences in several states.  He has also designed a Christian witnessing plan that he has shared with numerous churches which has a ninety percent success rate.

His focus has been upon a neglected aspect of Christian life – the spiritual gifts.  Starting over twenty years ago at the request of a pastor friend, Don began research into this controversial subject.  His study led him into two previously unexplored areas: the correlation between the body and the gifts and the five contexts in which the gifts are found.  Don has presented this study to churches in three states and his biblical approach will result in an eye opening experience for any Christian regardless of denominational preference.

Don’s design for this book is different in that it is not meant to help the reader discover his or her own personal gift or gifts.  The purpose is helping you see the gifts in someone else.  His prayer is that in reading this book, you will gain new and useful insight into Christian spiritual gifts.