Apostolic Spiritual Gifts and the Early Church | It's Elementary Ep. 38

What are the gifts of the Holy Spirit, and how should Christians understand them today? In this episode of It’s Elementary, Dr. Jessica LaGrone and Dr. David Watson explore one of the most fascinating and frequently debated topics in the New Testament: the spiritual gifts. Drawing from Romans 12 and 1 Corinthians 12–14, they discuss how God equips believers for ministry and the building up of the Church. The conversation examines gifts such as prophecy, teaching, healing, faith, wisdom, knowledge, leadership, discernment, generosity, service, encouragement, and tongues. Along the way, Dr. Watson explains why Paul repeatedly emphasizes humility, warning Christians not to use spiritual gifts as a source of status or self-importance. They also explore questions many Christians wrestle with today: How do we test prophecy? Does God still heal people? What is the gift of tongues? What does discernment of spirits look like in today's world? And why does Paul place the famous "love chapter" of 1 Corinthians 13 right in the middle of his teaching on spiritual gifts? From words of wisdom and knowledge to healing, miracles, and leadership, this conversation highlights the diversity of the Spirit's work while reminding listeners that every gift is given for the common good and the strengthening of Christ's body. Ultimately, this episode reminds us that spiritual gifts are never given for personal glory. They are gifts of God's grace, designed to build up the Church, serve others, and point people toward Jesus Christ. KEY TOPICS COVERED 0:00 Introduction to spiritual gifts 1:00 Romans 12 and the purpose of spiritual gifts 5:00 Prophecy and the analogy of faith 12:00 The spiritual gift of service 14:00 Encouragement and exhortation 15:00 Teaching as a spiritual gift 19:00 Generosity and the gift of giving 22:00 Mercy and compassion 23:00 Leadership and diligence 25:00 Why there are multiple lists of spiritual gifts 27:00 1 Corinthians 12 and the common good 32:00 Words of wisdom and words of knowledge 34:00 The gift of faith 35:00 Healing and miracles 41:00 Humility, obedience, and spiritual gifts 46:00 Discernment of spirits 51:00 Tongues and interpretation 52:00 Why love is the greatest gift 55:00 Spiritual gifts and the building up of the Church MENTIONS • The Next Christendom — Philip Jenkins • A World Full of Gods — Keith Hopkins • A Secular Age — Charles Taylor • Failure of Nerve — Edwin Friedman ASBURY SEMINARY LINKS Podcasts: https://asbury.to/podcasts Website: https://asburyseminary.edu/ Facebook:   / asburyseminary   Instagram:   / asburyseminary   TikTok:   / asburyseminary   Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this episode are those of the speakers and do not necessarily represent the official position of Asbury Theological Seminary. The material presented is for general information purposes only.