Wednesday Night Unscripted - Oct 1, 2025

Wednesday Night Unscripted Notes

Referenced Scriptures

Romans 12:4–8 – Functional gifts of the body: prophecy, serving, teaching, exhortation, giving, leadership, mercy.
1 Corinthians 12:1–11 – Manifestation gifts of the Holy Spirit (preview for next week).
Ephesians 4:11–12 – Ministry gifts: apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors, and teachers.
Luke 10:38–42 – Mary and Martha: a model of serving and listening.
Acts 18:24–26 – Aquila and Priscilla teaching Apollos.
2 Timothy 2:2 – Passing truth through four generations of teachers.
Matthew 28:18–20 – The Great Commission: evangelizing and discipling.
1 Peter 5:8 – Be sober and vigilant.

Key Concepts and Teaching Points

1. Spiritual Gifts vs. Natural Gifts
   Natural gifts are talents of the body or mind given at birth, designed to help you succeed in life.
   Spiritual gifts (charisma) are supernatural abilities given by the Holy Spirit to build the Body of Christ.
   You can’t manufacture them; they are supplied by grace and activated by faith.

2. Three Operating Principles (Romans 12:6)
   • Gifts Differing – Everyone has different gifts; diversity is by design.
   • Grace Given – God supplies the power (grace) to operate the gift.
   • Faith Proportioned – Faith activates the gift; without faith, it remains dormant.

3. Functional Gifts (Romans 12:6–8)
   These are lifelong gifts that help believers function in their role in the Body of Christ.
   Each believer typically has a primary and secondary gift that defines how they serve.
   The seven functional gifts:

• Prophecy

• Serving

• Teaching

• Exhortation

• Giving (with liberality)

• Leadership (with diligence)

• Mercy (with cheerfulness)

4. Two Main Categories of Functional Gifts
   Gifts that Speak: Prophecy, Teaching, Exhortation
   Gifts that Do: Serving, Giving, Leadership, Mercy
   The speaking gifts communicate truth, encouragement, or instruction.
   The doing gifts demonstrate faith through practical action.

5. Functional Gifts Are for the Body of Christ
   These gifts are designed for believers ministering to one another.
   They are not limited to those in pulpit ministry.
   Every born-again believer has at least one functional gift.

6. The Holy Spirit Isn’t Named in Romans 12
   These gifts are for every believer, even those who haven’t received the baptism of the Holy Spirit.
   They are imparted at salvation but empowered as we walk in grace and faith.

7. Each Believer Has a Primary and Secondary Gift
   Examples:
   • Leadership as a primary gift and Serving as a secondary.
   • Mercy as a primary gift and Prophecy as a secondary.
   When you walk in your functional gift, you feel fulfilled, energized, and aligned with your purpose.

Developing the Speaking Gifts

Teaching
Explains and unpacks Scripture with depth and clarity.
Connects spiritual truths and helps others understand the “why” behind God’s Word.
Teachers love to study, connect ideas, and explain things clearly.
Jesus emphasized teaching even more than preaching—He was called Rabbi.
When the gift of teaching is active, people understand and grow.

Exhortation
Calls people up and draws them near.
Encourages and strengthens others through timely words.
Senses when someone is struggling or discouraged and speaks life into them.
Exhorters are like spiritual “vitamin infusions” for the body.
Their words lift, inspire, and bring hope.

Prophecy
A Spirit-inspired message spoken under divine inspiration.
Different from exhortation, which flows from your own spirit; prophecy flows directly from the Holy Spirit.
Prophecy can exhort, comfort, or correct.
Every believer may be used in prophecy occasionally, but some have it as a regular, lifelong gift.
Prophecy must be developed and operated in proportion to faith.

Developing the Doing Gifts

Serving
Sees needs and meets them joyfully.
Finds fulfillment in making things work and supporting others.
Like Martha in Luke 10, servers find joy in helping.
Serving is not a low gift—it is foundational to Christian ministry.
Jesus said, “Whoever wants to be great must be the servant of all.”

Giving
Supernatural generosity and discernment to meet needs.
A giver feels an urgent desire to give and believes God for resources to do it.
When a giving gift is operating, there’s joy in releasing, not hoarding.

Leadership
Sees what needs to be done, organizes people, and motivates them toward a goal.
Functions through vision, diligence, and consistency.
Leaders show the way by example and empower others to serve.

Mercy
Feels deeply for the suffering, overlooked, and forgotten.
Carries the compassion of Jesus and brings comfort and healing.
At its highest expression, the mercy gift can bring emotional and physical restoration.
Mercy ministers to those who cannot help themselves.

The Purpose of Functional Gifts

These gifts belong to the Body, not to the individual.
They are given for serving and strengthening others.
You may be sitting near someone whose gift is the answer to your need—connection brings activation.
Serving, joining teams, and building relationships help these gifts flow.

Homework and Reflection

1. Read and meditate on Romans 12:4–8.
   Identify which functional gifts best describe you.

2. Ask the Holy Spirit:
   “Which gifts have You placed in me, and how can I begin to use them?”

3. Step out in faith.
   Use your gift in your church, community, or small group.
   Remember: gifts differ, grace is given, and faith activates the gift.

4. Prepare for next week’s study in 1 Corinthians 12.
   The nine manifestation gifts:

• Word of Wisdom

• Word of Knowledge

• Faith

• Gifts of Healings

• Working of Miracles

• Prophecy

• Discerning of Spirits

• Tongues

• Interpretation of Tongues

Key Takeaway
When you operate in your functional gift, it doesn’t drain you—it fulfills you.
It feels right because it’s what you were designed to do.

“The gifts are in you, but they’re not for you. They’re for the Body of Christ.”
— Pastor John Carter