The Charisms of the Holy Spirit in the Life of Churches

Theological and practical considerations of charisms in the life of the Christian churches have always been essential to the task of describing the essence of the Church. How different Christian traditions have defined and delineated their self-understanding throughout history has, in large part, hinged on how charisms were theologically understood and practiced. Indeed, the theological justification of charisms in a given tradition is always closely related to the development of theological justifications of church structure and approved ministry forms. Thus, a clear understanding of both charisms and the organizational structure and ministry of one’s tradition is needed to construct a coherent and consistent theological perspective of what makes the church the Church.

The purpose of this essay is to explore and reflect on the following aspects of Christian self-understanding. First, I will survey and comment on the testimony of the New Testament concerning the Church (or Body of Christ), charisms and their operation in congregations. Second, I will survey and comment on the various forms of church structure and ministry that have been developed and theologically justified up to the present. Third, I will compare the general theological understanding of charisms of the major Christian theological traditions with their respective teaching and practice concerning church structure and ministry. Fourth, I will formulate my own understanding of how a biblically informed perspective of charisms (essence and manifestations) can shape the churches valuation of ministry and organizational structure. 

I will argue in this essay that a biblically informed understanding of charisms requires churches (of all traditions) to be open and flexible regarding questions of structure and forms of ministry of the Christian communities. Intentional dependence on Scripture to enlighten and guide the critique of one’s traditional understanding of the Church is necessary for clear thought about the Church and making decisions regarding concrete changes in the life of congregations. Further, biblically informed theological reflection on Holy Spirit charism in the Church must be back of theological convictions concerning church structure and ministry. The priority of Spirit charisms is based on their central place in the articulation of apostolic witness regarding the Church. This means that we must be willing to alter our customary practice of doing Church to conform to nature of the Church and charismatic expressions which the Holy Spirit has gifted God’s redeemed people with for service in the world. 

The main themes of the New Testament witness concerning the Church can be grouped under four main categories. One is the charismatic manifestations of the Holy Spirit in and among the disciples of Jesus Christ. Two is the charismatic nature of the divine life and work of the Spirit of God who transforms the character and wills of those who submit by faith to God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. Three is the concept of actual spiritual communion with God made possible by the sacrifice and resurrection of Christ and the supernatural power of the Spirit of Christ. Four is the willing participation of believers in the life of the Triune God’s missional Presence in the world as witnesses and ambassadors on earth to all people.

The charismatic (or supernatural) manifestations of God’s power were gifted to the disciples of Jesus during his own earthly ministry and they continued to operate in that power after his ascension into the heavens.[1] The transformation of human character and will towards obedience to God is consistently credited to the work of the Holy Spirit among those who come to believe the Gospel.[2] The apostolic epistles teach consistently that the quality of believers’ lives needs to be radically different from their non-believing neighbors because they have been delivered from the power of sin and death into actual spiritual communion with God and each other. This relational communion or union in God is a foretaste of God’s gift of eternal life—the fullness of which is yet to come.[3] God’s purpose for the Church on earth is to employ his weak, vulnerable assembly of believers to proclaim in their common life and spoken testimony to the mighty acts of God in human history through the Lord Jesus Christ.[4]

The essential characteristic of the community of the Church is the dynamic charismatic Reality of the Presence and manifestation of the Holy Spirit. This unique characteristic of the Church is manifested in the specific charisms given to individual believers. These charisms are given for the common good of God’s people and they form the basis of their charismatic ministry in the world. The gifts are given to all believers without exception according to the will of God the Holy Spirit. The specific charisms given by the Spirit are to be responsibly exercised in communal worship and ministry for the common good of all under the guidance of the Holy Spirit.[5]

Every community must sort out how it will organize its common life and make decisions. This organizational imperative necessitates human leadership of some form or another. The various streams of Christian tradition were developed in the context of historical experience and were profoundly shaped by the cultural assumptions of the ancient world. The New Testament references to the designated leaders of the early churches do not show a consistent or uniform pattern. Rather, the structure of the communities’ leadership appears to vary from place to place.[6]

This fact effectively makes the historical claims of various traditions relative to historical developments. Attempts to justify a certain organizational structure and pattern for leadership as the only true model need to be abandoned. Instead, the churches need to recognize and respect the fact of differing convictions over church government and Christians need to hold their convictions loosely so as to allow others to maintain their convictions. In describing the essence of the Church, according to the apostolic witness in the New Testament, the structure and titles of human leadership is secondary and conditioned on historical development.[7]

The main models of church government fall under three main categories. One is called Episcopal (bishop, priest, deacon).[8] Two is called Reformed (elder, pastor-teacher, deacon).[9] Three is the so-called “Free Church” model(s).These churches tend toward more of a congregational emphasis in decision-making or toward a system centered around the primary leadership of a senior pastor.[10]

The Episcopal model was shaped and developed primarily in the second through fourth centuries in response to the Christians experience in Roman society and in the clashes with Gnostic groups challenging the legitimacy of the orthodox churches teaching about the Gospel and choosing church leaders. The Reformed model was largely a reformulation in reaction against the Episcopal model as practiced in Europe in the Middle Ages by the Roman church. The reformers attempted to reform church structures to bring them more in line with biblical affirmations. Lastly, the “Free Church” model(s) are a continued reaction against the real and perceived weaknesses of both the Episcopal and Reformed models. The Pentecostal churches’ structure is rooted more in the experience of the charismatic outpouring of the gifts of the Spirit in modern times than conscious reaction against the older models. The Methodists model of church structure is the result of adapting to the shape of society and what they discovered about ministry forms were most effective.

 


[1] i.e., Matthew 10:1; John 14:11-14; Acts 1:4-8; 2:43.

[2] i.e., Romans 1:2-6; 2 Corinthians 3:12-18; 2 Timothy 1:14; 2 Peter 1:3-11; 1 John 3:23-24.

[3] i.e., Matthew 5:48; Romans 8:1-17; Titus 2:11-14; 2 John 5-6.

[4] i.e., Luke 12:22-38; 1 Corinthians 1:18-31; 1 Timothy 1:12-17.

[5] i.e., Romans 12:1-13; 1 Corinthians 12:1-13; 1 Thessalonians 5:12-22; 1 Peter 4:7-11.

[6] Theology for the Community of God, Stanley J. Grenz, p.549-553.

[7] Ibid., Grenz, p.557-564.

[8] Primarily Roman Catholic, Eastern Orthodox, Episcopal (Church of England) and Coptic Church (Egypt).

[9] The Lutheran churches rejected the Episcopal model and embraced the basic Reformed convictions of the Reformation. However, they preserve the right to be flexible regarding specific leadership roles, functions and titles from one Lutheran group to another.  

[10] Primarily Anabaptists (during Reformation), modern day Baptists, Pentecostal and other independent churches (or loosely defined Christian movements). 

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