Spiritual gift

[5] The two major opposing theological positions on their nature are that they ceased long ago or that they continue, which is the dispute of cessationism versus continuationism.

Christians believe that the charismata were foretold in the Book of Joel (2:28) and promised by Christ (Gospel of Mark 16:17–18).

In verses 5 and 6, the words diakonia (translated "administrations", "ministries", or "service") and energemata ("operations" or "inworkings") are used in describing the nature of the spiritual gifts.

[11] From these scriptural passages, Christians understand the spiritual gifts to be enablements or capacities that are divinely bestowed upon individuals.

"Priestly" gifts include showing mercy and care for the needy or involve intercession before God.

[16] The gifts have also been categorized as those that promote the inner growth of the church (apostle, prophecy, distinguishing between spirits, teaching, word of wisdom/knowledge, helps, and administration) and those that promote the church's outer development (faith, miracles, healing, tongues, interpretation of tongues).

[17] Cessationism is held by some Protestants, especially from the Calvinist tradition, who believe that miraculous gifts and their operations were limited to early Christianity and "ceased" afterward.

[18] Other Protestants, including Lutheran,[19] Methodist,[20] Pentecostals and charismatics, adhere to the continuationist position, believing that all the spiritual gifts are distributed among Christians by the Holy Spirit and that they are normative in contemporary Christendom.

In addition, Roman Catholicism[21] and the Eastern Orthodox Church also continue to believe in and make use of all of the spiritual gifts.

Other Christian groups, such as classical Pentecostals, consider the role of a missionary to be fulfilling an apostolic ministry.

[26] There are some Christians, however, who advocate restoring the Fivefold ministry, including the formal recognition of the office of apostle.

The grammatical structure of Ephesians 4:11 leads many to conclude that teacher and pastor should be considered one term (pastor-teacher).

Exhortation: The ability to motivate Christians "to patient endurance, brotherly love, and good works".

Mercy: Possibly identical to the gift of helps, the mercy-shower possesses a ministry of visitation, prayer, and compassion to the poor and sick.

For Paul, wisdom refers to "the knowledge of the great Christian mysteries: the Incarnation, Passion, and Resurrection of Christ, and the indwelling in the believer of the Spirit of God (1 Corinthians 2; Ephesians 1:17)".

[1] Working of miracles: The performance of deeds beyond ordinary human ability by the power of the Holy Spirit.

An outpouring of this gift is prophesied in Joel 2:28 and Acts 2:17 shows that early Christians believed this prophecy was fulfilled on the day of Pentecost.

[1] Paul seems to have distinguished between the public use of the gift (which must always be interpreted) and the private use which was for the spiritual strengthening of oneself.

This gift then refers to the God-given capacity to lead or guide the Church through storms and difficult seas.

Religious orders (including Anglican, Catholic, Lutheran and Methodist) use the word "charism" to describe their spiritual orientation and any special characteristics of their mission or values that might be exhibited as a result of the vows that they have taken and the orientation of the order to which they belong.