THE HOLY SPIRIT AND HIS GIFTS
This is from The Vineyard Statement of Faith:
We believe that the Holy Spirit was poured out on the Church at Pentecost in power, baptizing believers into the Body of Christ and releasing the gifts of the Spirit to them. The Spirit brings the permanent indwelling presence of God to us for spiritual worship, personal sanctification, building up the Church, gifting us for ministry, and driving back the kingdom of Satan by the evangelization of the world through proclaiming the word of Jesus and doing the works of Jesus.
We believe that the Holy Spirit indwells every believer in Jesus Christ and that He is our abiding Helper, Teacher, and Guide. We believe in the filling or empowering of the Holy Spirit, often a conscious experience, for ministry today. We believe in the present ministry of the Spirit and in the exercise of all of the biblical gifts of the Spirit. We practice the laying on of hands for the empowering of the Spirit, for healing, and for recognition and empowering of those whom God has ordained to lead and serve the Church.
The Holy Spirit
Unfortunately, discussions about the Holy Spirit sometimes generate more heat than light. Without criticizing other traditions or stirring unnecessary controversy, The Way offers the following brief explanation.
In the New Testament we often see two dimensions of the Spirit’s work: the Spirit’s presence within us and the Spirit’s power upon us.
We believe that all believers receive the Holy Spirit’s presence within them at conversion. This indwelling of the Spirit brings spiritual life and ongoing transformation. It is this work of the Spirit within us that produces the fruit of the Spirit.
Believers also experience the Holy Spirit’s power upon them, either at conversion or sometime afterward. This empowering by the Spirit is for effective witness and ministry. It is this work of the Spirit upon us that empowers the gifts of the Spirit.
This empowering, however, is not meant to be a one-time event but an ongoing experience. As we step out in faith, the Spirit continues to empower us for mission.
That’s why we regularly practice the laying on of hands in prayer, often beginning with a simple question:
What do you need the Holy Spirit to empower you for?
Knowing that the Spirit already lives within us, we long for His power to keep coming upon us.
For a deeper exploration of this language and the ministry of the Spirit, see THE HOLY SPIRIT: With, In and On.
Spiritual Gifts
The Way believes that all the spiritual gifts are available and valuable today. However, we do not believe that the gift of tongues is the mark of a Spirit-empowered Christian.
In the New Testament, the gift of tongues often accompanied the empowering of the Holy Spirit—but not in every case. Paul even said, “I would like every one of you to speak in tongues” (1 Corinthians 14:5), yet this falls short of saying that everyone will speak in tongues. In fact, Paul rhetorically asks, “Do all speak in tongues?” (1 Corinthians 12:30), with the implied answer being no.
Therefore, while the gift of tongues is still available and valuable today, it is not the defining mark of a Spirit-empowered believer.
Instead, the Spirit-empowered Christian is characterized by power to be a witness for Jesus (Acts 1:8), along with whatever gifts the Spirit chooses to give—whether permanently or situationally for particular moments of ministry (1 Corinthians 12:1–11, 27–31). And all the gifts of the Spirit must function together with the fruit of the Spirit, especially love (1 Corinthians 13).
Of course, we are free to desire and ask God for the gift of tongues. We simply do not require it.
For a deeper look at The Way’s perspective, see SPIRITUAL GIFTS, PROPHECY AND TONGUES.
So let’s keep saying YES to the Holy Spirit!