Some of the pastors talked about meeting past Presidents or famous actors, sports pros or politicians. I suppose Bozo the clown was about the most famous person I’d met, but I shared another story. Some years back I attended a pastor’s conference when Kenneth Copeland was a featured speaker. I’m not a raving fan of Kenneth Copeland, as I think he takes some faith principles out of context. But he said some things that ministered to me, so I went forward at the altar call and he laid his hands on me. I didn’t feel anything different so I just put it out of my mind.

The following Sunday when I preached, there was a distinct difference in my preaching, like a renewed confidence. I still don’t understand the laying on of hands act, but something was surely transferred to me that night.

Have you ever seen a change in your own life after having someone lay hands on you?

We left that day on a honeymoon trip to Niagra Falls, and then through Canada, which turned into a spiritual experience.

While we were engaged we had an experience that glued us together. We were attending a prayer meeting in the home of Dick and Joan Kutzner on Center St. across from the church. About 20 people had gathered for fellowship and prayer. After a brief devotional, we all entered into prayer. Anita and I were sitting beside each other on the hearth. Anita and I both began praying in our prayer language – about one sentence worth – when we both noticed at the same time that we were praying word-for-word the same thing. We looked at each other in shock! We had never heard of that before and have never done it since. We both saw that as a sign from God that we were destined for each other.

Over the years, whenever we feel like killing each other, we remember that experience and consider that it is always God’s will for us to be partners in ministry.

In the original thinking, the Seven Swans likely referred to the seven sacraments of the Catholic Church, and another group believes it refers to the seven gifts of the Holy Spirit. The problem with the first is that Protestants believe in only two sacraments: Baptism and Communion. The problem with the second is that the Bible identifies nine, not seven, gifts of the Holy Spirit.

The apostle Paul identifies these spiritual gifts as a Word of Wisdom, a Word of Knowledge, Faith, Gifts of Healing, Miraculous Powers, Prophecy, Discerning of Spirits, a Message in Tongues, and Interpretation of Tongues.

These are spiritual gifts, not natural abilities, that only those with the Holy Spirit have. It is these spiritual gifts that set us apart from other people on the planet. It is these spiritual gifts that allow us to swim in a world drowning in Sin. These are the Seven Swans a Swimming.

On the long, dark, rainy drive home late Tuesday night we talked about the topic. Here are some of my thoughts:

Jesus used parables to teach spiritual truths (Matthew 13:34). The Old Testament is about God the Father setting patterns for believers to follow (1 Corinthians 10:11). It is obvious the dead being raised, lame walking, blind hearing, and deaf hearing, are a pattern of what would happen in the spiritual lives of men and women, not the physical (otherwise, the only people who can be saved are sick or injured people). And those things do happen today in the spiritual lives of all who believe.

Yet, we cannot deny that many physical healings followed Jesus’ ministry. And Jesus said we would do greater works than He did (John 14:12). Mark clearly predicted that these signs would follow those who believe (Mark 16:17-18).

So, we cannot focus entirely on one without the other. There must be a balance.

What thoughts do you have regarding spiritual gifts in the church today?

Then the Lord spoke to my heart. I’ve never tried to compare our church with others because I thought that was egotistical and wordly. But the Lord led me to think about the competition in our community. The largest churches around us are Sonlight Community Church in Angola (a Mennonite Church), Fairview Missionary (a Missionary Church), Dayspring Community Church ( another Missionary Church), Lakewood Park (a GAR Baptist Church), and County Line Church of God (a Church of God Church). These are all non- or anti-Pentecostal churches. They have all followed the seeker route and grown dramatically. And I know that for a business to succeed amid the competition, it must be first, fastest or better. But what was our “niche”? What does New Hope have to offer that none of these others has? And the answer was obvious: a solid belief in the ministry of spiritual gifts among the body.

And I also know that Pentecostal churches are much to blame for turning off people to spiritual gifts with their emphasis upon emotion (a function of the soul) and calling it a move of the Spirit. But the New Testament teaches us to believe in the supernatural working of a God who cares! And then I understood that we must find a balance between an expression of the gifts of the Spirit and keeping dignity in the House of God.

The Christmas movies we’ve all just watched prove to us that Americans really want to believe, but believing in Santa Claus or flying reindeer isn’t reality. And this upcoming young generation will not tolerate phony Christianity that just blesses ourselves at the expense of others. So I’ve decided to move into 2008 with a great expectation of a genuine visitation of God’s Spirit to set people free and give life as Jesus declared in Luke 4:18 (go read it carefully). That’s my New Year’s resolution.