SOME COMMENTS ON ROBERT J HLLMAN’S 27 SPIRITUAL GIFTS

It’s impossible for any thoughtful person to agree totally with another on the Charismatic Renewal in general or Spiritual Gifts in particular. There are probably fifty points at which I might quibble with words or ideas in this book, but they concern relatively minor matters. (Except one: why use the word ‘minister’ in the singular when we’re encouraging every Christian to be a minister? Surely ‘pastor’ is the better – and more biblical – word.)

Over-all, as a study guide for church groups (that’s Bob’s intention) it’s the best book I know on the subject. There are ten things I like about it.

1. It has a realistic view of the modern church. I think it was John Scott who first used the ‘church-as-a-bus’ analogy (‘one driver, many drowsy passengers’). Pastors, for all their preaching about ‘freeing the laity to minister’ still don’t prioritise on evoking spiritual gifts, training, modelling, and devising church structures which will allow the church to minister to itself. There’s still a lot of clericalism about.

2. It’s easy to read.

3. It’s gently written, with a pastor’s (and sufferer’s) practical wisdom throughout.

4. Various points of view are acknowledged, but the author isn’t prepared to sit on too many fences.

5. There are some thoughtful theological/historical insights (e.g. ‘It appears that the completion of the NT canon made the church more prophetic not less’ p.28).

6. There’s a specific emphasis on the Australian church (though sometimes limited to the Uniting Church).

7. I’m glad such gifts as martyrdom, celibacy, voluntary poverty and intercession are included: often they are omitted from other lists. (Why not another chapter on ‘extra-biblical’ gifts such as music-composition/leadership?)

8. There’s good ‘balance’ here. (‘It is important not to over- or under- emphasise the miraculous’ p.116. “One of the [aims] of this book [is not only to] contribute to the renewal of the church but also to its unity’ p.126).

9. The discussion questions sprinkled throughout – and the Bible studies at the end – are thoughtful and stimulating.

10. I like the 10 helpful guidelines about finding one’s spiritual gifts (I only had five – guidelines, that is – before reading that!).

This is a book every adult/senior YP group in the church ought to study. I warmly commend it.

Rowland Croucher

(Originally written some time in the 1980s).