Academy Highlights | Session V, Week 4

Upper School Highlight | Pastor Jeff Mammen

When I broached the topic of spiritual gifts with the students, they were rather ho-hum about it. But when I told them that everyone in the room who believes in Jesus had already received at least one spiritual gift from God, their eyes got big, their eyebrows raised, and they whispered a collective, “Really?” Since then, the students have explored together the ways they’ve seen the Lord in each others’ lives and stories. That may be the most satisfying thing I’ve seen develop in this group. They’re learning to ask each other questions and call out how they’ve seen the heart of God in each other.

Gifts are not best discovered through classroom teaching (which they’re receiving) nor through online surveys (which they’ve taken), but through experiences in serving. So during the last Assembly of the year, the students will be serving in ways that may reveal the gifts the Spirit has given them. I would ask you as parents, to pay close attention to the students and tell them what you see. And please tell me or Dr. McLean (who co-leads the seminar with me) what you see so we can encourage them to express all that God’s poured into them for His glory.