Salt City Church

Week 6 Spiritual Gifts Part 2

In this message, Pastor Brandon continues The Gift and The Giver series by exploring the spiritual gifts of exhortation, apostle, evangelist, pastor, and teacher. Using passages from Romans 12, Ephesians 4, and 1 Corinthians 12, he shows how Christ equips His church through different Spirit-empowered gifts for ministry and maturity. Pastor Brandon explains how exhorters strengthen and encourage believers, apostles pioneer and establish gospel work, evangelists boldly proclaim Christ to the lost, pastors shepherd and care for people, and teachers unpack Scripture so believers can understand and apply God’s truth. The message closes by encouraging believers to prayerfully discern how the Holy Spirit has gifted them and to use those gifts faithfully to build up the church and glorify God.

Week 5: Spiritual Gifts Part 1

In this message, Pastor Brandon continues The Gift and The Giver series by exploring five spiritual gifts : administration, leadership, helps/service, mercy, and giving. Using passages from Romans 12, 1 Corinthians 12, and other New Testament texts, he reminds believers that spiritual gifts are Spirit-empowered abilities graciously given by God—not for self-promotion, but for serving others and building up the body of Christ. Throughout the message, Pastor Brandon emphasizes that no gift is insignificant and no believer is unnecessary. God intentionally distributes gifts across the church so believers depend on one another and work together for His glory. The message ends with a challenge to recognize, steward, and actively use the gifts the Holy Spirit has entrusted to each believer for the good of the church and the advancement of God’s mission.

Part 1 Week 4: Case For Spiritual Gifts

In this message, Pastor Brandon makes a clear, Scripture-driven case that the gifts of the Spirit—such as prophecy, healing, and tongues—continue in the life of the church today. He carefully walks through common cessationist arguments and emphasizes that the New Testament consistently commands believers to desire and practice spiritual gifts, while also testing and submitting them to Scripture. The issue is not choosing between the Word and the Spirit—but holding both together: the Word governs, and the Spirit empowers. Pastor Brandon also addresses real abuses—fake healings, manipulative leadership, and distorted theology—calling the church to reject counterfeits without discarding what is genuine. The presence of misuse does not negate God’s design; it calls for maturity and discernment. The message ultimately calls the church to a balanced posture: anchored in truth, yet open to the Spirit’s ongoing work. Rather than fear or chase experiences, believers are invited to trust the Father, welcome the Spirit’s activity, and use their gifts to glorify Jesus and build up His church.

Part 2 Week 4: Basic Understanding of Spiritual Gifts

In this message, Pastor Brandon lays a clear and biblical foundation for understanding spiritual gifts, showing that every believer has been graciously given a Spirit-empowered gift—not for personal recognition, but for serving others and building up the church. He clarifies the difference between natural abilities, acquired skills, and true spiritual gifts, emphasizing that gifts are given by the Holy Spirit after salvation and are empowered by Him, not earned or chosen by us. Drawing from passages like Romans 12, 1 Corinthians 12, and Ephesians 4, he highlights that every believer receives a gift by grace, according to God’s will—not based on status, maturity, or ability. Pastor Brandon also explains that gifts vary in type and measure, yet all are equally valuable. The church is like a body—interdependent, not independent—where every member plays a necessary role. No one is insignificant, and no gift is meant to stand alone. Ultimately, the purpose of spiritual gifts is twofold: to serve others and to glorify God. Gifts are not platforms for self, but tools for ministry. The call is to steward what God has given, pursue love, and make ourselves available for the Spirit to work through us for the good of the body and the glory of Christ

Week 3: Keep In Step With The Holy Spirit

In this message, Pastor Brandon teaches that the Christian life is not about trying harder but walking closely with the Holy Spirit. From Galatians 5:16–25, he shows that every believer lives in a daily tension between the flesh and the Spirit—and what grows in our lives reveals who is leading us. The “works of the flesh” are self-produced and lead to division, impurity, and broken relationships. But the “fruit of the Spirit” is not manufactured—it is cultivated by the Spirit and displayed through Christlike character: love, joy, peace, patience, and more. This kind of fruit cannot be faked; it is formed over time through surrender and dependence. Pastor Brandon emphasizes that real transformation happens as we continually “keep in step” with the Spirit—walking in obedience, staying rooted in God’s Word, responding quickly to conviction, and remaining connected to biblical community. The call is simple but weighty: stop relying on self-effort and start relying fully on the Spirit who already lives within you. As we do, He produces genuine, visible fruit that reflects Jesus to the world.