The topic of spiritual gifts is truly intriguing, often shrouded in mystery and ambiguity.
Are there a specific set of spiritual gifts? Does everyone have one specific gift, multiple, or do we all have access to all of the gifts?
What’s up with prophecy and tongues? If I don’t speak in tongues, am I a legitimate believer? What do I do if I receive a strange prophecy that makes no sense? Are prophecy and tongues even real? If I’m gifted in preaching should I be on stage every week? How do I get better at the gift of evangelizing to non-Christians?
These are all great questions, and ones that I’m not sure I have the best answers for. But here is a list of a handful of awesome books that speak with great wisdom on the topic of spiritual gifts.
I will say, there aren’t a ton of books on the subject. I wonder if this might be because it’s a tough subject, and the Bible isn’t always black and white on some of the issues at hand. Nonetheless, here are five of our favorites (including one that isn’t a personal favorite– but we wanted to be well-rounded).
5 Helpful Books on Spiritual Gifts
The Beginner's Guide to Spiritual Gifts
Written By: Sam Storms
This is a perfect book for someone just learning about spiritual gifts, hoping to know more about what they are, and trying to discover their own unique giftings.
Sam outlines nine spiritual gifts talked about in the scriptures and answers a bunch of questions around what they are, who has them, how do you know which you possess, and many more.
StrengthsFinder 2.0
Written By: Don Clifton
This isn't a book about spiritual gifts nor is it necessarily a "Christian" book. But it is a decent tool to help you identify areas you may be gifted. We don't believe this is a substitute for realizing your gifts by practicing them in community and alongside other believers – BUT it can be a super helpful tool.
Understanding Spiritual Gifts: A Comprehensive Guide
Written By: Sam Storms
This is a great guide to all-things spiritual gifts. Sam Storms explains how spiritual gifts are given to build up the church. It addresses common questions about the gifts, and also serves as a training guide for using the gifts in ministry.
This book is perfect for anyone wanting to grow in their understanding of the gifts.
Spiritual Gifts: What They Are and Why They Matter
Written By: Thomas Schreiner
This is another very comprehensive book that covers a lot of ground and answers a lot of questions about spiritual gifts. It's a bit of a deep dive – and Thomas Schreiner is a bit of an academic – but I believe it's still very accessible.
He also shares some anecdotes about his own experiences with the spiritual gifts, which I found really helpful.
Showing the Spirit: A Theological Exposition of 1 Corinthians 12-14
Written By: DA Carson
This is a deep dive commentary into 1 Corinthians 12-14, where Paul spends time discussing specifically the gifts of the Spirit: prophecy and tongues. There's no place in the Bible that talks more about these two gifts than these chapters.
Again, it's a commentary by an extremely smart man, so it's a little deep, but really helpful!
Other Great Books and Resources
We’re passionate about helpful resources. We live in an age where we have more access to sound Biblical resources than any generation ever before. That said, we also have access to a lot of not-so-sound Biblical resources. So we’re always trying to share books and commentaries that we believe are accurate and edifying.
Here are some other roundups of books and resources we’d recommend:
