I deliberately read two books on opposite sides of the debate about spiritual gifts. One argues that some of the gifts (specifically tongues and prophecy) have ceased, whereas the other argues that all the gifts continue. In my view, both books are among the best defences of their particular position.
I began with Thomas Schreiner’s book, Spiritual Gifts: What they are and why they matter. Before getting to the more controversial questions, Schreiner spends a good length of time looking at the positives and negatives of the Charismatic movement and at the definitions and truths about spiritual gifts. He then clarifies his understanding of prophecy and addresses tongues, pointing out the flaws in some arguments for their cessation and putting forward what convinces him that they have ceased.
Then came Sam Storm’s book, Practicing the Power: Welcoming the Gifts of the Holy Spirit in your Life. Storms has written several books arguing for the continuation and pursuit of all the gifts of the Spirit today, so his intention in this book was to get into the practical means of pursuing the gifts in this book. However, he does spend some time here defending their continuation as well. The practical suggestions he offers come with a good deal of experience and focus more on prophecy than any of the other gifts. He’s very careful to avoid the extremes and abuses that there have been in the Charismatic movement and offers some help in preventing those abuses.
Wherever you land on the continuationist/cessationist spectrum, I would commend reading both of these books. Both argue from a biblical position and do so with grace, humility and understanding of the other side of the debate. It may help strengthen your own position, or it may even challenge you to consider the opposing point of view.
