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  • Baptism: Choosing Sides in the Unseen Realm

    Baptism: Choosing Sides in the Unseen Realm
    2026/10/05
    Is baptism an act of spiritual warfare? In the second episode of our two-part baptism series, Bruce Ritter and Charles Russell move from baptism as identity and covenant into the biblical themes of allegiance, the unseen realm, spiritual warfare, and Christ's victory over the powers. The conversation centers on 1 Peter 3:18–22, one of the New Testament's most challenging passages. Why does Peter connect Christ's death and resurrection with Noah, the Flood, the “spirits in prison,” baptism, and the subjection of angels, authorities, and powers? Drawing on Michael Heiser's supernatural worldview, this episode considers how Genesis 6, Noah, and the Flood fit within Scripture's larger story of spiritual rebellion and divine judgment. But the focus isn't ultimately on the powers. It's on Christ's victory over the powers. Baptism therefore takes on a powerful dimension of allegiance. The believer publicly declares: Jesus is Lord. I belong to Him. I identify with His death and resurrection. My allegiance belongs to His kingdom. For Pentecostal and Charismatic believers, this creates an opportunity to think more deeply about baptism without turning the water into something magical or treating baptism as a substitute for deliverance, discipleship, or spiritual formation. Baptism is spiritual warfare not because the water defeats the enemy, but because baptism publicly declares allegiance to the King who has already defeated the enemy. The episode also explores baptismal renunciation in the early Church, the believer as a “mobile temple,” the royal-priesthood calling of God's people, deliverance, and the way the Five Gifts of Christ equip the Church for kingdom mission. Ultimately, baptism calls us to live what we have declared: Jesus is Lord. And the question is: Does the way I live demonstrate the allegiance I declared? — What if baptism is an act of spiritual warfare? Not because the water is magical. Not because getting baptized automatically defeats demons. But because baptism is a public declaration of allegiance. In the newest episode of The Five Gifts Podcast, Bruce Ritter and Charles Russell go deeper into baptism and the unseen realm through the strange and fascinating language of 1 Peter 3:18–22. Why does Peter connect: 🌊 Noah and the Flood 👁️ The “spirits in prison” ⚔️ Spiritual powers ✝️ Christ's death and resurrection 💧 Baptism 👑 The exaltation of Jesus Drawing on Michael Heiser's supernatural worldview, we explore Genesis 6, Noah, spiritual rebellion, Christ's victory, and the significance of baptism as a declaration of kingdom allegiance. Baptism says: Jesus is Lord. I belong to Him. My old allegiance no longer defines me. I identify with His death and resurrection. I belong to His kingdom. And here's the distinction we want Pentecostal and Charismatic believers to consider: Baptism is spiritual warfare not because the water defeats the enemy, but because baptism publicly declares allegiance to the King who has already defeated the enemy. The water doesn't contain the victory. It declares the victory. So here's the question: What does your baptism say about your allegiance—and does the way you live demonstrate the allegiance you declared? Listen to Episode 2 of our baptism series and share it with someone who wants to go deeper into the biblical theology of baptism, the unseen realm, and spiritual warfare. And yes... If Episode 1 made a splash, Episode 2 gets deep. #FiveGiftsPodcast #Baptism #ChristianBaptism #SpiritualWarfare #UnseenRealm #MichaelHeiser #Genesis6 #1Peter3 #Noah #Pentecostal #Charismatic #HolySpirit #FivefoldMinistry #ServantLeadership #ChristianLeadership
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    46 分
  • Baptism - Waters of

    Baptism - Waters of
    2026/09/28
    What if baptism is more than getting wet? In the first episode of this two-part series, Bruce Ritter and Charles Russell explore baptism as a biblical sign of identity, covenant belonging, participation, consecration, and allegiance to Jesus Christ. Beginning with the waters of creation, the conversation follows the biblical water motif through Noah's Flood, the Red Sea, the Jordan, Jesus' baptism, and the believer's identification with Christ's death and resurrection in Romans 6 and Colossians 2. For a Pentecostal-Charismatic audience, the episode asks an important question: Can we develop a richer, more sacramental appreciation of baptism without abandoning our conviction that salvation is by grace through faith and that the Holy Spirit is the One who regenerates? The answer explored in this episode is that baptism can be symbolic without being merely symbolic. The water does not save us and is not magical. Yet God has given His people a physical, embodied sign that visibly proclaims and enacts our identification with Christ. Baptism declares: I belong to Jesus. His death is my death. His resurrection is my new life. His kingdom is my allegiance. His mission is my calling. The episode concludes by connecting baptism to the Five Gifts of Christ—apostolic, prophetic, pastoral, teaching, and evangelistic—and considers how baptism forms disciples who live as Christ's people and participate in His mission. Next episode, the conversation moves deeper into Michael Heiser's supernatural worldview and the connection between baptism, Noah, Genesis 6, the unseen realm, spiritual warfare, and Christ's victory over the powers. Baptism is more than getting wet. It is a declaration: “I belong to Jesus.”
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    54 分
  • The Five Gifts: Strengths and Shadows, part II

    The Five Gifts: Strengths and Shadows, part II
    2026/09/21
    What happens when a genuine spiritual gift gets ahead of the character of the person carrying it? In Episode 36 of The Five Gifts Podcast, Bruce Ritter and Charles Russell continue their exploration of the five servant gifts of Christ in Ephesians 4. After exploring the Apostolic and Prophetic gifts in Episode 35, this episode turns to the second arc of the fivefold gifts: the Pastor, Teacher, and Evangelist—the “Stay and Grow” team. These gifts help the Church develop relational health, grow in biblical truth, and maintain a passionate commitment to reaching people with the Gospel. The Pastor — Contagious Unity The pastoral gift carries an overwhelming concern for the continuing care of a particular community. Pastors help people experience the love of Christ through relationship, care, community, and connection. But that strength can cast a shadow when pastoral leaders avoid necessary confrontation, settle for peacekeeping instead of peacemaking, enable dysfunction, or become so focused on caring for the existing congregation that they lose sight of the wider mission. The mature pastor doesn't try to become indispensable. The mature pastor multiplies shepherds. The Teacher — Contagious Learning The teaching gift creates hunger for God's Word and helps people progressively understand and apply truth. But teaching can become information without transformation. A teacher can unintentionally create dependency, separate biblical truth from everyday life, or become consumed with doctrinal minutiae. The mature teacher doesn't simply communicate information. The mature teacher creates learners. The Evangelist — Contagious Compassion The evangelistic gift carries a passionate concern for people who have not yet encountered Jesus. Evangelists keep the Gospel before the Church, build relational bridges, and awaken compassion for those who are far from Christ. But evangelistic strength can become pragmatism, overselling, dependence upon methods, or even a “cult of personality.” A church can become highly effective at gathering people without becoming equally effective at discipling them. The mature evangelist doesn't simply reach people. The mature evangelist equips others to reach people. Throughout the episode, Bruce and Charles return to one central idea: Giftedness and maturity are not the same thing. The question isn't simply: “What is my gift?” The deeper question is: “What kind of person do I need to become so that I can carry that gift well?” Reflective Question What is the greatest strength of your leadership? And what shadow might that strength cast when you're tired, frustrated, insecure, or under pressure? Sometimes the path to greater leadership maturity begins with allowing someone we trust to help us see what we cannot see for ourselves. Like, follow, subscribe, and share The Five Gifts Podcast with another leader. And if you're ready to take a deeper look at your leadership, calling, character, and blind spots, reach out to Bruce or Charles about coaching.
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    52 分
  • The Five Gifts: Strengths and Shadows

    The Five Gifts: Strengths and Shadows
    2026/09/14
    What happens when a God-given gift gets ahead of the character of the person carrying it? In Season 3, Episode 35 of The Five Gifts Podcast, Bruce Ritter and Charles Russell take a closer look at two of Christ's servant gifts in Ephesians 4—the Apostolic and Prophetic gifts. This is not simply a conversation about spiritual gifts. It is a conversation about leadership, maturity, authority, accountability, and the responsibility of carrying Christ's gifts in a Christlike way. The Apostolic gift carries a vision for going, starting, building foundations, multiplying ministry, and empowering others. But when immature, that same strength can become isolation, control, restlessness, excessive emphasis on results, methodology over Jesus, or unhealthy dependency upon a leader. The Prophetic gift helps the Church hear from God, recognize spiritual realities, speak truth, confront injustice, and bring insight to God's people. But when immature, prophetic strength can become isolation, criticism, impatience, spiritual intimidation, unhealthy certainty, or the assumption that every personal revelation must become a public proclamation. Bruce and Charles address the difficult reality that the Church has witnessed visible examples of abuse and misguided applications of these gifts. Yet abuse does not invalidate the biblical gift—and belief in the gift must never become an excuse for tolerating abuse. The central question is one of formation: Can the character of Christ carry the gift of Christ? The episode explores how leaders can recognize both the strength and the shadow of their gifting, invite accountability, remain teachable, and continue growing into mature servant leaders. Episode 35 concludes with the Apostolic and Prophetic gifts. Episode 36 will turn to the Pastoral, Teaching, and Evangelistic gifts, exploring their strengths, impact, and potential shadows when giftedness develops faster than character. Reflection Questions What is the primary strength of the gift I carry? What shadow could that strength cast when I am immature or under pressure? Am I empowering people to follow Jesus—or creating dependency upon me? Am I willing to have my spiritual perceptions tested and discerned? Is my character growing at the same pace as my influence? And perhaps the most important question: What gift has Christ entrusted to me—and what kind of person do I need to become so that I can carry that gift well?
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    57 分
  • Christian Identity: The Foundation of Your Gifts

    Christian Identity: The Foundation of Your Gifts
    2026/09/07
    What happens when a God-given gift is carried by an insecure identity? In Episode 35, Bruce Ritter and Charles Russell explore identity as the foundation of healthy fivefold and servant leadership. Drawing from Ephesians 1–4, the conversation begins with a simple construction analogy: nobody notices the foundation once the building begins to rise, but everything depends upon it. In the same way, our identity determines how we carry and express the gifts Christ has entrusted to us. Paul spends the first three chapters of Ephesians establishing who we are in Christ before calling us to live according to our calling in chapter 4. We are chosen, adopted, redeemed, forgiven, and sealed by the Holy Spirit. Our identity is received before our ministry is performed. The episode then examines how insecurity can distort each of the five servant gifts of Christ. Apostolic leaders may find worth in what they build. Prophetic leaders may become defensive when challenged. Evangelistic leaders may measure themselves by results. Pastoral leaders may become dependent upon being needed. Teachers may find identity in what they know. The conversation also explores three foundational lies: The Performance Lie — "My value depends upon what I do." The People-Pleasing Lie — "My value depends upon whether people love or approve of me." The Control Lie — "My value depends upon whether I can control the outcome." These lies often reveal themselves through defensiveness, anxiety, resentment, compulsive behavior, irritability, and the constant rehearsal of imaginary conversations. The path toward freedom involves identifying the lie, renewing the mind with truth, receiving God's love through the presence of the Holy Spirit, and courageously acting from the truth even before we feel completely secure. At the center of the episode is one foundational declaration: The issue of your value is settled at the cross. When identity becomes secure in Christ, the five gifts become what they were designed to be: expressions of Christ's servant heart rather than instruments for proving our worth. Episode takeaway: Your gift may determine how you serve, but your identity determines how you carry the gift. Reflection Question: When your gift isn't producing the result you want, who do you believe you are?
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    38 分
  • When the Gifts Become a Team: The Power of Fivefold Leadership

    When the Gifts Become a Team: The Power of Fivefold Leadership
    2026/08/31
    The Five Servant Gifts of Christ are often discussed as individual callings or leadership functions. But what happens when we move beyond identifying the gifts and begin asking how those gifts function together? The Five Gifts Podcast is a Christian leadership podcast exploring fivefold ministry, servant leadership, spiritual formation, and biblical leadership for church and marketplace leaders. In Season 3, Episode 33, Bruce and Charles explore the premise that: The gifts of Christ only exist in theory and principle until they come into reality through teams. Jesus Himself modeled this principle. He called the Twelve to be with Him, developed them, and eventually sent them out. His ministry was not designed to end with one leader—it was designed to multiply through people working together. The conversation explores the complementary contribution of each Fivefold gift: Apostles build. Prophets align. Evangelists mobilize. Pastors shepherd. Teachers equip. Bruce and Charles then examine what makes those gifts function effectively together through the TEAM framework: Trust. Encouragement. Accountability. Mission. The episode also explores the environment necessary for healthy Fivefold teams—dependence upon the Holy Spirit, relational safety, clear communication, empowerment, coaching, accountability, innovation, and mission-centered focus. The Central Challenge We shouldn't simply ask: "What is my gift?" We should also ask: "Who am I called to serve alongside?" Because the ultimate purpose of Fivefold ministry isn't to produce five categories of leaders. It's to help the entire Body of Christ grow into the fullness and maturity of Christ.
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    41 分
  • Building the Leadership Pipeline: Finding, Forming, and Releasing the Right People

    Building the Leadership Pipeline: Finding, Forming, and Releasing the Right People
    2026/08/24
    Healthy churches don't simply need more volunteers. They need a leadership pipeline that identifies, forms, equips, and releases people into their God-given ministry potential. In Season 3, Episode 32, Bruce and Charles explore how leaders can move beyond filling positions and begin intentionally developing people through the Five Servant Gifts of Christ. The conversation centers on a crucial leadership principle: Giftedness should not be the first consideration in selecting leaders. Qualification comes first. Bruce and Charles unpack the Super 6, six foundational behaviors that help determine whether someone is ready to enter a leadership-development process. They also explore four additional questions concerning a person's understanding, capacity, desire, and spiritual giftedness. The episode emphasizes that leadership development is ultimately about more than staffing. It is about discipleship and multiplication. Apostles build. Prophets align. Evangelists mobilize. Pastors shepherd. Teachers equip. Together, the Five Servant Gifts help create a Church where ministry isn't concentrated in the hands of a few leaders but multiplied throughout the Body of Christ. Key Takeaway Don't simply recruit people to fill positions. Identify people to develop, equip, and eventually release to develop others.
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    49 分
  • The Jesus Process: Seven Leadership Practices of the Five Servant Gifts

    The Jesus Process: Seven Leadership Practices of the Five Servant Gifts
    2026/08/17
    Healthy leadership is intentional. Healthy churches are built by leaders who invest in people. In this episode of The Five Gifts Podcast, Bruce explores seven leadership practices modeled by Jesus and reflected in the Five Servant Gifts of Christ. Drawing from Ephesians 4:11–16, you'll discover how apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors, and teachers are called to move beyond leading ministries to equipping people for the work of ministry. Together we'll examine how servant leadership, healthy attitudes, Kingdom vision, disciple-making, shared authority, excellence, and appreciation create environments where believers mature into the fullness of Christ. Whether you're leading a church, nonprofit, ministry team, or marketplace organization, these timeless biblical principles will challenge you to lead with humility, intentionality, and a commitment to developing others.
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    39 分