Are the more ‘supernatural’ gifts in 1 Corinthians given to today’s church?

This text is from a transcript of a talk by David Gooding, entitled ‘Conforming Our Spirits to the Spirit of God’ (2005).

I'm not the sovereign governor of the church. I mean that seriously—the Lord is still sovereign to use what he pleases. I notice that sometimes in countries where they do not have the Bible, for instance, God speaks in visions to those who do not have Scripture.

I would not deny supernaturalism; I believe God can heal supernaturally. But I don't think there is a universal gift that Christians never need to be ill, and if they only had strong enough faith they would always recover. I have witnessed the disastrous undermining of faith that that has caused among true believers who have remained sick, and to the gospel in countries in Eastern Europe, when evangelists say that, if they only had enough faith, everyone would be healed.

I remember a case in Bulgaria, where a paralyzed man propelled himself in a wheelchair for eleven kilometres to come to meetings where it was advertised that everybody would be healed. The preacher said, 'In the name of Christ, rise up and walk.' He gave him a hand and pulled him up and the man stood, but when the preacher let go he collapsed. The atheist press was around them in a minute, asking, 'Why was the man not healed?' The preacher said, 'Because he didn't have enough faith,' and the press said, 'Are you really telling us that a man who propelled himself in a wheelchair for eleven kilometres didn't have enough faith?'

So we must be exceedingly careful. We must not deny supernaturalism on the one hand, but we must, as the Holy Spirit exhorts us, use our minds to understand what is in order and what is profitable.