Prophetic Words
I've been thinking about prophetic speech.
The TV preachers that flood the airwaves here in KY often speak of prophecy
confirmed or the prophecy that God gave him or her to speak via the airwaves.
Some speak of the prosperity gospel as prophecy. I attended an event this week
that focused on the idea of pastor as prophet.
On
Monday
and
Tuesday
of
this
week
I
attended
an
event
that
looked
at
the
idea
of
pastor
as
prophet.
The
Kentucky
Region
hosts
an
event
called
Peer
2
Peer
(P2P).
This
event
offers
ministers,
licensed
and
ordained,
the
opportunity
to
meet
their
colleagues
around
the
Region
and
tend
those
relationships
from
colleague
to
peer.(1)
This
is
a
concept
that
is
important
to
me,
and
I
think
it
is
important
for
our
denomination
if
we
are
to
remain
a
relevant
voice
of
Gospel
in
our
culture.
Otherwise
we
become,
have
become
congregations
that
exist
in
competitive
isolationism.(2)Dr. Youtha Hardmen-Cromwell and
Dr. Lisa Wilson Davison encouraged
participants
to
think
of
ministry
as
holistic
rather
than
the
usual
division of
practice:
priest,
pastor,
prophet.
Too
often
we
think
of
prophetic
as
future
telling
or
a
singular
mode
of
speech
or
operation.
Priest,
pastor,
prophet
may
be
helpful
ways
to
think
about
and
come
to
understand
pastoral
authority,
but
in
day
to
day
life
of
ministry
we
are
in
every
moment,
priest,
pastor,
and
prophet.
It
requires
those
called,
minister,
to
have
situational
and
self
awareness,
intuition,
relationships,
trust,
a
sustaining
spirituality,
and
a
comfort
level
with
risk.
It
requires
those
called
minister
to
make
their
journey
accessible
more
than
their
answers
as
a
vision
of
what
it
means
to
be
a
Christian.I
asked
persons
at
P2P
this
question,
“What
was
the
last
thing
you
heard,
read,
or
experienced
that
you
would
consider
prophetic?”
My
answer
to
that
question
is
what
drove
me
to
this
post,
and
are
words
that
I
have
and
will
live
with
for
a
while.
I
first heard
and then read the two statements below that
echoed as prophetic to me.
A
former
President
of
these
United
States
said
this
summer,
“People
the
world
over
have
always
been
more
impressed
by
the
power
of
our
example
than
by
the
example
of
our
power.”(3)A
former
General
and
Secretary
of
State
said
just
a
week
ago,
“Well,
the
correct
answer
is,
he
is
not
a
Muslim,
he’s
a
Christian.
But
the
really
right
answer
is,
what
if
he
is?
Is
there
something
wrong
with
being
a
Muslim
in
this
country?
The
answer’s
no,
that’s
not
America.
Is
there
something
wrong
with
some
seven-year-old
Muslim-American
kid
believing
that
he
or
she
could
be
president?
This
is
not
the
way
we
should
be
doing
it
in
America.”(4)Prophetic
words
from
the
civic
pulpit.Notes1.
Ministry moved from vocation to profession many years ago. We have adopted
corporate speak in congregational life and in terms of serving in ministry.
Colleagues are persons that serve in the same profession that we may agree with
or not, that we probably tolerate rather than are in relationship with. I have
many colleagues. Peers though are persons who willingly or willfully share
their ideas, struggles, and spirituality. There is a more intimate
accountability between peers than the legality of colleagues. They do more than
tolerate or smile and wave at one another across the assembly exhibition hall.
Peer relationships speak more of friendship rather than collegiality. I have
some peers in ministry, and more specifically in youth ministry. Maybe
colleague is the best we can expect. Is that setting expectations
low?2. Competitive Isolationism: a term
I created to describe the state of the Kentucky Region’s outdoor ministry
program. I also use it to describe the interaction of congregations and youth
groups in Kentucky. We are blessed to have many serving in youth ministry
full-time here in Kentucky, but few make the time to connect, share ideas or
resources, or support each other. I practice this mode of existence in Regional
ministry from time to time, and did practice it when serving local congregations
more than I would like to admit. I think this term is descriptive of how
Regions are in relationship to one another as well as relationships between the
General manifestations of our denomination. I think it is why we use terms like
Mission Alignment.3. Former President Bill Clinton addressing the Democratic
Convention, August 2008. 4.
Retired
General Colin Powell and former Secretary of State, October 2008 on ‘Meet
the Press.'
Filed Thu - October 23, 2008, 09:30 AM in
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