IMPERFECT PROPHETS

The best passage outside of 1 Cor 14 to bring me to a "soft" definition of prophecy is Acts 20 and 21. Paul is headed to Jerusalem. Agabus the prophet accurately predicts that the owner of Paul's belt will be bound if he goes to Jerusalem. The rest of the church, "through the Holy Spirit" (whatever that means) urges Paul not to go. Paul responds that he is willing to go, to suffer, and even to die in Jerusalem for the sake of Jesus. The church gives up and says, "The Lord's will be done."

Wait a second. They told Paul what to do through the Holy Spirit, but it wasn't the Lord's will? Wouldn't the Holy Spirit never have counseled them to give advice contrary to the will of God? Or is it at least possible to have an accurate prophecy, but a wrong interpretation or application of that prophecy? Could it be that the Holy Spirit gives impressions, visions, glimpses, images, and that though they are from the Spirit, they are not detailed enough to be 100% accurate? And yet, is it possible for everyone who has the Holy Spirit to prophesy, and when we do so the secrets of some unbeliever's heart are laid bare, they fall down and worship God and exclaim, "God is really among you!"? Yes, I have come to believe that it is possible.

To borrow from Moses and Paul, I would love to see everyone in our church prophesy. I am not jealous for Moses' or Paul's sake. Let us, then, earnestly seek the gift of prophecy. And let us not despise prophecies in the church.

PROPHECY

Many of us have been talking about the personal prophecies that Gordon Grieve delivered on Sunday. Most of the messages were amazingly accurate, and all were encouraging. But the words were not perfect, not tried seven times as in a fire, not infallible and inerrant, not "from God," as I was taught to believe in my tradition growing up. I was taught that God used prophets in the first generation only, but that since the Bible has been completed ("perfect"), prophecy was no longer needed. This is called cessationism.

I went through the New Testament this week, looking up all passages about prophecy and prophets. I honestly tried to read them through the eyes of what I had been taught, what I might call a "hard" definition of prophecy (that it is infallibly from the Holy Spirit, and if right could be added to the pages of the New Testament, and if wrong, calls for stoning the false prophet). Some of the passages didn't seem to fit. Then I looked at them again with a "soft" definition of prophecy in mind (that a prophet is fallible and gets impressions from the Holy Spirit, but might word them wrong or receive them with some mix of his or her own personality compromising the purity of a word from God), and it seemed to fit all of the passages.

Especially 1 Corinthians 14 seems to describe a gift of prophecy that can as broadly defined as congregational singing, or as anyone forthtelling words of "strengthening, encouragement and comfort" for saints. Paul wanted and seemed to expect everyone to prophesy, and seems to have a "soft" view of it, including the possibility that someone stops delivering his message and lets another speak.

One of the bottom lines for me, and I asked myself this several times during the assembly on Sunday, is this: did Gordon speak words that were in keeping with the Gospel? I think he understood the Gospel well, and he lifted Jesus high, and he had a humble spirit about him. Was he perfect? Perfectly humble? Perfectly accurate? Perfectly balanced? No, he wasn't. That's why his words aren't printed and placed in my Bible as Revelation chapter 23. At worst, they were words of well-meaning encouragement from a man who was stating the impressions of a loving stranger. The fact that he used the word "prophecy" made me uncomfortable to the degree that I have been taught a narrow definition of that word. But if I can allow what might be called a "non-supernatural" definition of prophecy, then I am okay.

I still reserve the words "prophecy" and "prophet" most of the time, because of my former teaching, and because I am slow to presume to have a word from the Lord. But I am very much in favor of walking in step with the Spirit and boldly following those promptings that come from Him. I don't have perfect reception, but I have seen enough to know that even "non-supernatural" words of knowledge are pretty "supernatural." And for me, that's enough.

SUMMER TIME

This has been the hardest five months I have faced. Our family has been stretch, my schedule has been impossible, and by God's grace I have been hanging on. But summer is coming; in some ways, it is already here. Graduation was yesterday, and I have no more classes. The schedule is flexible now, if not empty.

What shall I do with my time? Moreover, what shall I do with my days on earth? They are but few, and full of hardship, says the Bible. Why am I here? Junctures like this make a mission statement helpful. Some years ago, I prayerfully sought the Lord on this big-picture question, and here's what He said: I am here to worship, and to bring others to worship, both as a lead worshiper and a trainer of other lead worshipers.

How have I been doing at my goal? Not so very well this year, so far. My daily schedule and energy level have kept me from regular times in the Word, and I know that I am at my best when I have those times. And while I have been more than busy training worship leaders, I have been stretched so thin that I haven't gone very deeply with anyone.

This summer, goal #1 is to recharge. Goal #2 is to invest in those who are most important: my family. Out of that life will come effective ministry. Time to get the cart back behind the horse again.

"LORD, I give you the summer, each day, each hour. I am your servant. I will follow You all of my days, and step by step You'll lead me. Amen."
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