The Role Of The Prophet

Posted by Jonathan Brink

November 9, 2009

speaker

I wonder if someone ever said to Isaiah or Jeremiah, “How dare you criticize the what we’re doing!” I’m serious.

If ever there is a thankless job in the Ecclessia, it is the prophetic voice, the one that has the very thankless job of reminding the church, “This is not who you are.” Prophet have a terrible job. They have to tell people things they don’t want t hear. Prophets were God’s loudspeaker and they got killed for it. The problem is, nobody ever knows who the prophet was until after they were likely dead. It just works that way. When God is speaking to us loudly, we just don’t like to hear it.

There is a delicate tension in criticizing the church in any of its forms. People get attached those forms. They actually work for some people. For others they become idols and need reminding to tear them down. I guess one man’s treasure is another man’s junk.

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Conflict, Missional

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sarooney

Yes, but the prophet also gets to extol the goodness of God - to declare the truth of His light and beauty in order to usurp distorted images of Him. That's worth getting up for!

True, such a job as this creates conflict, even crisis for hearers. But it's worth the ultimate freedom that results for those who *will* (or can?) hear.

Jonathan Brink

Love it Sarah.

aamoslove

Jonathan

Yes. ;-)
“The problem is, nobody ever knows who the prophet was until after they were likely dead.”

Prophets or profits?

Which one is most important today?
Which one is ”The Church” looking for?

“There is a delicate tension in criticizing the church in any of its forms.”

Just wondering, which “church/label” are you talking about?

Let’s see.... We have

The Traditional Church,
The Institutional Church,
The Religious System Church,
The Steeple Corporation Church,
The 501c3, non profit, tax deductible,
Religious Corporation Church,
The Brick and Mortar Church,
The Pastor Led Church,
The Multiple Elder Led Church,
The Congregational Led Church,
The Pope Led Church,
The Bishop Led Church,
The Chief Executive Apostle Led Church,
There really is a Chief Executive Apostle
No Kidding. Saw it with my own eyes.
The Fluid Church,
The Solid Church,
The House Church,
The Simple Church,
The Organic Church,
The Small Group Church,
The Institutional Church,
Oh, i said that one already.
The Denominational Church,
The Non-Denominational Church,
The Inter - Denominational Church,
The Intra - Denominational Church,
The Underground Church,
The Full Gospel Church,
The Mega Church,
The Baptist Church,
The Lutheran Church,
The Evangelical Church,
The Charis maniacle ism Church,
The Pente it’s going to cost you a Lot ism Church,

The First Church of
The Pleasant Parables
of The Presence of God Church,
and we believe that
Proper
Preparation
Precedes
Powerful
Performance so we
Pray a lot.

Yea, That’s “MY Church.”
Started by my uncle.
He than formed a denomination
and made me, his loving nephew,
second in command and gave me a “title/label.”

His Holiness,
The Most Holy Right Reverend,
Father Amos.

How’s that for a “label?”
Aren’t you impressed now? ;-)