The War on Christmas

A couple of years ago at Christmastime, I was in line at a large, well-known retailer, waiting to make my purchases.  The store was packed, it being a week or so before Christmas.  

 

I noticed something that sounded out of place, and it took me a moment to place it: the cashier was wishing everyone a Merry Christmas.  

 

It struck me as odd, as virtually every restaurant and store out there typically opts for "Seasons Greetings" or "Happy Holidays" at this time of year, instead of "Merry Christmas," – a nearly universal practice, I should add, that affects my life and my walk with Jesus in absolutely no way whatsoever. 

 

Sure enough, a manager of some type came over and very gently corrected the cashier: "I'm sorry, hon, but we need to say 'Happy Holidays.'  It's corporate policy, and we don't have a choice."

 

The cashier was annoyed.  "But I celebrate Christmas.  And it IS Christmas.  We celebrate Jesus at this time of year."

 

The manager was patient - her hands were tied.  "I know, but not everyone does, and we have a corporate policy that we have to follow."

 

The cashier was fuming, and the manager finally moved along.  "MERRY CHRISTMAS," she continued to growl to every customer.  She was obviously making a point.  "MERRY CHRISTMAS," she snarled at me as I arrived for my turn.  "This is ridiculous.  Stupid politically correct nonsense.  It's CHRISTMAS.  I will NOT let ANYONE tell me to stop celebrating Jesus."

 

And with that, another round of the great “War on Christmas” was over.  I'm not exactly sure who won - but it was over.

 

We hear a lot about the War on Christmas at this time of year.  Apparently, Jesus is being pushed out of the conversation, and Christians are being persecuted, all because we want to celebrate Jesus’ birthday.

 

Interesting, though….the last time I checked, the vast majority of Canadians still do celebrate Christmas.  The government has put no limitations on the celebration of Christmas for citizens, and the entire nation still takes December 25th as a federal holiday, even those who don't celebrate Jesus personally.

 

Yes, many businesses do ask their employees to take a more multicultural approach to the holidays, understanding that some citizens are Jewish, Muslim, etc. - "Happy Holidays" is a true enough statement - there are many different holidays being celebrated at this time of year.

"Well, if I were in Israel, I would expect them to celebrate Hanukkah.  If I were in India, I wouldn't get all uptight if people wished me a Happy Diwali.  I wouldn't get mad if Muslims celebrated Ramadan while I was in Saudi Arabia."  We've heard this before.

 

And it is certainly true.  I agree 100%.  And yet - at the same time - if I was living as an evangelical Christian in India, I would nonetheless consider it a wonderful courtesy if the citizens there didn't angrily try to force me to acknowledge their holiday.  Were they to be considerate that I was different from them, I would consider it a beautiful show of hospitality and kindness.

 

 

What is more - and this really is the more important part - most businesses are not Christian businesses.  They are secular.  Thus, it is not their job to proclaim Christ at Christmastime.  That job lies solely in the hands of the believer.  It is our job to keep the "Christ" in "Christmas."  And if the Church is really depending upon secular corporations to acknowledge and proclaim Jesus for us – even if they don’t believe in Him - then I think we have missed out on a major part of our mission.  

I have a theory: Jesus told us that we would be persecuted (Mt 5:12; Jn 15:20).  And yet, in Canada, we really aren't persecuted at all.  So, some have grabbed onto any affront that they can find, and held it up as true persecution.  But it's really not the same.  This year, Christians in Pakistan were murdered by the dozens when a suicide bomber blew himself up at a church just as services were emptying on a Sunday morning.  That is not the same as a store clerk wishing me "Happy Holidays!" instead of "Merry Christmas."  First-world problems, right? 

 

And as a side note - I'm not sure that growling and snarling about Christmas is the most effective way to impress those outside the faith.  Were I them, I don't think I would want to join that club. There are many people out there who do not believe or acknowledge Jesus as Lord.  Trying to force them to acknowledge Him has proven to be a very poor method of evangelism in Church history, and in its extreme, has occasionally led to horrific things (e.g. the Crusades). Arm-twisting, anger, and frustration are poor ways to share the Gospel of love, indeed!   

 

So, God bless Canada!  We are a multicultural, incredibly free nation, where many different perspectives are given permission to be explored.  I believe in the Lordship of Jesus Christ, and I truly hope and pray that everyone will find the joy in following Him that I have, and the salvation that He offers.  It is a wonderful time of year to celebrate Jesus, and everything that His birth means for a hurting and broken world.    

So, MERRY CHRISTMAS!  

I say that, because it is my job to do so!

When Christians Disagree

The issue of disagreement amongst Christians has come up a couple of times in the last couple of weeks in fairly high-profile ways, causing me to re-examine some things and of course go to the Word to try and wrestle through it. 

One event was Halloween, where I watched with sadness as Christians hurled accusations against each other, with those who are at peace with the holiday calling others legalistic and controlling, while those who oppose it accused the other side of being worldly and celebrating demons.  As I personally took my kids out to a few houses, I was less-than-gently rebuked by a few who felt that I was failing in my role as pastor, setting a poor example, and confusing my church (I should add that these voices were very few). 

The second, more important event was a conference, where a well-known and brilliant Bible teacher with decades of wonderful instruction to the Body of Christ held a conference to promote his new book, in which he claims Pentecostals/Charismatics are demon-inspired, blasphemous non-Christians who worship a false Christ and believe a false gospel.  He says this because he believes that spiritual gifts no longer function in the Church (go and Google "cessationism"), and because of that conviction, he condemns those who disagree with him to hell.

 

Romans chapter 14 is an absolutely fascinating read in times like this.  The early church had a real struggle on its hands - what to do with the Old Testament Law?  The OT was the only Bible that they had, and it commanded them to follow the Law, abstain from certain foods (keeping "kosher"), celebrate certain festivals and holy days before the LORD, etc.  Yet, Jesus was also ushering in a new age and a new covenant - a time of freedom - and the early church struggled with what exactly this meant.  Now that they were free in Christ, did they need to keep kosher?  Did they have to follow the festivals?  Paul deals with these questions in Romans 14.

 

What's fascinating in this passage is Paul's message: Loving and helping each other is more important than even the truth when it comes to "disputable matters." (v.1).  It really says that!  Now just to be clear, there are subjects in Scripture that are very plain: statements about God, Christ, salvation, sin, holiness, Scripture, etc.  There are truths that are worth standing up for and defending fiercely. 

 

But apparently, there are other areas – even truths – which are not.  There are matters which are in dispute - such as "Should a Christian participate in Halloween?", or "What is the proper understanding of the gifts of the Spirit?"  On these “disputable matters,” Paul has something very different to say.

 

When it comes to such issues, Paul says, "Don't quarrel." (v.1)  So....we're not allowed to do that!  What's amazing is that Paul knows on some of these matters that there is a definite right answer and a definite wrong answer.  He makes very clear that, on the issue of food, we no longer need to keep kosher (v.14).  That is the truth, and Paul does not deny it.  However, he also says that if someone's personal conviction is that they must remain kosher, and does so out of faith in their walk with God, then they are not to be judged in any way (v.5, 6, 14).

 

Do you see it?  On disputable matters, love and acceptance of our brothers and sisters is more important than being "right!"  Paul doesn't teach a wishy-washy commitment to truth - he teaches a freedom in Christ that allows us to act in freedom, according to our own conscience and conviction of faith, when it comes to issues that are not clearly laid out in the Word. 

 

"Therefore let us stop passing judgment on one another," he says (v.13).  The one who feels at peace about Halloween is not allowed to call the one who stands against it "legalistic."  The one who opposes the holiday can't accuse the other side of "wordliness."  The one whose understanding states that the spiritual gifts have passed away shouldn't call the Charismatics "blasphemous."  And the Pentecostal shouldn't accuse the cessassionist of close-mindedness.

 

"Let us therefore make every effort to do what leads to peace and to mutual edification." (v.19)  Are we making "every effort" to accomplish this?  Or are we just getting mad at those who don't agree with what we believe, spending our time arguing and bickering? 

 

If a preacher today were to preach the way Paul does here, he/she would likely be accused of being weak on truth.  And yet, here we find it, right there in the Word of God for all eternity.

On essential matters, we are called to stand for the truth, defending it without compromise.  On non-essential matters, we are called to hold to our convictions without passing judgment on those who disagree with us.  And in all matters, we are called to be loving, patient, gentle, and kind to all, regardless of whether they agree with us or not (Gal 5:23-24). 

Being "Nice"

"I'm just telling you the truth.  And sometimes, the truth hurts."

So said someone who was criticizing me fairly harshly, several years ago.  When I had suggested that their angry tone was less than loving, they responded with the words above.  Perhaps you’ve heard those words spoken to you before, most likely by a person who was saying something that you don’t like.    

The concept is true enough.  My beautiful two-year-old daughter poked my belly the other day, giggled, and said, “Big and soft!”

Ouch.

The truth certainly can hurt, and it will be inevitable that there will be times where we are obliged to share a truth with someone that they don’t like, and in those cases, our words can indeed be hurtful to others.

But it’s funny, I've noticed that the people in my life who are by nature tender-hearted never say things like, “Hey, sorry, but the truth hurts.”  This is because, while the truth does sometimes hurt, they still make every effort to soften their words, choosing their phrasing carefully, and do all that they can to couch the painful side of truth in love, respect, hope, and grace.  When they do cause hurt, they never blame it on “the truth,” and they make gentleness a high priority in their conversations. 

“But Jesus wasn’t ‘nice’ all the time,” I’ve heard people say in response.  “Sometimes, you’ve just got to let people know where it’s at.”

While this is true, Jesus is also Lord, with perfect motivation, perfect intentions, perfect understanding, perfect wisdom, and perfect love covering over it all.  Are you there?

There are many books, blogs and articles right now that attack the idea of "niceness" in Christians.  We have a reputation for being "nice" people - and it has become a dirty word.  Niceness implies a person who shies away from honesty and truth in the name of peace, or someone who prioritizes being liked over being sincere.  It implies a certain shallowness, to be sure.

In that sense, niceness doesn't sound great.  There is weakness depicted here, a softness of character, a spinelessness at times - all in the name of likeability.

However, consider this:

“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.” (Gal 5:22-23)

We rightly point out that “niceness” isn’t on the list.  Love is, however.  Kindness is.  Gentleness is.

Yes, the truth sometimes does hurt.  And we are not called to be “nice,” per se.  But we are also not permitted to share anything, including truth, that is not surrounded by kindness, gentleness, and love. 

When we do this, even the hard truths become easier to swallow, and the hard words are softened by these qualities of God.

We can please God AND be a greater encouragement to other people.....who’d have thunk it? 

Honouring When It's Tough

“Give to everyone what you owe them: If you owe taxes, pay taxes; if revenue, then revenue; if respect, then respect; if honor, then honor.” ~ Rom 13:7

            How easy it is to honour those who deserve it!  Wonderful parents, amazing leaders, politicians we agree with, peers that we admire.  It is simple enough to be respectful towards those that we, well, respect. 

            But it is dangerous to put conditions on our honour.  Jesus says, “If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that?  And if you greet only your own people, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that?” (Mt 5:46-47)  He calls us to the radical posture of loving even our enemies – because when we were enemies of God, He loved us nonetheless (Rom 5:8)

            “But you don’t know what my parents were like!” some say.  “You don’t know what my boss did to me!”  “You have no idea how that person burned me!”

            This is certainly true.  But consider two things:

            First, honour doesn’t necessarily mean full obedience or agreement, if the other person is far from God’s ways.  The early apostles were ordered by those in authority to stop preaching the Gospel; this command was not followed (Ac 5:37-42).  The Hebrew midwives were ordered to kill all male Hebrew babies; this order was ignored (Ex 1:15-19).  When Jesus entered Jerusalem on Palm Sunday, He was ordered to quiet down the worshiping crowd; He refused to do so (Lk 19:37-40).  We can still honour someone, even as we disagree with them, or even as we choose to go a different way.

            Second, honour really should be unconditional.  Consider David, before He become king.  Saul was trying to murder him, pursuing him relentlessly, and in the process, tried to murder his own son, slaughtered many innocent priests, and consulted a witch for spiritual direction (1Sam 19-28).  Clearly, this is not a leader to be obeyed!  And yet, when given the opportunity to avenge himself, David refuses each time (1Sam 24; 26).  When Saul is eventually killed in battle, David was furious that someone rose their spear to God’s chosen leader (2Sam 1:14).  Although David did not follow Saul, and even called Saul out on his many sins, he nonetheless still honoured the role of King, treating Saul respectfully, even as he distanced himself from him. 

            We don’t have to agree with others – we can, in fact, disagree entirely.  But this does not mean that we get to throw out the principles of respect and honour.  We aren’t responsible for what others do; we are only responsible for ourselves and our reactions.

            To disagree without dishonour is very difficult to manage....not many can do this well.  Yet, it is a powerful thing to be able to hold on to our convictions, while also knowing that we have treated the other party well, while also knowing that we are being obedient to God’s ways.  Win-win-win. 

Paid in Full

I won’t write out the whole “Parable of the Unmerciful Servant” here, but I’d encourage you to pause, and go have a read:

http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=mt%2018:21-35&version=NIV

That, my friends, is one of the good ones.  Both tremendously encouraging, and tremendously challenging, as the best passages of Scripture are.  It exposes the radical love and grace of God, while simultaneously exposing our own radical hypocrisy at the same time.  It’s a “Wow!”-moment, and an “Ouch!”-moment, all at once. 

The heart of God’s message of grace, personified in the master character, is this: Your debt to Me is paid in full.  You owe Me nothing.  We’re good.  Not because you’ve earned it, not because you deserve it, but simply because I love you, and I am merciful.  You owe me nothing.

However, when the servant in the story is given this miraculous gift, he goes to his fellow servant, who owes him a few dollars, and demands repayment.  When he doesn’t get it, he has the man thrown into prison as punishment until he is able to repay the debt. 

“Hypocrite!” we cry.....except we can’t.  Because of course, we are that hypocritical servant.

We have been forgiven everything – yet are slow to forgive others ourselves.  Our debt has been paid in full – yet we continually demand “payment” from others.  God has chosen to let the past go, and release us – yet we choose to hold on, and release nothing.

God’s response to these choices is stern: “Shouldn’t you have had mercy on your fellow servant just as I had on you?” (v.33) 

Col 3:13 says “Forgive as the Lord forgave you.”  How did He forgive us?  Well, freely, demanding nothing, but not just that – He forgave while reaching out to us, embracing us, drawing us back to Him, working to reconcile the broken relationship.  It wasn’t just an attitude of forgiveness that He held in His heart; it was a forgiveness that came after us, actively and intentionally, until the relationship was restored. For God, forgiveness is an action word, not just an attitude.

Jesus did the same, while on earth.  When Peter abandoned Him to His suffering and death, and then denied even knowing Him, Jesus does not see Peter again until after the resurrection, visiting them briefly on Easter Sunday.  Later, while out fishing one day, Peter sees Jesus on the beach.  There must have been an unspoken tension in the air; nothing has been said about Peter’s actions in the last hours of Jesus’ life.

What is Jesus’ response to Peter?  How does He address the one who wounded Him so?

“Come and have breakfast.” (Jn 21:12)

Come and share a meal with me.  Come and sit at my table.  Jesus then graciously restores Peter, making clear that his calling is still sure, his mission hasn’t changed, and that Jesus still believes in him.

God’s forgiveness is given freely; we are to give it freely as well.  Through Christ, God has gone to excruciating, self-denying, self-sacrificing depths in order to reconcile us to Himself; we are to work towards reconciling with others in the same self-denying manner.  God has taken wounds that He didn’t deserve without complaint; we are called to do the same.  God has actively shown us how much He loves us, even when we were His enemies; we are to love our enemies in a like manner. 

And honestly, in light of what He has done for us...lest we be called hypocrites....what else can we do?  

 

 

Cultural Blindspots

American schoolchildren are taught that on December 7, 1941, the Japanese attacked the US Naval Base at Pearl Harbour without provocation, devastating the US Fleet and killing nearly 2,500 Americans in the deadliest attack on American soil until 9/11.  The Japanese who attacked are viewed as cowardly, deceitful, and murderous, attacking an innocent party without warning.

Japanese schoolchildren are taught that, in the years and months of growing global tension preceding Pearl Harbour, the US had levelled economic sanctions against Japan, withheld oil, and built up military forces in Asia in an attempt to keep Japanese ambitions in check.  The US had not entered the war yet, but if they did, the Japanese would certainly be a target of attack.  Viewing the economic actions and military buildup as a preparation for war, the Japanese chose to strike first, seeking to disable the US fleet at Pearl Harbour in order to protect themselves from what they viewed as a certain eventual American invasion.  In other words, the Japanese viewed Pearl Harbour much as Americans viewed the 2003 Invasion of Iraq – as a justified, pre-emptive strike against an enemy who was preparing to attack them.

Interesting, no?  Two completely opposite views of the exact same event.  While the Japanese perspective in no way diminishes the horror of the attack, it does show us that there are always multiple sides to a story.  We will see this pattern repeated over and over again, in virtually any given historical situation, with opposing sides coming to completely different conclusions from the exact same event.

As much as we would all like to believe that our own perspective is absolutely pure, it simply isn’t.  We are all products of our culture, our upbringing, our gender, our biases, our worldview, etc.  We don’t see things purely, with a righteous heart and clear mind – we perceive everything through the many filters of who we are. 

This affects how we interpret God’s Word, how we do church, how we discern His will, and how we walk with Him.  This struck me very clearly on a ministry trip to Zambia, where several pastors told me that we were living in the end-times, right now.  When I shared that most from my country would think of the end-times as a series of future events, the pastors thought I was crazy!  As Africa was being swallowed up in disease, violence, warfare, martyrdom, poverty, and widespread death, they saw the book of Revelation being lived out around themselves, every day.  In our safe and comfortable North American worldview, we see no such thing.  Our cultural worldview causes us to view things in a certain way, just as the Zambian cultural worldview caused them to view things very differently.  Both sides are Christians, reading the same Bible, filled with the same Spirit – yet coming to very different conclusions. 

Even the early apostles were not immune to cultural blindspots.  Spirit-filled and anointed as they were, their Jewish worldview caused them to initially question the Gentiles’ right to participate in the Church (Acts 11:1-3).  One can’t blame them; that was the only way they knew.  It was how they had been raised and taught.  Even in the purity of the revelation and power of the early Church, their flesh, influenced by their culture, was still at play.  It took an act of God to get them to alter their views (Acts 11:4-18), which thankfully they did, and the rest, as they say, is history.

The point is, we all see things dimly, and in part (1Co 13:12).  If the apostles were not immune to such errors, then neither are we.  We are all products of our culture, and our culture is not necessarily always right.

What is one to do?  Be willing to admit that our worldview may be wrong, for one.  The apostles did, and it unlocked tremendous blessing for the church.  Like the apostles, we must be open to a different viewpoint.  Listen to various perspectives, and weigh each on their own merits.  Understand that our authority is not in what the culture says, or even what the Church says, but upon what God says.  Where we have been in error, we must repent and move on.  And we must remain tied to God’s Word, constantly seeking the truth of His revelation.  Our personal cultural perspectives may be impossible to overcome completely in this life, but if we are aware, humble, and open-minded, then perhaps we can do better, and better, and better.

 

Biblically Speaking: What are Teachers?

“So Christ himself gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors and teachers,  to equip his people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up  until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.” (Eph 4:11-13)

Finally, let us look at the role of the Teacher. We will look through the eyes of Scripture, and discover its place in the New Testament Church.

As with the other four offices of the five-fold ministries, we look to Jesus as the perfect manifestation of this gift. He is our great Apostle, Prophet, Evangelist, Pastor, and Teacher. When He walked the earth, He was acknowledged with the title of “Teacher” by the people (Mt 19:16; 23:10; Mk 9:17), and also referred to Himself that way (Jn 13:13). It was one of the main focuses of His ministry, as He taught everywhere He went, speaking in towns and cities all over the region (Mt 9:35; 11:1). Everywhere He went, he amazed the crowds with the power of His teaching, who had never heard anything like it before (Mt 7:28; 13:54).

As He prepared to leave this earth, part of the command of His Great Commission was for His disciples to continue His teaching ministry, showing others how to obey everything that He had taught them (Mt 28:20).

So, what does a biblical teacher look like? 

First, teachers bring teaching that is inspired by God. There is a huge difference between “teaching” and “inspired teaching!” Even a non-Christian could take a passage of Scripture, study the meaning and original context, and unpack what the text says, even providing some principles for us to live by.  Case in point: American founding father Thomas Jefferson was not a Christian or believer in God, but he admired the moral teachings of Jesus.  So, he removed all supernatural references from the Gospels and formed the “Jefferson Bible”, filled only with the ethical instructions of Christ, which he encouraged people to follow.

This obviously requires no inspiration or connection with God, and anyone can do this, Christian or not. Biblical teachers are more than just dispensers of information based on the text of Scripture; they are desiring to find the “God-breathed” inspiration behind the Word (2Ti 3;16), and bring a fresh revelation of what God is saying to us through it.

Scripture warns against teaching that has its roots in human origin instead of divine (Col 2:22). Godly teachers will not seek to bring forward their own agendas or values through Scripture, but rather seek God’s ways alone and communicate them. Jesus said, “My teaching is not my own. It comes from him who sent me.” (Jn 7:16). Likewise, He also said that after He left, the Holy Spirit would come, and that He would “teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you.” (Jn 14:26) So we see that Jesus was not attempting to bring His own ideas, but only His Father’s. And the Spirit has been sent to continue that very same ministry, teaching us from what Jesus has said. True bible teachers will walk in this same anointing, hearing from Heaven what God is desiring to reveal through His Word, and then communicating that revelation and understanding to the Church through the Scripture.

When this occurs, teachers will teach with authority. This is what Jesus did, and it amazed those who heard Him (Mt 7:28-29). He was not simply unpacking old revelation or showing people what the Scripture said. He was bringing brand-new understanding (Mk 1:27), and a fresh revelation of who God is and what walking with Him looks like. Another biblical example is Stephen, who went about bringing the new teaching of the Gospel, and as he did, he shut the mouths of those who publically challenged him, because they “could not stand up against his wisdom or the Spirit by whom he spoke.” (Ac 6:10). Divine authority comes when teachers have a true revelation from Heaven, and their words will carry an undeniable weight when they do.

Moving on, a biblical teacher will use the Bible to teach, rebuke, correct, and train in righteousness (2Ti 3:16). They understand that “all Scripture is God-breathed”, and that all of their authority and understanding comes from the power of God’s word. Wielding the Bible as their greatest tool, verses will flow from a teacher’s mouth in any situation, using the Scriptures to exhort, encourage, discipline, and build up the Body of Christ. While a prophet presses in for revelation directly from the Spirit, a teacher seeks Holy Spirit revelation through the written Word.

Good teachers will confront what is false. Part of their job is to protect the Church from misleading or unscriptural teachings and doctrine (1Ti 1:3-7; 2Ti 4:3; 2Pe 2:1-3). Teachers know that the Word of God is the full revelation of who He is, and what He requires. Nothing contrary to Scripture can be from the Lord. By pulling pure doctrine from the Word of God, and preaching it with the above-mentioned inspiration and authority, teachers will be able to point out error and turn God’s people away from it (2Pe 3:17).

New Testament teachers will live by the words that they teach. Jesus warned His disciples about the teachers of His time, telling His followers to “obey them and do everything they tell you. But do not do what they do, for they do not practice what they preach.” (Mt 23:3) Jesus called these teachers “hypocrites” on many occasions (see Mt 23). This should soberly challenge anyone who teaches! Good teachers will not just be communicators of the ideals of Scripture; they will live them out every day. In establishing his credentials with the Corinthian church, Paul wrote that the way that he lived his life “agrees with what I teach everywhere in every church. (1Co 4:17) Paul was not preaching one way and living another; he made sure that he was “practicing what he preached.” Although none are perfect, teachers must strive to fulfill their own instruction.

Finally, it is worth nothing that teachers will face a higher standard than others. James said that “Not many of you should presume to be teachers, my brothers, because you know that we who teach will be judged more strictly.” (Ja 3:1) Because of their special role in handling the divine revelation of Scripture, teachers will be held to a higher account than the rest of the church. As with the title of “Apostle” that we already examined, the office of “Teacher” brings a lot more with it than some have bargained for! To call oneself a Teacher is to call upon God for a stricter judgment, and that is not something to be taken lightly. Because of this, those who are called to teach should do so within their God-given authority, and those who are not called should accept this peacefully. God has a place for everyone, and there is no need to try and fit into someone else’s anointing!

The roles of Apostle, Prophet, Evangelist, Pastor, and Teacher are gifts that God has given to His Church. They are all necessary, and it is important that they all function together, complimenting each other. When one of the five is missing, there is a large void in the effectiveness of Church ministry. Only by all five offices moving in lockstep with each other can the Church move into its full potential. Hopefully, through this study of these amazing gifts, we will have a strong overview of each role, and of its place within the Body. And as we see and understand each purpose, we can pray for and seek these gifts, helping each other find our place, and see the Body of Christ move into the maturity that it is destined for.

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Biblically Speaking: What are Pastors?

“So Christ himself gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors and teachers,  to equip his people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up  until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.” (Eph 4:11-13)

In our modern Church context, the role of the Pastor is central to every local assembly. In fact, in many cases, the Pastor is actually expected to be the Apostle, Prophet, Evangelist, and Teacher for the whole local church, when in fact, biblically, it is clearly separate from these roles, and has a very specific function.

The word for “pastor” comes from the Latin term “pastorem”, which means “to shepherd.” The word is actually only used once in the entire Bible, and that is only in the description of the five-fold ministries of Eph 4. However, the concept of “shepherding” is much more common throughout the Bible, and so we will look at what the term means for God’s Church.

As with all of the aspects of the five-fold ministries that we have examined so far, Jesus is our prime example of this gift, just as He is the perfect example of an Apostle, Prophet, and Evangelist. Jesus is the greatest Pastor of all, calling Himself “The Good Shepherd.” (Jn 10:11:16). Just as a pastor is the head of a local church, ultimately every pastor is submitted to Jesus, who shepherds the entire church at large (Col 1:18). As the Good Shepherd, Jesus watches over His sheep, leading them, caring for them, feeding them, and protecting them. His role is mirrored by the earthly ministers who are called to these tasks.

Biblically, and in our modern churches, pastors are leaders and overseers of a local assembly. It seems, within New Testament context, that the biblical “elders” and “overseers” were considered pastors, instructed by Scripture to “shepherd” believers within a designated community of Christians (Ac 20:28; 1Pe 5:2). Jesus Himself is referred to as the “Shepherd and Overseer” of our souls (1Pe 2:25), which may confirm the idea that “overseers” and “shepherds” (pastors) are referring to the same role. As well, passages such as 1Pe 5:1-4 and Titus 1:5-9 use the terms “elder” and “overseer” interchangeably, indicating that they too are the same role.

So then, it appears that the biblical terms of “pastors”, “overseers”, and “elders” are all describing the same single office. They were mature believers who were appointed to lead (or join a team of leaders) the local assemblies (Ac 14:23; Tit 1:5), and were responsible for caring for God’s people (1Ti 3:5).

By examining the requirements and instructions placed on elders and overseers, we can learn much about what a biblical “pastor” is. As well, by reading through Paul’s “Pastoral Letters” to Timothy and Titus, we can add to our understanding, as we study the teaching that Paul gave to these local pastors to help them in their ministries.

First of all, just to reiterate the basic definition, pastors are shepherds of God’s flock. Evangelists lead people to Jesus; Apostles lay foundations, build, and establish new things; Prophets hear what God is saying to His Church and share it - and Pastors nurture and care for the sheep. There are believers that are placed under a pastor’s watch that he/she is responsible for (1Pe 5:2). With the LORD as the best example of a Shepherd for us (Ps 23; Jn 10), we can deduce that pastors will lead God’s flock (Ps 23:2), feed God’s people (ibid), guide them through life (v.3), protect them (v.4), and be so committed to loving and caring for their own that they lay down their lives for the sake of those under their care (Jn 10:11).

Pastors set an example for God’s people (1Ti 4:12; 1Pe 5:3). As the most visible members of the church, and the ones sitting in leadership over it, pastors are observed by everyone in the church, and so must live in such a way that others can view them and be inspired by the godliness and faith that is being modeled for them. Paul’s charge to the pastor Timothy was to set an example for his flock “in speech, in life, in love, in faith and in purity.” (1Ti 4:12).

Pastors are required to “be above reproach” (1Ti 3:2) and “blameless” (Tit 1:6). Scripture actually lists some very specific character requirements for pastors, including that they be the husband of but one wife, temperate, self-controlled, respectable, hospitable, able to teach, not given to drunkenness, not violent but gentle, not quarrelsome, not a lover of money, not overbearing, not pursuing dishonest gain, that they are lovers of what is good, and that they are upright, holy and disciplined. (1Ti 3:2-6; Tit 1:6-8). While no one is perfect, and while this is obviously setting a high standard, this makes it very important that a person actually be called by God to the ministry of pastoring, and not just take it on by their own will. If one is called, there will be grace to live up to biblical expectations. If not, it will be impossible, and that will lead to nothing good!

Pastors are called to “correct, rebuke and encourage” the church —“with great patience and careful instruction.” (2Ti 4:2). Through good teaching and sound instruction (1Ti 4:11), a pastor feeds the sheep from the bread of God’s Word, and at times, corrects behaviour that is sinful and out of line with Scripture (2Ti 4:3; Tit 2:1). Ultimately, encouragement will be a part of every pastor’s ministry (Tit 1:9; 2:15), as they build up the Body of Christ and assist each believer in their walk with Jesus.

Like a good shepherd, pastors protect the sheep. Paul warned the pastors at Ephesus that after he left, “savage wolves” would come in among them (Ac 20:29). Pastors fight to keep the wolves away, whether those “wolves” are manifested as unscriptural doctrine (1Ti 4:1-6), false prophets and teachers (1:3-7;4:2-3), or sinful behaviour (2Ti 3:1-5). A good pastor is not afraid to stand up boldly for truth, to call what is false “false”, and to point out sin for what it is. These are the actions of a loving, caring shepherd who wants to see that the sheep are kept from harm.

Pastors can be teachers of the Word (1Ti 3:2; 4:13). In our modern context, most pastors are expected to be teachers to some degree. Whether through sermons, bible studies, or even just sharing a verse of encouragement with a person in need, pastors know that “All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness.” (2Ti 3:16). The Word of God is the ultimate tool and the ultimate authority for pastors to use with their people.

However, it is important to note that Scripture says that “The elders who direct the affairs of the church well are worthy of double honor, especially those whose work is preaching and teaching.” (1Ti 5:17) The wording of this passage indicates that there will also be elders whose work is NOT preaching and teaching. Not all pastors are gifted teachers; some have great concern for the flock and are more drawn towards the personal “care” side of pastoring, rather than the teaching side. Regardless, every pastor will have a strong knowledge of the Bible and use it to lead them in their ministry, whether they are public teachers or not.

Pastors are supervisors of the administration of church business (1Tim 5:3-16). Deacons are given to assist leaders in this task (Ac 6:1-4), but as overseers of the church as a whole, pastors will be involved in managing the practical affairs of an assembly.

Pastors are called to the ministry of training and releasing others under their care (2Ti 2:2; Tit 1:5). Paul specifically tells Timothy not to do it all on his own, saying that “the things you have heard me say in the presence of many witnesses, entrust to reliable men who will also be qualified to teach others.” (2Ti 2:2). It just makes sense, really; one believer can accomplish much, but a hundred equipped and anointed believers can accomplish much, much more. A good pastor sees the potential in the people under his care and knows how to equip and release them into their God-ordained purpose.

Pastors are called to be gentle (1Ti 3:3; 6:11; 2Ti 2:25). A shepherd who walks into a flock of sheep and is overly bold, sudden, or harsh, will find that the sheep scatter and stay away. Scripture commands pastors to be gentle, as the Good Shepherd is gentle with us. The sheep will follow one who they trust, and in order to properly care for them, a shepherd must be able to get close to them. Gentleness will allow these things to happen.

It is important to recognize the “noble task” of pastoring (1Ti 3:1), while at the same time understanding the great responsibilities that it entails. True shepherds will share the heart of the Good Shepherd, who loved His sheep so much that He died for them. Jesus did not come seeking title or prestige; He came, not to be served, but rather to serve others Himself (Mt 20:28), and to lay down His life for His flock (Jn 10:15). True pastors will walk in the same manner; they are here to serve, and to sacrifice of themselves for their flocks’ sake. In so doing, the sheep under their watch will be built up, fed, cared for, protected, and edified in their relationship with Jesus.

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Biblically Speaking: What's an Evangelist?

“So Christ himself gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors and teachers,  to equip his people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up  until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.” (Eph 4:11-13)

The English word for “evangelism” comes from the Greek word, “euangelion”, which is most usually translated as one bringing “good news”. The term “evangelist”, meaning the title given to one who evangelizes, is literally translated as “I bring a good message.” A fitting title for one who shares the story of the risen Jesus Christ! Evangelists are the “fishers of men” (Mt 4:19) that Jesus spoke of, the workers who long to bring in the harvest of the lost that His blood has purchased at great price (Mt 9:37-38). They are hungry to see people come to Christ. 

Jesus Himself was the first evangelist, with Scripture often describes His ministry as the preaching of “the good news” (Mt 4:23; 9:35; Mk 1:14; Lk 8:1). After seeing His wonders and hearing His message, many believed in Him and became disciples (Jn 2:11; 7:31; 12:42), which really is the true purpose of evangelism: that those who don’t yet know Him would believe in Jesus, and follow after Him.

Evangelism styles and structures have shifted over the centuries, as the culture has changed. This is a good thing! But rather than look at specific styles or techniques of evangelism, we will look at biblical principles of what makes an evangelist, regardless of culture or time.

To begin with, by way of description, an evangelist leads people to Jesus. This is their main role within the church. As Paul and Barnabas travelled through Europe, they had great success in their evangelism ministry. In one encounter, Scripture says that “They preached the good news in that city and won a large number of disciples.” (Ac 14:21). That, in a nutshell, is evangelism: sharing the good news and winning people to the Lord, whatever that may look like.

To that end, evangelists will have a heart that is drawn to the lost. Their hearts will echo the heart of the Saviour: “When (Jesus) saw the crowds, he had compassion on them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd.” (Mt 9:36) While a pastor will have a passion to care for the sheep of God’s family, an evangelist will be moved to compassion for those who are “harassed and helpless” in this broken world, and who are hopeless without a Saviour. Their ministry comes from that place of sincere concern for those who need Jesus.

Evangelists are driven by the Great Commission: “Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” (Mt 28:19-20) Evangelists have heard the word “go” and take that command seriously! Whether at home or on the mission field, evangelists are stirred by the authority that Jesus has given in these verses, and want to please Him by obeying what He has said.

The only person in all of Scripture who is actually given the title of “evangelist” is Philip (Ac 21:8), (although we do see others preaching the Gospel and leading people to Jesus). Therefore, in understanding the evangelistic gift, it is worth taking a good look at the “evangelist’s” life. By examining Philip’s ministry, there is much that we can learn about the role of an evangelist within the Church.

Philip was one of the first deacons, chosen in Acts 6 to assist the apostles in the administrative aspects of the Jerusalem church (v.3). He was chosen with six other men, all of whom were selected because they were “full of the Spirit and wisdom,” (ibid).

As he moved into his ministry, he teaches us that evangelists walk in divine power. Not all will function in signs and wonders necessarily, but Philip did, as did the apostles when they went about preaching the Gospel. After the stoning of Stephen, the disciples were forced to flee Jerusalem to avoid persecution (Ac 8:1). Philip travelled to Samaria (v.5), and God performed many miracles through him (v.6-7). While in Samaria, Philip’s main job, however, was preaching the Gospel, and as the crowds were amazed at his words combined with the signs and wonders, “they believed Philip as he preached the good news of the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ”, and many were baptized into the Name of Jesus (v.12), including a well-known sorcerer (v.13). Signs and wonders confirmed the power of the Gospel message of the resurrected Saviour. Not all evangelists will function in this specific way necessarily, but regardless, Paul said “I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes” (Rom 1:16). He understood that this was more than just words or a good story. Evangelists know that there is divine power in the Gospel for salvation, and there is incredible Holy Spirit-anointing on its words (Isa 61:1; Lk 4:18).

Moving on, evangelists will partner with the other five-fold ministries of the church. Of course, all of the ministries must work with each other, but this is especially true with evangelism, as newborn Christians are at stake. An evangelist leads people to Jesus, but someone else must be in place to care for them from there, or else the new believer may fall away.

For years, the Billy Graham Evangelical Association would travel across the United States, seeing thousands come to Jesus every year. Early in the ministry, he functioned in the classic evangelist style of that time, by which a travelling minister would come into town, preach the Gospel, lead people to Jesus, and then leave, with no follow-up or help for the new converts. Realizing that many of the people they were leading to Jesus were falling through the cracks, the Association began to insist on partnership with local Bible-believing churches in every town that they visited, so that new believers could be connected with a church right away, and continue to grow in the Lord. This model is now the standard for evangelistic ministries around the world, and remains one of the core values of the Association to this day.

As people began to get saved in Samaria under Philip’s evangelistic ministry, the apostles John and Peter came to assist him, laying hands on people so that they would receive the Holy Spirit, since the people had gotten saved but had not yet experienced the baptism of the Sprit (v.15-17). This is a good example of the five-fold ministries working together, with Philip the evangelist leading people to Jesus, and then the apostles coming and building upon that foundation to edify the new believers. Based on the basic model that we see in Acts (14:23), it is likely that pastors would then have been appointed over local churches in the area, who could nurture the new believers even more. Evangelism is the first step in making disciples, but there are many other steps that follow as well. All need to work together to bring people from the place of being unsaved into true maturity in Christ.

Continuing on, evangelists are sensitive to the voice of the Lord (8:26). While it is certainly a biblical method to preach the Gospel to anyone who will listen, Philip also was sensitive enough to hear specific direction from Heaven that he was to travel to a certain place for a divine appointment with a lost soul. By obeying the Lord’s leading, Philip encountered an Ethiopian eunuch, a man who could not have been more ripe for harvest than he was in that moment! (8:27-29). Philip led this man to Jesus, and taught us the importance of hearing what the Spirit is saying, as one never knows when it might be God’s appointed time for a person’s salvation.

This same story also teaches us that evangelists will be just as committed to one soul as they would be to many. In Acts chapter 2, Peter leads three thousand people to Jesus (2:41); Scripture takes just as much time to tell the story of the one Ethiopian (8:26-39). Evangelists will feel the Father’s heart that is communicated in Scripture: “If a man owns a hundred sheep, and one of them wanders away, will he not leave the ninety-nine on the hills and go to look for the one that wandered off? And if he finds it, I tell you the truth, he is happier about that one sheep than about the ninety-nine that did not wander off. In the same way your Father in heaven is not willing that any of these little ones should be lost.” (Mt 18:12-14). For a true evangelist, it’s not about numbers, it’s about souls: real people who are lost and broken, who desperately need someone to go and find them, and bring them home.

Finally, evangelists can be missionaries or localized. Neither is exalted over the other; an evangelist can travel and literally go to the nations, or can stay in one place and commit to bringing the Gospel there. Philip did both, travelling throughout the land (Ac 8), before landing in Caesarea, buying a house, and remaining there for the rest of his known ministry ( 8:40; 21:8). When the Pentecostal movement started, much emphasis was placed on missions, sending people to the ends of the earth to bring the Gospel. This is good and of course needed! But there are many unsaved all around us, every day, and someone needs to bring the message of good news to them as well. Again, for evangelists, it is all about souls. Whether here, or there, someone just needs to bring in the harvest.

This key element of the five-fold ministries could arguably be called the most important, as evangelists are fulfilling both the Great Commission and the Great Commandment by their actions, and, by God’s grace, they are bringing people from darkness into light (Jn 8:12). And what could be more important than that? Evangelists seek to fulfill the words of Jesus with a pure heart, and to see those who are perishing redeemed by the blood of the Lamb. They rejoice in the words of the Saviour, and give their lives to see them fulfilled:

“I tell you the truth, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life and will not be condemned; he has crossed over from death to life.” (Jn 5:24)

Biblically Speaking: What's a NT Prophet?

“So Christ himself gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors and teachers,  to equip his people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up  until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.” (Eph 4:11-13)

There are volumes of books written on the subject of prophets and prophecy, and there is far too much information to do the topic justice in this space. Rather, this will serve mainly as an overview, and will look specifically at the issue of prophecy in the New Testament church.

This, like apostleship, remains one of the more controversial topics in New Testament Christianity. Many believe that the gift is no longer for today, while others believe that it is one of the most important gifts that the Church could possibly have.

Just as with the title of “apostle”, much confusion occurs over the title of “prophet”. When a “prophet” gets a prediction wrong, it degrades the role within the church. It seems wise to avoid the seeking of such a title. Choosing a path of humility is a better way of avoiding controversy and becoming a stumbling block for others. One can function in a gifting, and be a blessing to others, without demanding or requiring a title to go with it. 

If we believe that the Bible is the full revelation of what we need to know about God and His Kingdom, (and we do believe this!), then we must also conclude that it has the answers we are looking for.

So, to begin: What is New Testament prophecy?

It is one of the gifts of the Holy Spirit, whereby He speaks a message to a person that is to be communicated to the Church or to an individual (1Co 12:10; 1Co 14). We see it in action throughout the Gospels and the book of Acts, and instructions are given for its role and function in 1Corinthians. A simple definition for the prophetic gift might be, “Communicating the heart and the will of the Father, as revealed by the Holy Spirit.”

As in all things, Jesus is our key example. He referred to Himself as a Prophet (Mt 13:57), and was acknowledged as such by the people who witnessed Him (Mt 14:5; 21:11; Lk 7:16; 24:20; Jn 4:19; 6:14; 9:17).

Jesus walked with a constant connection to the Father, telling His disciples, “I tell you the truth, the Son can do nothing by himself; he can do only what he sees his Father doing, because whatever the Father does the Son also does.” (Jn 5:19). Likewise, when describing the coming Holy Spirit, who would be poured out on the earth after Jesus’ departure, Jesus said that “He will not speak on his own; he will speak only what he hears,” (Jn 16:13) – ie, what He hears from the Father and Son. So when Jesus walked the earth, He communicated what the Father was doing and saying to the people; after Jesus left, the Spirit would come and continue the same ministry, communicating to the people what the Father is saying.

Another key question regarding the prophetic: Is the gift of prophecy for today, or was it only for the early church?

Those who would say that the gift is no longer functioning (also known as “cessassionists”) often point to 1Corinthians 13:8-10: “But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away. For we know in part and we prophesy in part, but when perfection comes, the imperfect disappears.”

Cessassionists believe that this Scripture passage makes it clear: prophecies will “cease”. They hold that the “perfection” of the last verse refers to the perfect revelation of Scripture, and that since the canon of perfect Scripture has been completed, that there is no room or need for any more revelation to come through prophecy.

The problem with this view is found in the context of this particular passage in 1Corinthians. For one thing, it mentions that prophecy, tongues, and knowledge will all end when “perfection” comes. Regardless of how one feels about the gifts of prophecy and tongues, we would all have to agree that the principle of knowledge still exists, and in fact we are encouraged to grow in knowledge by Scripture (Ph 1:9; Col 1:9-10; 2:3; 3:10; 1Ti 2:4; 2Pe 1:5). Since knowledge did not pass away with the completion of canonical Scripture, it stands to reason that the “perfection” has not yet come, and that therefore the other two gifts mentioned have not passed away either.

Also, it is worth looking at the next verse in that same passage of 1Corinthians: “Now we see but a poor reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.” (1Co 13:12). So, the most obvious reading of this verse would indicate that “face to face” is referring to literally standing before Jesus, face to face, and that to “know fully” is a reference to knowing Jesus in His Presence, and not just “in part” while here on earth. When we stand before the throne, there will be no need for prophecy, tongues, growing in knowledge, or any other spiritual gifts, because we will be face to face with our Saviour and will know Him freely. The spiritual gifts are given to help us to see Him and experience Him while we wait for Him here on earth; once we are in heaven, however, we will then be “face to face” (v.12) and see His “perfection” (v.10) and all of the “imperfect” tools on earth that point to Him will cease, as they will no longer be needed at all.

Besides this Scriptural argument, there is also a common-sense argument as well. If we serve the “Living” God (2Co 6:16; 1Th 1:9; Heb 9:14), and if He is a Father who loves us (2Th 2:16; 1Jn 3:1), then why would He stop speaking to us, giving us guidance and direction and a revelation of His specific will for us? And if Jesus promised that the Holy Spirit would come and speak to us (Jn 16:13), and if we believe that the Holy Spirit is still here on earth, then why would the Holy Spirit stop speaking to us? If would seem to be an awful waste of His time and abilities, not to mention unscriptural, if the Spirit of God dwelled inside of us and never communicated anything at all!

Another key issue to discuss is the matter of the difference, if any, between Old Testament prophecy and New Testament prophecy.

This is a tricky problem, with many holding that the gift must be the same throughout Scripture, while others believe that there was a shift at the cross that changed how it functioned.

Many have maligned prophecy in the New Testament era by pointing to the unfulfilled prophecies of modern-day ministers, and then quoting Deuteronomy 18:20-22:

“But a prophet who presumes to speak in my name anything I have not commanded him to say, or a prophet who speaks in the name of other gods, must be put to death.” You may say to yourselves, “How can we know when a message has not been spoken by the LORD ?” If what a prophet proclaims in the name of the LORD does not take place or come true, that is a message the LORD has not spoken. That prophet has spoken presumptuously. Do not be afraid of him.”

This is the Law, and it was faithfully obeyed at the time. If one reads the book of Jeremiah, we see him fighting with false prophets throughout. It was a very real problem in the OT, and carried a very heavy penalty (death). This was for a very important reason, one which is crucial to understand.

The reason is this: the Holy Spirit had not been poured out on everyone yet. This would not happen until Acts chapter 2, in fulfillment of Joel 2. Today, every believer has the Holy Spirit living inside them (Rom 8:11; 2Ti 1:14), but this was not the case in the OT. The Spirit would come upon specific people for a specific purpose, so that they could prophesy or fulfill some other God-appointed task (Jg 3:10; 6:34; 1Sam 16:13; 2Ch 20:14; Eze 11:5), but He did not come upon everyone.

Because only some had access to the Holy Spirit, it was very important they be listened to, and that their words be accurate. If people simply presumed to speak for the LORD, they could do much damage, since individuals did not have access to the Spirit so that they could discern things for themselves. OT Prophets needed to be trustworthy, and so God laid down a very strict standard for them.

This is not, however, the way that God wanted things to stay! And this is why the prophet Joel spoke of a new day, when God would pour out His Spirit on ALL people (Joel 2:28), which Peter proclaimed had begun in Acts 2, as the fullness of the New Covenant came into effect.

Jeremiah foretold what this New Covenant would look like, saying:

“This is the covenant I will make with the house of Israel after that time,” declares the LORD. “I will put my law in their minds and write it on their hearts. I will be their God, and they will be my people. No longer will a man teach his neighbor, or a man his brother, saying, ‘Know the LORD,’ because they will all know me, from the least of them to the greatest,” declares the LORD. “For I will forgive their wickedness and will remember their sins no more.” (Jer 31:33-34)

We have to always remember that the cross changed everything. It changed the way that every single one of us could relate to God. In the past, all of humanity was at a distance from Him because of our sin. In the OT, priests and prophets stood between us and God, with priests speaking to Him and interceding for us, and with prophets speaking to us for Him (and interceding as well). Because of this, the rules placed upon priests were rigorous (see Leviticus), and the standard for prophets was unbelievably high, because the entire nation was at the mercy of these ministers, as the nation depended fully on these offices for their spiritual well-being.

This is completely different now! Now, we are each filled with the Spirit, and each can connect with God on our own, and so while we do still need the help of others to grow together, we are no longer fully dependant on others to interact with God on our behalf. The priestly role was dramatically and forever changed after the cross. Does it not stand to reason that the prophetic role might have shifted as well?

In the NT, Scripture tells us that within the church, “Two or three prophets should speak, and the others should weigh carefully what is said.” (1Co 14:29) If the prophetic gift is supposed to be infallible in the NT, as it was in the OT, then why does Scripture tell us to weigh what the prophets say? Shouldn’t their words be automatically accepted, if their revelations were perfect all the time, as in the OT? 1Th 5:20-21 repeats the sentiment, saying that we should “not treat prophecies with contempt. Test everything. Hold on to the good. Avoid every kind of evil.” Again, why would it be important to test prophetic words, and hold onto the good, putting aside the wrong, if all of it is supposed to be 100% accurate, all the time?

Some have suggested that these passages refer to false prophets who had infiltrated the church, but they are not called false prophets in these verses, and the Bible has no problem referring to the false as “false” elsewhere in the NT. The clearest understanding of these verses, in light of the New Covenant, is that prophetic voices will speak, they might not be 100% accurate, and because of that, it is up to each individual believer to make up their own mind concerning the words spoken.

In the OT, the words of a prophet were to be considered words from God Himself. The very fact that we are commanded to weigh things on this side of the cross means that the role of “prophet” in the NT does not match the power or authority of the OT prophets, where a moment’s hesitation to obeying a prophet’s words could lead to dire consequences (1Ki 20:36; 2Ki 13:19-19)

In the Old Testament, the burden was on the prophet to establish that he was from God by his words being fulfilled. In the New Testament, the burden is upon each individual believer to decide whether a prophet’s words are from God or not. And the fact that we are told to weigh a prophet’s words must mean that there is the possibility of error, even from a prophet’s mouth.

Even just in practical thinking, the idea of a 100% accurate prophetic gifting is hard to grasp. Every Christian prays for direction, wisdom, and understanding from God. And every Christian has made a mistake or two along the way, mishearing or misunderstanding the will of God. Pastors and teachers and evangelists make mistakes in their walk with God. Even the original apostles made errors in the Gospels and in Acts. Must the prophetic gift alone be considered infallible, especially in the era of grace? Based on all of the evidence, it seems reasonable to conclude that, as the cross changed every other manner in which we interact with God, so too the prophetic gift has undergone a change, as we all now have the ability to hear from God ourselves by His Spirit. The prophetic gifting is given to the Church so that those who are sensitive to the Spirit can communicate His will. We are not, however, dependant on the gift as they were in the OT, since all of us can hear from the Lord ourselves.

Let’s move on, and look deeper at the gift itself within the New Testament. There are not a large number of actual descriptions of the gift of prophesy in the NT, but the ones that we do have are very telling indeed.

First, just as in the Old Testament, NT prophecy can be predictive. The Holy Spirit knows what the Father is doing, and at times will communicate to God’s people concerning events before they happen. Jesus said specifically that one of the Spirit’s roles would be to “tell you what is yet to come,” (Jn 16:13). We see this practically in Agabus, who is given the title of prophet in the book of Acts, and who by the Holy Spirit predicted a famine in the Roman world (Ac 11:28), as well as Paul’s imprisonment by the Romans (Ac 21:11). Peter accurately discerned Ananais and Sapphira’s sin (Ac 5:1-11), as well as heard from the Holy Spirit that Cornelius’ men were coming to look for him and that he was to go with them (Ac 10:19). Paul was shown by the Spirit that suffering awaited him in the various places that he visited (Ac 20:23). So we see that one of the functions of this spiritual gift is to give insight to God’s people on events before they happen so that the Church may be prepared.

Much focus is put on this aspect of the prophetic gift, but it is by no means the ONLY way that the gift can function.

Prophecy is also given for “strengthening, encouragement and comfort” (1Co 14:3). 1Corinthians makes it clear that the primary function of NT prophesy is to edify the church (14:4). Nowhere in the New Testament does it speak of using prophecy in judgment or in the tearing down of others. That is something that occurred in the OT, but the NT focus of the gift seems to be more for the building up of the church. Jesus referred to the Holy Spirit as the “Paraclete” (Jn 15:26), which can be translated as “Counselor, Helper, Comforter”. It therefore stands to reason that, if the role of the Holy Spirit in the church is to be a Helper and Comforter, that He would more focused on building up and encouraging His people.

This is not to say that prophecy cannot include warning, as that too is a biblical idea. But many prophetic voices have looked at the OT prophets, and somehow missed 1Co 14:3-4, and have functioned in an attitude of judgement, criticism, and negativity. NT prophecy is primarily given to help the church.

As well, prophecy can show God’s power to unbelievers. Scripture says “if an unbeliever or someone who does not understand comes in while everybody is prophesying, he will be convinced by all that he is a sinner and will be judged by all, and the secrets of his heart will be laid bare. So he will fall down and worship God, exclaiming, “God is really among you!” (1Co 14:24-25) The Holy Spirit is not only concerned with building the church, as we know that God is desiring that all people should come to salvation (2Pe 3:9). The Spirit of God can move through a prophetic person with supernatural knowledge and insight that can cut to the heart of an unsaved person, showing them that there is a God in heaven and convicting them of their sins, drawing them to Christ.

Prophecy can be used to release spiritual giftings. Paul acknowledges that this is what happened with Timothy, telling him “Do not neglect your gift, which was given you through a prophetic message when the body of elders laid their hands on you.” (1Ti 4:14) This is not the only way the spiritual gifts are released, but the Holy Spirit can show someone what He is doing in another believer’s life, and use that person to pray and proclaim it into being.

Finally, it is worth noting that Paul referred to prophecy as the spiritual gift that should be the most desired (1Co 14:1), because it is a gift that greatly blesses other people. He tells the Church that we should “be eager to prophesy” (14:39). It is a gift whereby the Holy Spirit speaks to His Church, encouraging and building it up, and because of that, it is a gift that we desperately need. He has already spoken clearly through His written Word, and prophecy must always be consistent with Scripture, but He has words that are meant to encourage us where we are at and help us grow in our understanding of Jesus. If Jesus promised that the Spirit would speak, then, as Paul commanded, we should eagerly seek the gift so that we can know what He is saying to the Church. The prophetic gift is key to understanding the will and purpose of Heaven, and it will keep us on track, so that we can fully walk in the call of God for our lives.