Your Sons & Daughters Shall Prophesy - Prophetic Gifts Today In The New Testament Church

Channels of Prophetic Expression in the Church

propheticutterance with the laying on of hands by the presbytery" (1 Tim othy 4:14). This particular function of prophets brings great blessing and inspira tion to a local church. During forty years of pastoring, my wife and I have seen the wonderful benefits of this kind of ministry in our congregations. Now we travel extensively as prophetic presbyters, perpetuating this min istry among many churches. We are part of a local church yet are also scheduled as itinerant ministers. (We will discuss this particular function of prophet and its practical application in chapter 22.) Prophets were sometimes used to bring significant, high-level, predic tive prophecy that would be of major importance to a local church or group of churches. Such prophecy comes from time to time, usually through a prophet, and it must be handled carefully by the local leader ship. A biblical example: Agabus foretelling coming famine in Judea (Acts 11:28). In our own home church in San Jose, we have had a number of such prophecies over a thirty-year period. Prophecy gave us major direction, for instance, in our missionary outreach to Brazil. Also, when we were asking God for new church property, a prophetic word came that we would be near "the crossroads of the valley." As time passed and we looked for property, the city erected a major interchange for Highways 101 and 280. The highways were not connected to the interchange, however, so this large structural monstrosity stood glaringly alone for several years, an irritating eyesore to the community. Finally city and state funds became available, and public sympathy was strong, so the local newspaper ran an article referring to "the celebrated crossroads of the valley." Shortly thereafter we purchased seventeen acres near that crossroads, which we had previously decided to buy, now believing that the prophecy (given before the interchange was constructed) was indeed additional confir mation by God of our choice of property. We have not been disappointed with our decision.

Prophetic Outreach

The fruitfulness of prophecy. Every believer has the potential of uti lizing the prophetic anointing in outreach to the non-Christian commu nity. A strict definition would keep "prophecy" in the local church set ting, and that is correct in the context of Paul's instructions to the Corinthians. The early Church, however, did not confine God's activities to church gatherings. Apparently they experienced the thoughts and guid ance of God more easily than many today think possible. The early Chris 191 ■