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

Denominational Response to Prophecy in the Charismatic Renewal

Definitions of Prophecy from the Historic Documents

Re-Reformed Church, Holland, 1967

Now, what is prophesying? Prophecy is the gift of understanding and expressing what the will of God is in a given situation (Ac. 11:28; 13:1-2; 15:32; 21:10-11; 1 Tim. 1:18; 4:14). The prophet does not speak out of his mind. His spirit is subordinate to the control of his mind and will. Vol. I, p. 183 Commission Report, United Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), 1970 Prophesying in the early church was not so much the predicting of future events (though this sometimes occurred, e.g., Agabus in Acts 11:28), but was chiefly the gift of understanding and expressing through teaching or preaching what the will of God was for a given situation, resulting in "upbuilding and encouragement and consolation" (1 Cor. 14:3). Vol. I, pp. 226-227 Commission on Theology and Church Relations, Lutheran Church, Missouri Synod (U.S.A.), 1972 "Prophecy" is a rather difficult term to understand, since it is used in various ways in Scripture. It does not refer primarily to the gift of declar ing coming events in advance, although this did occur in the apostolic church (Acts 11:28: Agabus). It includes also the God-given ability to inter pret Scripture correctly and to apply its message of Law and Gospel to the needs of men. It is the gift of expressing what the will of God was in a given situation. Vol. I, p. 342

Final Report, Panel on Doctrine, Church of Scotland (Presbyterian), 1974

Prophecy is not to be identified with inspiring preaching. It is a charis matic utterance in intelligible language. On occasion, the prophet can fore tell the future (e.g., Agabus, Acts 11:28) but primarily it is the gift of inter preting the will of God for the present, disclosing the very secrets of God's purpose, for the upbuilding of the church. Vol. I, p. 532 305.