Marginalization of the Prophetic

Edification, Encouragement, and Comfort Are NOT the Primary Functions of a Prophet

We know that God speaks to his own in many ways, and the spirit of prophecy can rise from anyone that God’s chooses to use for this purpose. Edification, encouragement, and comfort are the hallmarks of the spirit of prophecy, where the reading or speaking of God’s word brings hope and encouragement to the Church (1 Cor 14:3). All Christians should strive to convey the heart of God’s word in this way. However, not all believers are called to be Prophets, just as, not all believers are called to be Teachers or Pastors, but the difference has never been adequately stated.

Where Are the Prophets Today?

This commentary challenges how Prophets are received and questions whether the denominational religious enterprise we know as “the Church” has largely eliminated the need for a Prophet’s ministry by elevating the “spirit of prophecy” to replace it. In other words, Because all believers have access to the Holy Spirit, all believers can prophesy, therefore, Prophets are no longer necessary. The case I’m making is that a Prophet’s call is to serve as the gatekeeper of spiritual integrity, and this ministry is distinct from prophecy as a gift of the Spirit and that Prophets remain as relevant today as the ministry gifts outlined in Ephesians 4:11-13. While Prophets may bring edification, comfort and encouragement, their primary function is correction, direction, and rebuke.

Ironically, these three elements embody why the prophetic ministry has always, and will always, accrue tension, especially today where Pastors, or some repatriated form of the priestly elite, often occupy the primary leadership roles. The idea that God speaks with blunt clarity is unsettling for many who occupy these positions. However, this has always been the case because Ministry-led leadership of the assembly and Elder-led oversight responsibilities have been theologically construed. Semantic drift in the language used to describe church architecture has resulted in Elders assuming responsibility for oversight and ministry functions, leaving the five ministry gifts in Ephesians without explicit or distinct roles within the assembly. This was not the case immediately after Christ where Apostles and Prophets led the assemblies. Elders came to prominence when the Apostle Paul instructed Timothy and Titus to appoint Elders, but Timothy and Titus were not replaced by these Elders, they remained the spiritual leaders of the assembly. If a Prophet’s role were merely providing comfort and encouragement, there would be little need for them under the New Covenant, and their relative absence in modern assemblies would seem to suggest this is the case. We live in times much like the inter-Testament period outlined in the Bible where the voice of God was rare, and if we consider this and take a pragmatic view of the current situation, the Church has reached a point where it’s arguably the most ineffective and insignificant, it’s ever been. Concerning Prophets, the Church has effectively disenfranchised those responsible for maintaining its spiritual integrity. While those in Eldership may have good intentions, this suppression has been passed down through generations and it’s nested in the characteristics of fear, control, spiritual insecurity, or theological preference, all generated from historical mythology, through a religious enterprise. The fullness of a Prophet’s ministry has been purged, leaving the Church as vulnerable as it’s ever been to internal and external corruption.

The Cost of Marginalizing the Prophetic

Moses was the spiritual leader of the Hebrews and Aaron was in some sense the political leader who spoke on Moses's behalf. When Moses ventures up Mt Sinai to meet with God and leaves Aaron in charge, the voice of the Prophet disappears from the camp and the political voice succumbs to the whims of the people. Many Churches function under a consensus model of leadership as demonstrated by Aaron. It functions adequately at best, but subtle dangers are incumbent on this model, which are evident today. In this example, the loss of their spiritual leader resulted in the Hebrews descending into the sin of materialism, and worshipping the Golden Calf. No one likes the Prophet’s message but it’s a voice that speaks for an ideal that unifies what would otherwise degenerate into religious materialism. What is religious materialism? This is a question the Church might consider. The loss of the Prophet’s blessing is contributing to what we see happening today, we see that political leaders are in charge, and the psychological state of the people, has descended into apathy and spiritual indifference. The Christian call to adventure has retreated into ambivalence, hiding inside the safety of a religious institution. Christ, as the axiom that unifies the moral conscience of humanity, has no representatives, and therefore, Christ is reduced to social irrelevance.

In an era marked by shifting cultural norms, subjective humanism, rising socialism, and the absence of civil conversation, the Church should be seen as a beacon of moral constancy, resolute in the face of social and ideological persecution. If nothing else, the beacon should be turned on. Though God continues drawing people to Himself, the institution carries a negative reputation, that lacks relevance and eternal significance. The marginalization of the Prophetic is significant in this decline because that which unifies and points toward adventure is absent.

The utterances raised to the level of prophecy today, do not arise from a Prophet’s anointing. While they stir an emotional response they lack the character and substance of their biblical counterparts. Many acknowledged, and even self-proclaimed Prophets are little more than religious entertainers, their ministry resembling the work of illusionists or mediums rather than biblical Prophets. If true Prophets were self-evident, their confronting message would bear little resemblance to the currently popularized versions. Genuine prophetic voices do not exist to make people feel comfortable, but to call them to repentance and realignment with God’s will. The widespread enthusiasm for prophetic words that flatter and appease rather than confront and convict suggests that the Church misunderstands the role of a Prophet.

The Church’s Resistance to Prophets

Many within the Church might acknowledge the office of a Prophet, but the focus is more on scrutinizing the messenger than testing the message. Why? The primary reason is they fear the anticipation of a message that offends those who listen. While errors exist in all ministries, not just prophecy, the prophetic is uniquely subjected to additional scrutiny. The Hebrew culture in Jesus’ day exhibited a similar resistance, rejecting God’s messengers rather than receiving their words.

A major concern is the absence of clear biblical protocols for testing and recording prophecy. Many churches do not document prophetic words, making it difficult to trace God's hand over time. Without proper evaluation, the Church is left directionless, reacting to immediate circumstances rather than discerning God’s broader purpose.

A concerted effort is needed to establish biblical processes for receiving, testing, and reporting prophecy. Both the messenger and the Church bear responsibility—one for delivering God’s word accurately, and the other for receiving it with discernment. With maturity, both parties can grow in their understanding and accountability. However, the Church must also resist the tendency to take offence so easily.

Fear and Control in the Church

Fear of hurting or offending someone has become a dominant social pathology, globally, and in the Church, it reveals a lack of spiritual maturity and the degree to which the Church has succumbed to woke ideology. Ironically, those most at risk of being offended are those most in need of prophetic correction. The assumption that people will take offence is nested in fear and results in a move to preempt and control what happens in the assembly of God’s people, not genuine leadership. The prophetic must be treated with the same seriousness as pastoral ministry, yet it’s often regulated to avoid discomfort. Controlling the Prophetic may appear to be strong leadership, but it ultimately stifles the Spirit’s work.

Any attempt to manipulate or suppress the Prophetic out of fear is a dangerous endeavour, one that risks opposing God Himself. Church leaders must carefully consider whether their decisions are motivated by personal biases rather than sovereign and divine purpose. Prophecy has too often been treated as an amusement, a mystical experience meant to entertain rather than convict. The Church must recover a proper reverence for the Prophetic and restore its rightful place in God’s design.

A Prophets blessing

A true prophet’s message is to keep God’s people on a straight path, warn of impending danger, and confront error and sin. This role brings correction, and nothing in Scripture suggests this function has changed. Throughout the Bible, prophets served as God’s messengers, calling his people to repentance and obedience. This remains the primary function of a Prophet today, just as it was in the Old Testament.

While Prophets in the Old Testament wrote Scripture, this is secondary to the prophetic ministry of being God’s gatekeepers. A Prophet is not made by reading an instruction manual, attending a course, or receiving a pass, or title, from Man. The prophetic anointing is apportioned by God alone, according to his will, not human desire (Jeremiah 1:5, Ephesians 4:11). True Prophets are mentored in quiet places, refined through time and patience, much like Samuel’s journey from a boy in the temple to a recognized Prophet (1 Samuel 3:19-21). Prophets are either called by God, or not. Many may claim the title, but few truly uplift the ministry with integrity. Public commissioning does not make someone a Prophet, but their message and fruit will testify to their authenticity (Matthew 7:15-20).

Beware the False Prophet

Be wary of those who prophesy vague promises of revival, claiming that “God is doing a new thing”, without scriptural foundation, or those who convey messages of imminent growth, peace, prosperity, harmony, and universal religious diversity and unity. Many of these prophecies appeal to human desires rather than God’s truth (2 Timothy 4:3-4). Likewise, beware of those who demand submission rather than calling for repentance. A true Prophet speaks what God has revealed, not what people want to hear. In an age where many voices claim divine insight, discernment is crucial. Test every prophecy against the Word of God. The standard of a Prophet remains the same—faithfulness to the Word.