Pastoring God's People
For all those who have been commissioned to
pastoral roles of all kinds.
Can Pastors be Prophets?
By James M. Lapp
Prophetic leadership is a tricky business for today’s pastor. Our biblical models come from Old Testament prophets and John the Baptist, none of whom signed contracts with a congregation or were subject to periodic reviews of their ministry. Shepherding a congregation in one setting week after week is worlds apart from these enigmatic personalities who made forays into palaces, announcing judgment on a nation or plaintively calling for repentance.
To be honest, I don’t see many pastors aspiring to be prophets. What I do see are varying degrees of boldness. Boldness frequently characterized spiritual leaders of the Bible—from Mary anointing Jesus’ feet in the face of criticism (John 12) to Peter and John refusing to obey the order to keep quiet (Acts 4). Paul’s effort to persuade king Agrippa to become a Christian (Acts 26) or John’s colorful message from the island of Patmos (Revelation) —these were signs of the Spirit’s boldness.
Look for conviction
True, there is a reckless boldness that does more harm than good. But the Scriptures call for leaders who “speak the truth in love” (Ephesians 4:15). Our culture includes a generation that longs for passionate preaching, bold articulation of truth, and forthright statements of faith. Some hear this desire as “conservative,” and may blow it off as reluctance to engage in hard intellectual struggle. But we are also functioning in a climate ripe for leaders with conviction, who are confident in the gospel message.
Healthy prophetic leaders demonstrate a differentiated sense of self, rather than a reactionary or retributive spirit. They speak out of a clear inner core of devotion to God rather than the promotion of self. Like Jeremiah they experience a fire in the mouth (Jeremiah 5:14) that will not allow them to be quiet. True prophetic leaders present “the word of the Lord” with a sense of urgency, energized by the Spirit. They recognize that God’s timing is critical for when and how a message is shared. It is not about us, but about God and God’s message, for which we are the humble medium. Are we in the kind of relationship with God out of which such a ministry can happen?
Doing this in a Mennonite congregation today is tricky. Do we have the capacity to interpret Scripture with contextual relevance and to interpret current events in light of God’s Word? Are we in touch with our inclinations to confuse prophetic leadership with social activism, or “the word of the Lord” with our human need for recognition?
We do well to live prayerfully with a truth before yielding to a compulsion to share it with others. In the Anabaptist community a common practice is to test the “fire in our mouth” with trusted sisters and brothers before disclosing it publicly. Leaders need divine wisdom and the humility to acknowledge that we do not know absolutely that every word we share is from the Lord.
Test the word
Testing the word, however, must not be confused with seeking consensus on truth. Pursuing consensus on a word from God risks subduing our passion and reducing the message to the status quo, while humble testing can free one to speak without full agreement. Might our leadership be enhanced with some agreed upon protocols about when and how to discern and speak a prophetic word?
I suspect that for most pastors a prophetic word will be occasional rather than weekly. Generally pastors need to balance prayerfully the care of the community with the call for radical change. Both are needed. Where there is a team of leaders, the balance can sometimes be found through their complementary gifts.
For some of us, prophetic leadership may mean moving from passive-aggressive behavior to speaking a direct word. When we can lead with courage and confidence rather than fear and hesitation, our leadership will become compelling. When in place of compulsion, our ministry exhibits the freedom and power of the Holy Spirit (2 Corinthians 3) we will confront when needed and repent when necessary, always with grace and humility.
Our world desperately needs the equivalent of a Martin Luther King. But I doubt that is the calling or ministry of most pastors. Rather, we may boldly and passionately articulate the truth as we encounter it in Scripture, seeking always to build up the community in our charge (Ephesians 4:12). In that mix of passion, honesty, and caring, the pastor will find the meaning of prophetic leadership.James M. Lapp of Souderton, Pa., is conference pastor for the Franconia Mennonite Conference. Previously he served in congregational ministry and as general secretary of the former MennoniteChurch General Board.