Hundredfold Ministries, Int'l

In this chapter I want to explore the differences and similarities between the pastor and the prophet and how God intends them to complement each other in today's church.

Both the mature prophet and the mature pastor see and understand that the body of Christ has different offices or roles all of which must be functioning properly to make the whole. The mature prophet honors the roles of pastor, evangelist, teacher, and apostle. He or she also honors the various gifts exercised throughout the church. In other words, the mature prophet does not judge all other ministries by his own call.

The Immature Prophet and the Mature Pastor

It is the immature prophet that tends to judge the pastor by prophetic standards. Once a prophet judges a pastor by his own call, then no pastor can measure up. Why? Because the pastor has different gifts. They are not “inadequate,” they are simply different from the prophet's gifts. Pastors, on the other hand, very often do not understand or have much use for the prophet. The prophets are those in his congregation who are always wanting things done better and who are constantly pointing out sin. And that's if the pastor is lucky!

If the prophet is immature and willful, the prophet will very often cause trouble within the congregation. The overwhelming result of this trouble is division in the church. One of the things this kind of prophet does is to gather a small core group of the “faithful” around him or her. He becomes their defacto pastor and enjoys the attention he receives. Then there are two pastors in the church and the real pastor has a big problem on his hands. When he attempts to correct that problem, he is often accused by this small but usually vocal group of being “unspiritual” or “not hearing from God.” At this point the pastor simply wants the prophet to leave the church because it's just too much trouble to deal with him. But if he does leave the church it is usually a noisy departure with his “flock” following along. This is not the answer for either the prophet or the pastor.

As I have already said, the mature prophet and the mature pastor recognize that there are many aspects to the full and balanced functioning of God's church today. The immature prophet often does not fully grasp the proper functioning of the whole church. He can become consumed with sin and repentance. Repentance is not always the answer to everything. The church is called to many things, such as, to spiritual warfare, to exercise our authority in Christ, to take the flesh under control, to use our gifts and natural talents for service as an active member of our local church, to encourage one another, to teach, to preach, to exhort, to be obedient to our call, and on the list goes.

The goal of the Church of Jesus Christ is not repentance. Repentance should not be an end in itself. It is part of the process which must take place if we are to become a holy people. The pastor usually realizes this better than an immature prophet. Remember what Paul wrote to the Colossians:

Thus we see that every believer is called to much more than just repentance. There are many things, in addition to recognizing and turning from sin, that make a mature Christian.

To repeat again, many prophets make the mistake of judging all, and especially the pastor, by prophetic standards. Then they superimpose on this judgment an all-consuming focus on sin and repentance, and, at that point, no individual in the church can measure up to the prophet's judgment. Certainly the pastor can't. When a prophet does this, he or she is not honoring either the office or the person of the pastor. And that is sin on the part of the prophet.

Another common error committed by the immature prophet is that he may try to cause his prophecies to come to pass. An example of this is when he prophesies the same theme repeatedly. Very often the theme is sin and repentance which I have already discussed. Whenever anybody, including the prophet, tries to cause a prophetic word to come to pass, it is the flesh. Only God, by his Holy Spirit, can cause His word to come to pass. (Of course, we must be faithful to do our part as well, but that is not the same as trying to cause it to happen.)

The Mature Prophet and the Immature Pastor

It is only human nature to want everyone around us to agree with us. And pastors are human. Of course they want harmony and total agreement on everything concerning the church. But remember, the prophet is very issue oriented. He or she will focus on an issue in the context of the good of the whole church. When he does, it can lead to differences of opinion with the pastor. It is the immature pastor who can't separate a difference of opinion on an issue from what he perceives to be a personal attack on himself. The immature pastor, (indeed, the immature person) will take the attitude that anyone who disagrees with him is somehow being “disloyal” to him. The immature pastor doesn't understand that the mature prophet is dealing in his mind with the issue and that the disagreement is not personal.

It is this inability on the part of the immature pastor to see that when people disagree with him, they aren't being disloyal. This error is what leads many pastors to surround themselves with “yes” men. It is their way of trying to control the church. Of course, to do this is to forfeit the enormous benefit of people, and especially the mature prophet, who think differently. It is only after all the various aspects of an issue have been laid out and prayed over that the balanced church leader can emerge with the mind of the Lord on a matter.

Of course, it takes a mature pastor who has a strong sense of himself and his call who can allow this working out of an issue with all sides explored. And, in this process, the mature prophet's point of view is absolutely necessary. So my word to pastors is to be sure that your church leadership includes at least one mature prophet at all times. It is so important!

The Mature Prophet and the Mature Pastor

I cannot emphasize strongly enough the importance of the proper relationship between the mature pastor and the mature prophet. Notice I said mature prophet and mature pastor. A mature pastor will know who he is in Christ. He will not be threatened by the strong personality of a prophet challenging him on various issues. A mature pastor will be able to separate himself and his self-worth from an issue that must be dealt with. A mature prophet will have those same traits. He too will be secure in his standing in Christ and not feel attacked or threatened when dealing with a pastor.

At the very heart of the relationship between these two offices is a mutual respect for each other and an understanding that each has a very different, though complementary role to play in the body of Christ. The goal of this relationship is that the mature prophet and mature pastor be in mutual submission to each other. Each should honor and esteem the other and each should be very willing to listen and submit to the other.

(Note that I have omitted a section addressing the church with both an immature pastor and an immature prophet. I will leave that to your imagination!)

Ultimate Responsibility for the Local Church

In this relationship between the pastor and the prophet, let me make one thing absolutely clear. The ultimate responsibility for a congregation lies with the pastor. Thus, the prophet, in the end, must submit to the pastor on matters involving the church. The only very limited exception to this rule is when the pastor is involved in serious personal sin. Then if the Lord has sent the prophet into that body to deal with the sin, the prophet should not yield his authority. Note, I said serious personal sin, not just a disagreement. The kind of sin I am referring to is such sin as adultery, stealing, and so on. The prophet may also be used to help deal with serious matters which an oversight board (elders, deacons, or board of directors) has either failed or been unable to resolve. These are the only two exceptions to the general rule that the ultimate responsibility and therefore the ultimate authority between the pastor and the prophet lies with the pastor.

Similarities and Differences Between the Pastor and the Prophet

Let us now examine the similarities and differences between the prophet and the pastor. Remember, we are dealing with the mature pastor and mature prophet here.

1. Similarities

Daniel's prayer goes on with this identification of himself with the sins of Israel and his seeking forgiveness on behalf of Israel. Notice that it was not Daniel who had sinned, yet he prayed “we.” This is the same Daniel who was so committed to serving God that he declined the food from the king's banquet table to eat simple vegetables and drink only water. (Daniel, chapter one) This was the same Daniel who was so highly esteemed by God that he emerged from a night in the lions' den unharmed. (Chapter six). Yet we see this total identification by Daniel with the sins of and with the people of Israel! “We” have sinned! And a truly mature pastor has that same ability to identify with his flock. He also sees himself as a sinner and is at one with his congregation concerning his own sin and his need for God.

b.Loves the Church and the People of God - The mature prophet loves God's church and His people. And so does the mature pastor. Both the call of the prophet and the call of the pastor encompass a great love for God's people.

2. Differences

a. Mercy - As we have already noted in chapter 13, the prophet has very little mercy. He has great love for, and identification with, the people of God. But he does not have, and does not move in, much mercy. The pastor, on the other hand, has an abundance of mercy. It is this mercy which is one of the key and absolutely necessary ingredients for a successful pastorate. It is this mercy which enables the pastor to love and comfort the sinner, even in the midst of the sin.

b. Issue Oriented - As we have already discussed, the prophet is very issue oriented. The pastor is not. While the pastor cares about the issue at hand, the pastor's primary focus is on people, his sheep. The focus for the prophet is on the church as a whole and the people, as individuals, come in second when an issue for the good of the church is at hand.

c. Intense about Sin - The prophet is very intense about sin, the pastor does not share that same degree of intensity. While the pastor is aware of the sin, and must be willing to deal with it, the pastor's focus and intensity is on the people involved. Not so with the prophet!

To assist in illustrating the above five points, I have drawn a chart below:

Pastor-Prophet Functions

How should the mature pastor and the mature prophet function within the church?

Once this mutual respect and honor for one another's office has been established, the pastor will serve his congregation well if he reaches out and uses the prophet. The prophet's vision is usually more broad and compelling than the pastor's. Let me list some ways a pastor can benefit from the prophet.

1. Allow The Prophet To Move In His Call.

The prophet should be allowed to move in his call with prophetic words of the kind described in chapter 15. This can be done both corporately and in private.

2. Confide in the Prophet.

The pastor should take the prophet into his confidence on certain matters and ask the prophet to pray concerning these things. The mature prophet does hear from God and when the pastor incorporates the prophet into the decision making, he benefits from the prophet's viewpoint. That is why it is helpful to have a prophet or two on an elder or deacon board. That way the pastoral leadership is continually receiving the prophet's view of issues.

3. Allow the Prophet to Preach Occasionally.

The pastor should have a prophet speak to the congregation occasionally. When I pastored I made sure my people heard a prophet at least once every two months. The prophet is able to give a different perspective than the pastor. And often, the only words of rebuke, even mild rebuke, comes to the congregation from a prophet. And it is extremely important that, once the prophet is invited to speak, the pastoral leadership listen to the prophet and weigh very carefully the word delivered. God very often uses the prophet to deliver His word to the church.

If a pastor finds himself in a position with no mature prophet within his congregation who can speak, then he can invite an outside prophet to speak occasionally. Or, even if there is a resident prophet, if a pastor knows of an outside prophet whom God is using, he or she should be invited to speak occasionally. This is especially true if that prophet knows nothing about your church. I believe that the pastoral leadership, as well as the entire congregation, will greatly benefit by listening carefully to a prophetic word from outside the local church.

4. Loan the Prophet To Other Churches.

If there is a mature prophet (or maturing prophet) in the church body, and especially on a church staff, see to it that he or she is loaned out to other churches. The entire body of Christ benefits from the well delivered prophetic word.

Conclusion

I cannot overemphasize the value of a mature prophet to a church body. Every pastor or church leader should be alert to the prophets in their midst and should be willing to incorporate them into the church leadership, even if it is done informally.The benefits to the church are enormous and very pleasing to God.