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           Prophecy 'A Change of Focus' by Kirk Bennett

           There is a need for evaluation for the Body of Christ in view of the prophetic movement. Over the last 20 years in Kansas City there has been a movement described as prophetic. The movement has served to define the prophetic, prophets, and prophecy, as well as bringing a model for the administration of prophesy within the Body of Christ. This movement has touched many different churches in nations throughout the world. While the movement has ridden a roller coaster of emotions, accusations, successes, and failures, it has in fact touched many lives. It has certainly had among its fruit the drawing of many people into a more abandoned lifestyle of passion and devotion to Jesus Christ, the beginning of a worldwide prayer movement, and the birthing of continuous prayer and worship in the city of Kansas City.

I. An unhelpful Term, Premise, and focus.

I believe that there are terms, premises, and focuses that have been used to help people understand this gift called prophecy. I want to focus on a few of these terms and their use presently. While these terms, premises, and focuses have been helpful for understanding in the past, they have become unhelpful for the movement in the future.

A. The term ‘prophetic’ has become unhelpful to the movement. The term prophetic has been used to describe a movement of the supernatural in a general way, an event that has spiritual significance, a foretelling of an event, a back-telling of an event, a present explanation of an event, a person who moves in the gift of prophecy, a ministry of prophesy, and the office of a prophet. Since the term prophetic has been used for an ambiguous title and not primarily its scripture use, it would be helpful to begin to use a different term.

B. The problem has come with the premise that the prophetic is primarily for blessing the body. The prophetic has been used under this premise that it is designed to bless the people of God. It is perceived that the gift was given to show God’s goodness in their lives. This has drawn people for a number of reasons towards prophetic people. With this premise, an accurate word can cause a ‘me centered’ focus or a focus on the one giving the word.

C. As a result of the frequent use of the word prophetic, 3 focuses have occurred. They are people, levels, and accuracy. I call them focuses because they have intentionally or unintentionally drawn the eye and in some respect the affections of the heart in the midst of the body of Christ.

        1. People - individuals have been drawn to those who have practiced the gift or been said to have practiced the gift. Individuals have become the standard of determining a person’s gift and or the standard for determining whether a word is from God. This focus has caused us to say things like “He’s not as prophetic as _______.” Or, It’s not as clear as it would be if ________ had given the word.” I believe that these types of statements are counter productive to the Lord speaking in our midst.

        2. Levels - the concept that has been used to help people understand why we don’t stone prophets for inaccurate or untimely words is that prophesy, a gift of prophesy, prophetic ministry, and prophets are best understood on a continuum. This has been a very helpful picture (not doctrine) provided the continuum is drawn as a horizontal diagram. Where it has become counter productive is when the diagram or picture is drawn vertically. This has caused people to perceive that the levels are to be attained.

The attaining to levels has fostered a competitive mindset. People perceive that their validity is tied to how high they’ve climbed on the prophetic ‘ladder’. The problem with looking at the prophetic as a ladder is that there is not room for any 2 people on the same rung.

        3. Accuracy - The biggest perils to prophetic moves have been ‘goofiness’- distracting actions that draw attention away from God, hype- religious actions that confuse or distract from the word, immorality - immoral or carnal acts that discredit the person giving the word, inaccuracy and dogmatic statements - unbending or wrong statements that have caused rejection of the word and that have not allowed for growth and maturing of the gift. I believe a new and more powerful peril is emerging in the movement of pro

phecy right now. Accurate prophetic words that lead people to give attention to the person giving the word or the ‘level’ from which the word is coming. The scripture expressly warns against accurate words that lead people to give their affections to other things rather than the ‘one thing’.

II. A helpful adjustment - Building vs. blessing

I believe that we are at a strategic point to begin to ‘bend’ the terms premises and focuses to a more helpful end. I don’t think that we are building on wrong foundations but I do think that we may not be building rightly on those foundations, because we don’t see clearly the outcome that the prophetic is after. Buildings are built from the bottom up and prophesying is clearly an action for the building of the Body of Christ into a dwelling place of God. The models or styles of ministry using the prophetic to bless have tended to draw people towards the builders and not the work of building, which is the expressed purpose of the gifts of the Spirit (edification).

A. The helpful term Prophesy - The term prophetic is used 2 times in the scripture. Both times that it’s used it is a descriptive term for the eternal gospel of Jesus Christ. The word prophecy is used 18 times, as a noun to describe a word from the Lord given out. The word Prophesy is used 86 times to describe the action or ministry of the Spirit through a person.

B. A helpful premise - I believe it’s God’s desire that all of the saints prophesy for the building up of the body. The scripture indicates an end time scenario where the Spirit of the Lord will be poured out on all flesh. The main ministry of the Spirit described in that outpouring is that people will prophesy. The scripture also indicates that prophecy, prophets, and prophesying, were all given to the body not primarily for blessing the body but for building the body.

C. Jesus, the throne of God, and intimacy are 3 helpful focuses - I believe it is time to refocus the movement from people, levels, and accuracy to Jesus, on the throne, and intimacy.