Landa Cope told us about prophets. It’s been a number of months since she spoke at our school, and yet people are still talking. I can’t imagine a better definition of a prophet. She chastised us for our lack of prophecy. She yelled at the Christian community for being reactionary at best. There’s a school shooting and the response from the Christian community is “school shootings are bad!” Her question: “Did God tell you that?”
A prophet should be a compelling voice – a word of God spoken into the lives of the people, without concern for who will heed, and without fear of repercussion. Landa challenged us to get past personal salvation. She knew it would grind some gears, but it was what God had for her to say. We live reactionary lives. Our world evangelization plan rarely differs from foxnews’ talking points. Our news is all about Islam so all of our missionary focus should be on the Muslim world. A decade ago after the collapse of the wall all of our focus was on Russia and the post-soviet world. Today the church is finally starting to blossom in Russia and in parts of the post-soviet world. When India is the big news story our missions focus will go there.
A prophet doesn’t care what the news media is saying. A prophet doesn’t repeat what he or she learned in a Bible class. A prophet doesn’t need an approval rating.
{Prophets speak out when nobody wants to hear it. “I know the plans I have for, says the Lord” – plans to prosper you, of a hope and a future. This prophet spoke these words to a fallen empire being led away in chains to captivity.} [Prophets stand dangerously close to heresy. “But you tell me, Landa, I’m saved! I’m glad you’re saved … now what are you going to do about it?” Boy, this pissed people off. There were lines of people wanting to kill her for taking the emphasis off personal salvation – in our evangelical world the “Sinner’s Prayer” (trademark, copyright) is more important than feeding the poor.] {Prophets speak the truth in love. This phrase, this damn, meaningless phrase “the truth in love,” what does it even mean? My personal feeling is that speaking the truth in love means putting love above speaking the truth. If you know a persons faith won’t survive a harsh reprimand – don’t’ reprimand them. If they are in a culture that emphasizes “saving face” only confront on the most important of issues. I’ve had a lot of people tell me the “truth in love” by yelling, getting angry, and choosing to ignore my feelings and needs. I think we miss the boat on this one, I don’t think a prophet misses the boat.}
Several Bishops speak prophetically. The UM Bishops signed a letter calling for a peaceful resolution in Iraq (and condemning the war) long before it was fashionable to do so. Bishop Willimon writes a blog titled “A Peculiar Prophet” I read it weekly. His writings shock me sometimes, and I think they should.
Some self proclaimed prophets feel that they are doing the will of God just because people don’t like them. It pains and frustrates me to see people alienate non-believers, those with little faith, and those with hardened hearts with the premise that they are to be a prophet and that means condemning sin. It’s a thought process. The church that holds up “God Hates Fags” signs probably consider their actions prophetic. They feel that if God is opposed to a sin, and they let those people know that God is opposed to the sin, that they are doing God’s will. It’s a thought process.
A prophet stands up against the secular crowd … and the church establishment. A prophet in a Russian church would stand up for gay rights in a country where gays are routinely physically and sexually abused. A prophet in an American church would stand up against expensive cars in the parking lot and pricey chandeliers in the bathrooms.
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