Prophetic Ministry: an interview with John Paul Jackson
The prophet and the church reveal the heart of God for the church and that the prophetic, or revelatory, gift is for the church’s edification. Here the novice learns the role, purpose and function of the church, as well as the role, purpose and function of the prophetic minister in the church. These two must parallel in order for us to see the fullness of God’s Kingdom advance on Earth as it is in Heaven. It is the church that will make known the manifold wisdom of God, and the revelatory person is one of the many aids in accomplishing this.
Too many prophetic individuals are closer to being characters than having character.
Does prophetic ministry need to be pastored?
All people need pastors, and prophets are people. Those who are revelatory have similar personality traits. (By revelatory I mean those who take what is not and transform it into something that is.) This revelatory list would include artists, sculptors, musicians, writers, actors, etc. The prophetic word, as well as the painting, song, statue or book, is grasped in God’s spirit world and translated into a design that exists in this world. Until they mature, prophetic people are very sensitive, very creative and very emotional, and they are primarily centered on how their gifts can best be used. They feel that everyone has the same focus they do—them.
Obviously, with maturity this changes, but for some reason, we pastors hesitate to correct prophets or even allow them to mature. Somehow we need to look at prophetically gifted people as people. They have the same issues all of us do. Pastoring can take place when we understand the issues of the Three Pillars of Prophetic Ministry. Both Jeremiah, whom God chose as a prophet before he was conceived, and Samuel, who was around 5 or 6 when God spoke to him, had to wait years before their gifts were mature enough for God to speak consistently through them.
Even in the most highly gifted people, the weight of the prophetic gift will crush a weak spiritual foundation if we are not submitted to pastoral oversight. It is no wonder that Paul cautioned Timothy not to lay hands on a novice too soon, “lest being puffed up with pride he fall into the same condemnation as the devil” (1 Timothy 3:6).
I grew up going to church, my grandfather was a pastor and my father pastored for a number of years. I have served on three church staffs, planted four churches and pastored a fifth. My life of pastoring and being pastored has done more to mature my gift than any other training I could have received. Men I highly respect are still pastoring me.
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