Where did the term 'Bishop' come from? What is God's Order? Part 1:

[Dr. Arroyo Sanders, Prophet]

The two New Testament offices are mentioned together in Philippians 1:1 and in 1st Timothy 3 — bishops and deacons. In 1st Timothy 3 the qualifications are spelled out for the two offices, bishops in verses 1-7, and deacons in verse 8-13. The qualifications are similar, but not identical. For example, the bishop is required to be “able to teach” whereas the deacon does not have that expectation. The differences in title and qualifications mean that the offices are distinct.

 

The term “bishop” is translated overseer in some translations. It is the word from which we get our word “episcopal” which means, “to look upon, inspect, oversee, look after, care for” and refers to “the care of the church which rested upon the elders.” The term is used interchangeably with “elder” and “shepherd” (i.e. pastor) in Acts 20 and 1st Peter 5. There is no question about the authority of the office: “Let the elders who rule well be counted worthy of double honor, especially those who labor in the word and doctrine” (1st Timothy 5:17 NKJV)

 

 Three facts stand out: 

1. Deacons and Elders are the offices in the church. The offices are distinct. Elders are not deacons. Deacons are not elders.

 

2. The terms, Elder, Pastor (shepherd), and Overseer (bishop) are used synonymously in the New Testament.

 

3. In the New Testament, elders had the role of the general oversight of the church.

 

 Bishop is the title of an ecclesiastical dignitary who possesses the fullness of the priesthood to rule a diocese as its chief pastor, in due submission to the primacy of the pope. It is of Catholic faith that bishops are of Divine institution.

 

 According to the Council of Trent, they are the successors of the Apostles, though they do not possess all the prerogatives of the latter. (Council of Trent, Sess. XXIII, ch. iv; can. vi, vii. See APOSTOLIC COLLEGE.) 

 

The primitive Christian communities were administered by a college of presbyters; those of the presbyters administered the finances were called bishops. In the large towns, the whole financial administration was centralized in the hands of one such officer, who soon became the ruling bishop (The Organization of the Early Christian Churches, Oxford, 1881). According to Harnack (whose theory has varied several times), it was those who had received the special gifts known as the charismata, above all the gift of public speech, who possessed all authority in the primitive community. In addition to these we find bishops and deacons who possess neither authority nor disciplinary power, who were charged solely with certain functions relative to administration and Divine worship. The members of the community itself were divided into two classes: the elders (presbyteroi) and the youths (neoteroi). A college of presbyters was established at an early date at Jerusalem and in Palestine, but elsewhere not before the second century; its members were chosen from among the presbyteroi, and in its hands lay all authority and disciplinary power. Once established, it was from this college of presbyters that deacons and bishops were chosen. When those officials who had been endowed with the charismatic gifts had passed away, the community delegated several bishops to replace them. At a later date the Christians realized the advantages to be derived from entrusting the supreme direction to a single bishop. However, as late as the year 140, the organization of the various communities was still widely divergent. The monarchic episcopate offers its origin to the need of doctrinal unity, which made itself felt at the time of the crisis caused by the Gnostic heresies.

 

J.B. Lightfoot, who may be regarded as an authoritative representative of the Anglican Church, holds a less radical system. The Primitive Church, he says, had no organization, but was very soon conscious of thenecessity of organizing. At first the apostles appointed deacons; later, in imitation of the organization of thesynagogue, they appointed presbyters, sometimes called bishops in the Gentile churches. The duties of thepresbyters were twofold: they were both rulers and instructors of the congregation. In the Apostolic age, however, traces of the highest order, the episcopate properly so called, are few and indistinct. The episcopate was not formed from the Apostolic order through the localization of the universal authority of theApostles, but from the presbyteral (by elevation). The title of bishop originally common to all came at length to be appropriated to the chief among them. Within the period compassed by the Apostolic writings, James, the brother of the Lord, can alone claim to be regarded as a bishop in the later and more special sense of the term. On the other hand, through especially prominent in the Church of Jerusalem, he appears in theActs as a member of the body. As late as the year 70; no distinct signs of episcopal government yet appeared in Gentile Christendom. During the last three decades of the first century, however, during the lifetime of the latest surviving Apostle, St. John, the episcopal office was established in Asia Minor. 

 

During the first three centuries, the entire religious life of the diocese centered around the person of the bishop. The priests and deacons were his auxiliaries but they worked under the immediate direction of thebishop. In the East, at first bishoprics were created in all districts where there was a considerable number of Christians. But this system presented great inconveniences. 

 

 The Council of Trent determined the conditions to be fulfilled by candidates for the episcopate, of which the following are the principal: birth in lawful wedlock, freedom from censure and irregularity or any defect inmind, purity of personal morals, and good reputation. The candidate must also be fully thirty years of age and have been not less than six months in Holy orders. He ought also to have the theological degree ofDoctor or at least be a licentiate in theology or canon law or else have the testimony of a public academy or seat of learning (or, if he be a religious, of the highest authority of his order) that he is fit to teach others (c. vii, De electione et electi potestate, X.I. vi; Friedberg, II, 51. Council of Trent. Sess. XXII, De ref., ch. ii). 

 

Apostles:

This college of rulers, teachers, and ministers of the sacraments was placed under the headship of St. Peter, the rock upon whom the foundations of the Church were established. The many texts refering to this subject (see APOSTLES) may be summarized as follows: After accomplishing His own mission, Jesus Christ, in virtue of His power and authority, sent into the world a body of teachers and preachers presided over by one head. They were His representatives, and had for their mission to publish to the world all revealed truth until the end of time. Their mission was not exclusively personal; it was to extend to their successors. Mankind were bound to receive them as Christ Himself. That their word might be His word, and might be recognized as such, He promised them His presence and the aid of the Holy Ghost to guarantee the infallibility of theirdoctrine; He promised external and supernatural signs as vouchers of its authenticity; He gave their doctrinean effective sanction by holding out an eternal reward to those who should faithfully adhere to it, and by threatening with eternal punishments those who should reject it. This conception of the Apostolate is set forth in the writings of Paul and realized in the practice of all the Apostles (Romans 10:8-19; Ephesians 4:7-14). It runs through the whole Catholic tradition, and is the very soul of the Church at the present day. The College of the Apostles lives forth in the episcopate, which gradually took its place and filled its functions. There are, however, between the attributes of the original Apostles and those of the succeedinghierarchy some differences arising from the circumstance that the Apostles were personally chosen and trained by Christ to lay the foundation of the Church. That circumstance creates for them an exceptional and intransmissible eminence over their successors.

 

(1) Although both, bishops and Apostles, are appointed by Divine authority, yet the Apostles received their commission immediately from Christ, whereas the bishops receive theirs but mediately, i.e. through the medium of human authority. The power of order and jurisdiction is the same in the Apostles and in their successors, but, whereas the Apostles receive it from the Divine Founder Himself, the bishops receive it through the channel of other bishops. Immediate commission implies, in the missionary, the power to produce, at first hand, credentials to prove that he is the envoy of God by doing works which God alone can work. Hence the charisma, or gift, of miracles granted to the Apostles, but withheld from the generality of their successors whose mission is sufficiently accredited through their connection with the original Apostolate.

 

(2) Another prerogative of the Apostles is the universality of their mission. They were sent to establish the Church wherever men in need of salvation were to be found. Their field of action had no limits but those of their own convenience and choice, at least if we take them collectively; directions by the Chief Apostle (Jesus Christ) are not excluded, for on them may have depended the good order and the success of their work.

 

(3) A third Apostolic prerogative is the plenitude of power. As planters of the Church the Apostles required and possessed the power to speak with full authority in their own name, without appealing to higher authorities; also the power to find and organize local churches, to appoint and consecrate bishops and to invest them with jurisdiction. The limit to their powers in this respect was: not to undo the work already done by their colleagues.

 

(4) A fourth privilege of the Apostles is their personal infallibility in preaching the Gospel. Their successors in the hierarchy owe what infallibility they possess to the Divine assistance watching, with unfailing care, over the magisterium, or teaching office as a whole, and over its head; the Apostles received each personally, the Holy Ghost, Who revealed to them all the truth they had to preach. This Pentecostal gift was necessary in order to establish each particular church on the solid foundation of unshakable truth.

 

The prerogatives of the Apostles as founders of the Church were, of course, personal; they were not to be transmitted to their successors because to these they were not necessary. What was passed on is the ordinary powers of order and jurisdiction.

 Hierarchy of order: (according to the Council of Trent)

•  Primate Bishop: 

A primate is usually the bishop of the oldest church of a nation. Sometimes this carries jurisdiction over metropolitan bishops, but usually it is purely honorific. The primate of the Scottish Episcopal Church is chosen from among the diocesan bishops, and, while retaining diocesan responsibility, is called Primus.

• Presiding Bishop or President Bishop:

These titles are often used for the head of a national Anglican church, but the title is not usually associated with a particular episcopal see like the title of a primate.

• Major archbishop:

Major archbishops are the heads of some of the Eastern Catholic Churches. Their authority within their sui juris church is equal to that of a patriarch, but they receive fewer ceremonial honors.

• Metropolitan bishop:

A metropolitan bishop is an archbishop in charge of an ecclesiastical province, or group of dioceses, and in addition to having immediate jurisdiction over his own archdiocese, also exercises some oversight over the other dioceses within that province. Sometimes a metropolitan may also be the head of an autocephalous, sui iuris, or autonomous church when the number of adherents of that tradition are small. In the Latin Rite, metropolitans are always archbishops; in many Eastern churches, the title is "metropolitan," with some of these churches using "archbishop" as a separate office.

• Archbishop:

An archbishop is the bishop of an archdiocese. This is usually a prestigious diocese with an important place in local church history. In the Roman Catholic Church, the title is purely honorific and carries no extra jurisdiction, though most archbishops are also metropolitan bishops, as above. In most provinces of the Anglican Communion, however, an archbishop has metropolitical and primatial power. 

• Suffragan bishop:

A suffragan bishop is a bishop subordinate to a Metropolitan. In the Roman Catholic Church this term is applied to all non-metropolitan bishops (that is, diocesan bishops of dioceses within a metropolitan's province, and auxiliary bishops). In the Anglican Communion, the term applies to a bishop who is a full-time assistant to a diocesan bishop: the Bishop of Warwick is suffragan to the Bishop of Coventry (the diocesan), though both live in Coventry. Some Anglican suffragans are given the responsibility for a geographical area within the diocese (for example, the Bishop of Stepney is an area bishop within theDiocese of London).

• Titular bishop:

A titular bishop is a bishop without a diocese. Rather, the bishop is head of a titular see, which is usually an ancient city that used to have a bishop, but, for some reason or other, does not have one now. Titular bishops often serve as auxiliary bishops. In the Ecumenical Patriarchate, bishops of modern dioceses are often given a titular see alongside their modern one (for example, the Archbishop of Thyateira and Great Britain).

• Auxiliary bishop:

An auxiliary bishop is a full-time assistant to a diocesan bishop (the Orthodox and Catholic equivalent of an Anglican suffragan bishop). An auxiliary bishop is a titular bishop, and he is to be appointed as a vicar general or at least as an episcopal vicar of the diocese in which he serves.[16]

• Coadjutor bishop:

A coadjutor bishop is an auxiliary bishop who is given almost equal authority in a diocese with the diocesan bishop, and the automatic right to succeed the incumbent diocesan bishop. The appointment of coadjutors is often seen as a means of providing for continuity of church leadership.

• Honorary Assistant bishop, Assisting Bishop, or Bishop Emeritus:

These titles are usually applied to retired bishops who are given a general licence to minister as episcopal pastors under a diocesan's oversight. The titles, in this meaning, are not used by the Roman Catholic Church.

• Chorbishop:

A chorbishop is an official of a diocese in some Eastern Christian churches. Chorbishops are not generally ordained bishops – they are not given the sacrament of Holy Orders in that degree – but function as assistants to the diocesan bishop with certain honorary privileges.

• Cardinal bishop:

In Roman Catholicism, a cardinal is a member of the clergy appointed by the pope to serve in the College of Cardinals, the body empowered to elect the pope; however, on turning 80 a cardinal loses this right of election. Cardinals also serve as advisors to the pope and hold positions of authority within the structure of the Catholic Church. Under modern canon law, a man who is appointed a cardinal must accept ordination as a bishop, unless he already is one, or seek special permission from the pope to decline such ordination. Most cardinals are already bishops at the time of their appointment, the majority being archbishops of important archdioceses or patriarchs, and a substantial portion of the rest already titular archbishops serving in the Vatican. Recent popes have appointed a few priests, most of them influential theologians, to the College of Cardinals without requiring them to be ordained as bishops; invariably, these men are over the age of 80, which means they are not permitted to take part in a conclave. The purpose of these appointments is to recognize their tremendous contribution to the life of the Church.

 

Gods  Governmental Order:

1 Corinthians 12:28 -- And in the church God has appointed first of all apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then workers of miracles, also those having gifts of healing, those able to help others, those with gifts of administration, and those speaking in different kinds of tongues.

 

Ephesians 4:7-8, 11 -- But to each one of us grace has been given as Christ apportioned it. This is why it says: “When he ascended on high, he led captives in his train and gave gifts to men” ... [11] It was he who gave some to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to be evangelists, and some to be pastors and teachers.

 

Jesus Himself is the premier expression of each of these offices. (Not once is Jesus referred as a bishop, so does this mean that there was a separate bishop that was over Christ. I know not but yet we teach that a bishop is over an Apostle)

 

• “Jesus, the apostle...whom we confess” (Hebrews 3:1)

 

• “This is Jesus, the prophet from Nazareth” (Matthew 21:11).

 

• Jesus was certainly the Great Soulwinner, the consummate evangelist.

 

• Jesus is “the Shepherd [Greek word for “pastor”] and Overseer of your souls” (1 Peter 2:25).

 

• “Rabbi, we know you [Jesus] are a teacher who has come from God” (John 3:2).

 

It seems that Jesus — the chief apostle (the only Chief Apostle), prophet (the only Chief Prophet), evangelist (the only Chief Evangelist), pastor and teacher (the only Chief Pastor and Teacher)— is giving an expression of Himself to the Church in the form of these ministry gifts.

 

Paul declares that the mystery has “now been revealed...to God’s holy apostles and prophets.” These were “now” — that is, contemporary — apostles and prophets in the Church several decades after Christ’s resurrection and ascension to heaven.

 

Some have erroneously identified the “prophets” in this verse as Old Testament prophets. But this very Scripture says quite the opposite. It states that the prophets receiving this “now” revelation were “NOT...men in othergenerations.” No, these were Christian prophets, contemporary to the time in which Paul was writing. There were prophets (and apostles, too) existing in the New Testament church long after Jesus had ascended back to heaven.

 

Ephesians 4:8, 11-13 This is why it says: “When he ascended on high, he led captives in his train and gave gifts to men” ... [11] It was he who gave some to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to be evangelists, and some to be pastors and teachers, to prepare God’s people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ. 

 

Here the apostle Paul gives us additional proofs that apostles and prophets were to continue during the Church Age.

 

• “When He ascended on high...He gave...some to be apostles, some to be prophets...” These were not the original Twelve apostles. This refers to apostles and prophets that Jesus continued to give after His ascension to heaven! For that reason some have called the “fivefold” ministries of Ephesians 4:11 the “ascension gift ministries.” Having ascended to heaven, Jesus continues to give all five, not just evangelists, pastors and teachers.

 

• And this giving of five ministries by Christ was not just to get the early church started. Rather, the giving of all five is needed “untilwe all...become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.” That is an ongoing process occupying the entire time between Jesus’ First Coming and His Second Coming.

 

Revelation 11:10 The inhabitants of the earth will gloat over them and will celebrate by sending each other gifts, because these two prophets had tormented those who live on the earth. 

 

These “two prophets” are the Lord’s “two witnesses” (Rev. 11:3) at the very end of the Church Age during the time of the Antichrist. Again we see Christian prophets long after the time of the early church, in fact at the very end of this age.

 

Revelation 18:20 Rejoice over her, O heaven! Rejoice, saints and apostles and prophets! God has judged her for the way she treated you.

 

As end-time “Babylon” is judged, there is a call to contemporary, modern day, end time “saints and apostles and prophets” to rejoice over this divine judgment. Once again, contemporary apostles and Christian prophets are seen, not only at the beginning of the church age, but (here) at the end.

 

Is the New Testament Church today properly structured?

The answer to that question can be found in a very simple test. May I add that most Christians will fail this test!

 

• Question #1 — Which three of the Ephesians 4:11 ministries are mentioned most in the New Testament?

• Question #2 — Which two of those fivefold ministries are mentioned least in the New Testament?

 

The answers may shock you. They indicate how far out of balance the contemporary church has grown compared to the original church that Christ established on the earth.

 

Answer to question #1:

• The word “apostle(s)” occurs 85 times in the New Testament.
• The word “prophet(s)” occurs over 150 times in the New Testament, about 20 of those occurrences referring distinctly to prophets in the Church Age.
• The word “teacher(s)” occurs 125 times in the New Testament.
• Answer to question #2:
• The word “evangelist(s)” occurs only 3 times in the New Testament.
• The word “pastor(s)” occurs precisely one (1) time in the entire New Testament! One time! (Ephesians 4:11)

Consider those numbers. The Bible speaks of New Testament apostles, prophets, or teachers a combined total of at least 200 times. Pastors and evangelists are mentioned a combined total of four times! And yet the modern day church calls most ministers by the term “Pastor” and shies away from “apostles” and “prophets” like a horse avoiding a rattlesnake! Man’s prejudices, fears, or misinterpretations have deprived the Lord’s Church of the two foundational ministries — apostles and prophets — that He Himself placed on earth. The Church today, wherever it denies these two ministries, is improperly structured. Pastors, evangelists, and teachers alone cannot bring the church to maturity. They were never intended to. Jesus gave all five ministries for that purpose.

In the two sections that follow, we will examine the characteristics and work of prophets and apostles in the Church Age. Nowhere in Scripture is there a concise, precisely worded “job description” of these two offices. Therefore, I will offer to the reader overviews, or composites, of these two ministries in the New Testament. Of course, no individual apostle or prophet can be expected to fulfill every aspect of these descriptions. That level of perfection remains the privilege of the Lord Jesus Himself.  What are the biblical characteristics and ministry of apostles?• Acts 2:4 They were filled with the Spirit.• Acts 2:14-36 They preached the Word of God.• Acts 3:1-8 They healed the sick.• Acts 4:1-12 They were persecuted.• Acts 5:1-11 They pronounced God’s judgment.• Acts 5:12 They worked signs and wonders.• Acts 5:42 They taught and preached Jesus Christ.• Acts 6:1-6 They ordained deacons.• Acts 8:14-17 They laid their hands on others to be filled with the Holy Spirit.• Acts 8 and later chapters. They founded and/or strengthened new churches.• Acts 9:36-43 They raised the dead.• Acts 10 They preached to the Gentiles.• Acts 12:1-11 They were martyred, persecuted, and sometimes delivered.• Acts 13:4 They were sent by the Holy Spirit (the root of the word“apostle” means “sent”).• Acts 13:11 They pronounce a curse.• Acts 14:21-22 They confirmed disciples in their faith.• Acts 14:23 They ordained elders.• Acts 15:1-21 They settled doctrinal disputations.• Acts 16:18 They cast out demons.• Acts 19:22 They sent forth other ministering men.• Acts 20-28 list further ministries that apostles performed.• 1 Corinthians 3:10 They were wise master builders. They laid spiritual foundations.• 1 Corinthians 4:14-15 The apostle Paul warned his “sons” in the faith.• 1 Corinthians 7:1 They counseled and answered the saints’ questions.• 1 Corinthians 11:34 They set churches in order.• 2 Corinthians 11:28 Paul exercised “care of all the churches.” • 2 Corinthians 13:10 They used their authority for edification.• Ephesians 2:20 Apostles are part of the foundation of the church.• Ephesians 3:3-5 They received revelation from God.• Ephesians 4:11-12 They perfected the saints.

What are the biblical characteristics and ministry of New Testament, Christian prophets?• Acts 11:27-28 They (1) did trans-local ministry and (2) they foretold future events.• Acts 13:1 They can be among the leaders of a local church.• Acts 15:32 they exhorted and confirmed the brethren, sometimes with “many words.”• Acts 21:10-11 They may give personal, predictive prophecies.• 1 Corinthians 14:29 They prophesied in church services.• Ephesians 2:20 Prophets are part of the foundation of the church.• Ephesians 3:3-5 Prophets may receive revelation from God.• Ephesians 4:11-12 Prophets perfected the saints.

Should we identify and recognize apostles and prophets today? Certainly!

Luke 6:13 When morning came, [Jesus] called his disciples to him and chose twelve of them, whom he also designated apostles. If Jesus named them and designated and recognized them as apostles, how can we do otherwise?

Acts 14:4 ...the apostles Barnabas and Paul...” The New Testament, here and in many other verses, consistently recognized men by name in the office of apostle. 

1 Corinthians 14:29, 32, 37 Two or three prophets should speak, and the others should weigh carefully what is said.... [32] The spirits of prophets are subject to the control of prophets.... [37] If anybody thinks he is a prophet or spiritually gifted, let him acknowledge that what I am writing to you is the Lord’s command. 

The early church — here, the church at Corinth — found it quite normal to have a prophet or prophets in the church.Acts 13:1 In the church at Antioch there were prophets and teachers.

 Again, it was not unusual, but accepted, that there might be prophets (even plural prophets) in a local church. And the New Testament church recognized other Christian prophets by name:

• Agabus (Acts 11:28; 21:10)• Judas and Silas (Acts 15:32) 

Matthew 10:41a, He that receiveth a prophet in the name of a prophet shall receive a prophet’s reward. Why beat around the bush? Jesus tells us to receive someone who is a prophet“in the name of a prophet.” There is no biblical encouragement for identifying certain ones as “evangelists, pastors and teachers” and then identifying true prophets and apostles with correct but controvery-avoiding phrases like: “He has an apostolic [or prophetic] ministry.” As if the Lord has given three nouns (evangelist, pastor, teacher) and two adjectives (apostolic, prophetic)! No! Jesus said to receive a prophet “in the name of a prophet.” It’s time for the Church to shake off the fear of man and return to biblical patterns. "My prayer is that once more in the 21st century, as in the first century, the Church will return to the clear pattern of Scripture. May the body of Christ once again grow and thrive as we open our hearts to the God-given ministries ofmodern day prophets and apostles, as well as evangelists, pastors and teachers.And may the Church recognize also the biblical, local-church ministries of God-called elders and deacons, as well as the supernatural gifts of the Holy Spirit."

• Apostle/teacher

The word means “One Sent Forth.” Specifically, they are sent forth to bear witness of the Savior. They are one sign of the true church, called for in the Bible, and essential to the orderly operation of God’s kingdom on earth.> An Apostle is a pioneer. They receive a plan/blueprint from the Lord, much like Moses did and they begin to execute that plan.> An Apostle is set apart and sent by God, unlike missionaries where they are sent by an organization. They receive a direct call from God and execute that plan. Many times he or she is a loner and viewed by many as odd, or off in the wrong path.Romans 1:1 says Romans 1:1 Paul, a bondservant of Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle, separated to the gospel of God> An Apostle leaves the visible church system to receive training from God. We have the example of Jesus, King David, Moses and John the Baptist.> An Apostle builds the church. But what is the church? The church are the people, not a building. They begin by setting a new foundation in the hearts of the people, doing away with old mindsets and teaching them new truths and revelation from the word.> An Apostle can function in all the five fold ministries. They may have a stronger emphasis in two to three areas, but they are able to function in all five at any given moment as the Lord requires.> An Apostle faces death to the flesh constantly and to things that just don’t go right. They learn quickly to die already, and move on.> An Apostle is a servant and receives the call from the womb. We have Jesus as the example.Galatians 1:15 – 16 says: But when it pleased God, who separated me from my mother’s womb and called me through His grace, to reveal His Son in me, that I might preach Him among the Gentiles, I did not immediately confer with flesh and blood> An Apostle does not build on other men’s foundation, they receive their own blueprint from the Lord. 1 Corinthians 3:11 For no other foundation can anyone lay than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ.> An Apostle does not produce new scripture. So run fast from those that say otherwise.> An Apostle will have a face to face relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ and excellent communication.

• Prophet/teacher

A prophet is a spokesperson for God. The prophet admonishes, warns, directs, encourages, intercedes, teaches and counsels. He brings the word of God to the people of God and calls the people to respond.The prophetic ministry begins in the presence of the Lord. This aspect of the ministry is well described in Jeremiah’s challenge to the false prophets.Which of them has stood in the council of the Lord to see or to hear his word? If they had stood in his council they would have proclaimed his words to his people and they would have turned from their evil ways and from their evil deeds. Jeremiah 23:18,22.When the prophet knows the heart and mind of the Lord, he speaks the word of the Lord to his people. He stands before the people as one who has stood before God. Because his words come from the heart of God they are powerful and effective.VarietyA prophet can undertake a huge variety of roles. This is an expression of the creativity of God. A prophet may act in every role occasionally, but mostly he will move in one or two of these roles. Prayer will be important for every ministry. No two prophets should be the same, but each should be a reflection of God’s creativity and calling.The call of a prophet usually but not always includes his job description (John and Paula Sanford - The Elijah Task p.42).Some of the roles that a prophet can function in are outlined in the following sections.

• Prayer

An important part of the prophet’s task is prayer. Because he knows the mind of the Lord, he is in a position to pray effectively. He has a clear picture of what God is doing, so he knows where prayer is needed most. The prophet watches over the word of the Lord and prays it into being. He must not rest until God has fulfilled his word (Isaiah 62:6).An important part of the prophets task is unceasing prayer for the Christian Community. The prophets, because they knew what the mind of the Lord was, were in a position to pray more effectually than other men. They had a clearer picture of what God was doing and so they knew when prayer was needed most. They were also able to pray true ‘prophetic prayers’ in which the Holy Spirit directed and guided their very manner and words (Isa 62:6) (Bruce Yocum - Prophecy and Prayer).Prayer belongs in a very high and important sense to the prophetic ministry. Praying prophets have frequently been at a premium in the history of Gods people. God’s watchmen must always and everywhere be men of prayer. Praying preachers are the true prophets of the Lord, and are they who stand as mouth pieces of God to a generation of wicked and worldly-minded men and women. They are the boldest and truest, and swiftest ministers of God (E.M Bounds - The Weapon of Prayer).Prayer was essential to the prophetic ministry. It came naturally to the prophets and was the life-blood of their ministry. Prayer was their principal means of communication with God and lay at the heart of their personal relationship with God (Clifford Hill - Prophecy, Past and Present, p. 117).The prophet is also a mediator. Moses stood between the people and God. Time after time, Moses stood in the gap on behalf of the nation before an angry God. Consequently, intercession played a vital part in Moses life. As a prophet Moses felt in his heart the burden of the message he brought to the people. He was deeply moved when Israel did not respond to the command of God (Milton Smith - The Prophetic Office).People have always looked to prophetic people when they needed prayer - they still do today. Out of their request for prayer will often come the very signs that confirm the word of God we speak. Be bold! Be vigilant! Be fervent! Anything might happen! (http://www.africaprophecy.co.za/2prophets.htm).A prophet and his message is born before the Lord. Prophets are men of prayer. A man who has learnt to sit in quietness before the Lord cannot but be contaminated by his pain regarding the situation of the oppressed (Lars Widerburg, Prophets Without Burden).Prophetic burden-bearers are called to pray. These are the prophetic intercessors. They can feel the grief of the Lord over the things that are not right. These prophets seem to live in the doldrums much of the time, but they are called there to pray "right" again those things that are wrong. God bless them! (Jim Wies - Different Kinds of Prophets).Men of prayer must be men of steel, for they will be assaulted by Satan even before they attempt to assault his kingdom (L Ravenhill- Why Revival Tarries.).I believe prophetic ministry is the gas that fuels the tank of intercession and purity. It’s the prophetic hope that causes our prayers for a coming great visitation of God to be persistent through the many years and the diverse seasons of hardship (Mike Bickle - Growing in the Prophetic p.25).

• Receiving the Word of the Lord

A key role of the prophet is waiting in the presence of God to receive the word of God. God is sovereign so we cannot tell him when he should speak. Hearing will always require waiting.The task of the prophets was to know the will of God, so that they could convey it to the nation. Their ministry consisted in handling revelation, ie the knowledge that God has revealed to them. From the earliest times prophecy was conceived as being the activity of God, rather than the activity of man. This is true not only for the receiving of prophecy but also for it’s delivery. When the prophecy actually conveyed the word of the Lord to the people he was deemed to be under the power of God. The hand of the Lord was upon him, empowering and directing the delivery of the word (Clifford Hill - Prophecy, Past and Present p.31).The Prophet stood before men, as man who had been made to stand before God (Milton Smith - The Prophetic Office).

• Suffering

A prophet is often called to suffering. Deep dealing at the hand of God will often be needed to prepare the prophet for receiving the word of God. Sometimes he may actually have to experience beforehand, something of what his people will experience. Jeremiah spent many years in captivity before his people went into captivity. He was often rejected and ostracised; he was even accused of being a traitor. Ezekiel had to lie on his side for 390 days to symbolise the judgement that would come upon his nation. This suffering made the prophets extremely aware of their human frailty (Jer 20:7-10). It also equipped the prophet to give what was often a very harsh message in a spirit of compassion. A true message is nullified if it is spoken in the wrong spirit. Suffering softens the prophet’s spirit, so that he can give the hardest word, in a spirit of love. Suffering contributed to Jeremiah’s compassion.When the priest Pashhur son of Immer, the chief officer in the temple of the Lord, heard Jeremiah prophesying these things, he had Jeremiah the prophet beaten and put in the stocks at the Upper Gate of Benjamin at the Lord 's temple (Jer 20:1,2).There is an especial message in the ministry of Jeremiah for those who are compelled to stand alone, who fall into the ground to die, who fill up what is behind of the sufferings of Christ, and through death arise to bear fruit in the great world of men, which they passionately (F.B Meyer - Jeremiah).In the faith chapter of Hebrews, a number of prophets are recorded as heroes who suffered for their calling.And what more shall I say? I do not have time to tell about Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, David, Samuel and the prophets, who through faith conquered kingdoms, administered justice, and gained what was promised; who shut the mouths of lions, quenched the fury of the flames, and escaped the edge of the sword; whose weakness was turned to strength; and who became powerful in battle and routed foreign armies. Women received back their dead, raised to life again. Others were tortured and refused to be released, so that they might gain a better resurrection. Some faced jeers and flogging, while still others were chained and put in prison. They were stoned; they were sawed in two; they were put to death by the sword. They went about in sheepskins and goatskins, destitute, persecuted and mistreated-- the world was not worthy of them. They wandered in deserts and mountains, and in caves and holes in the ground (Heb 11:32-38).A prophetic ministry involves having a foretaste of the suffering and judgement that will come as a result of the sins of the church and the whole world, since iniquity would soon be universal. In such commission one must be willing to pay the price involved in foreseeing the coming events, in suffering and experiencing them in advance. Only then can the warning be passed on. A study of the concordance will show that there are more references in Scripture to the anger, fury and wrath of God, than his love and tenderness (A W Pink).A messenger who has not been willing to move into close combat with reality, with the pain of the downtrodden, will not be able to bring a message of relief and healing. A painless message cannot ease the pain. A painless message cannot carry a burden. A true messenger of the Lord begins every voyage at the Cross. Each and every piece brought forth from his mouth is marked by the Cross (Lars Widerburg, Prophets Without Burden).Many are eager to wear the Prophet’s mantle, but are reluctant to bear the Christian’s cross. This cannot be. Given the choice between Christian or Prophet, choose Christian (Chip Brogden - Letter to a Reluctant Prophet).There is a burden in being a prophet, which the OT prophets found that they could not always bear (Ian Breward).

• Worship

The prophetic ministry can often play an important part in worship. Paul said that when the church gathered together,Two or three prophets should speak, and the others should weigh carefully what is said. And if a revelation comes to someone who is sitting down, the first speaker should stop. For you can all prophesy in turn so that everyone may be instructed and encouraged. The spirits of prophets are subject to the control of prophets. For God is not a God of disorder but of peace (1 Cor 14:29-33).A prophecy that speaks of the glory and wonder of God will inspire his people to worship. 1 Chronicles 24 lists a number of men who were set aside for the ministry of prophesying to the accompaniment of musical instruments as part of the temple worship. This ministry is needed today. In small fellowships, it can be provided by the gift of prophecy. Large meetings for celebration will benefit from prophets who can bring a word from the Lord to build the worship. Miriam, the prophetess led the children or Israel in worship after they had crossed the Red Sea.When Pharaoh’s horses, chariots and horsemen went into the sea, the Lord brought the waters of the sea back over them, but the Israelites walked through the sea on dry ground. Then Miriam the prophetess, took a tambourine in her hand, and all the women followed her, with tambourines and dancing. Miriam sang to them, "sing to the Lord for he is highly exalted." (Exodus 15:19-21).In the temple, there were people whose role was to prophesy as part of the worship. They were professional worshippers and prophets, responsible for leading the worship in the house of God.David, together with the commanders of the army, set apart some of the sons of Asaph, Heman and Jeduthun for the ministry of prophesying, accompanied by harps, lyres and cymbals. Here is the list of the men who performed this service: ……. All these men were under the supervision of their fathers for the music of the temple of the Lord , with cymbals, lyres and harps, for the ministry at the house of God. Asaph, Jeduthun and Heman were under the supervision of the king. Along with their relatives- all of them trained and skilled in music for the Lord- they numbered 288 (1 Chron 25,1,6).

• Encouragement

Encouragement of the brethren is an important aspect of the prophetic ministry.Everyone who prophesies speaks to men for their strengthening, encouragement and comfort… he who prophesies edifies the church (1 Cor 14:3,4The words of the prophets will build up and strengthen the church. This will be especially important in times of trial and tribulation. Silas and Judas were two prophets who encouraged the church in Antioch.Judas and Silas, who themselves were prophets, said much to encourage and strengthen the brothers (Acts 15:32).The scriptures give a number of examples of prophets who encouraged the leaders of their nation to act boldly.When Asa heard these words and the prophecy of Azariah son of Oded the prophet, he took courage. (2 Chron 15:1,).Then Haggai, the Lord 's messenger, gave this message of the Lord to the people: "I am with you," declares the Lord. So the Lord stirred up the spirit of Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and the spirit of Joshua son of Jehozadak, the high priest, and the spirit of the whole remnant of the people. They came and began to work on the house of the Lord Almighty, their God, on the twenty-fourth day of the sixth month in the second year of King Darius (Hag 1:13-15).Now Haggai the prophet and Zechariah the prophet, a descendant of Iddo, prophesied to the Jews in Judah and Jerusalem in the name of the God of Israel, who was over them. Then Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel and Jeshua son of Jozadak set to work to rebuild the house of God in Jerusalem. And the prophets of God were with them, helping them (Ezra 5:1,2).So the elders of the Jews continued to build and prosper under the preaching of Haggai the prophet and Zechariah, a descendant of Iddo. They finished building the temple according to the command of the God of Israel and the decrees of Cyrus, Darius and Artaxerxes, kings of Persia (Ezra 6:14).The prophetic ministry is to alert the church to the "now-ness" of the Holy Spirit. It awakens us to the will and purpose of God for us in the present – what He specifically wants to do in us and through us (Mike Bickle - Growing in the Prophetic p.74).

• Foretelling the Future

Prediction of the future is part of the prophetic ministry. Almost every prophet in the Old Testament appeared first as a foreteller. Through his fellowship with the eternal God, the prophet has access to the future. He is the seer who has insight into God’s purposes for history. However, whatever he sees for the future is always related to the present. He warns of future judgements so that people will change their behaviour now. He speaks of future blessing to give hope for the present.The prophet speaks to the present, in light of the future that God has revealed to him. For example, Isaiah warned Hezekiah, that he would die.In those days Hezekiah became ill and was at the point of death. The prophet Isaiah son of Amoz went to him and said, "This is what the Lord says: Put your house in order, because you are going to die; you will not recover." Hezekiah turned his face to the wall and prayed to the Lord (2 Kings 20:1,2).Calls to repentance and calls to practical holiness are based on a word concerning the future; the vision of wrath to come is the basis of a present seeking of the mercy of God (J.A Motyer - New Bible Dictionary).Prophets must know God and understand the world and bring God’s revelation to bear to show people where it is going. They should show people what to do next (Ian Breward).History becomes revelation because there was added to the historical situation a man prepared beforehand to say what it meant. The prophets were not left to struggle with the meaning of events as or after they happened, they apprehend them beforehand and were warned by God of their significance (J A Motyer - Prophets and Prophecy).Almost every prophet first appears as a foreteller (J A Motyer - Prophets and Prophecy).Repentance and practical holiness are based on a word concerning the future; the vision of wrath to come is the basis of a present seeking of the mercy of God; the vision of bliss to come is a call to a walking in the light now (J A Motyer - Prophets and Prophecy).Prophets see more than others the continuing influences that issue from the past and profoundly affect the present and the ultimate future. They see the continuum, the unbroken span of past, present and future as few see it (Art Katz - What is the Prophetic Church).

• Direction and Guidance

Prophets bring the word of the Lord to the church. Christians can get so caught up in the events of the world that they do not see what God is doing. This is particularly true in tumultuous times, when it can be very hard to see the hand of God at work. Prophets will give direction and vision in these situations, so that God’s people know what is happening, and what they should do. For example, the prophet Gad provided guidance to David and showed him how to avoid trouble.But the prophet Gad said to David, "Do not stay in the stronghold. Go into the land of Judah." So David left and went to the forest of Hereth (1 Sam 22:5).Prophets can give direction to those who are seeking the will of God. Sometimes the prophetic word will be for the church as a whole or for the leadership of the church.The Prophet admonishes, warns, directs, intercedes, teaches and counsels. Far more importantly he stands at the walls to see what the Lord is doing that he may call the body to respond (Sanfords).A prophet is called to stand in the councils of the Lord. He stands before the living God. Having stood before God he is sent to stand for God, before his people and speak his word (Tom Marshall- The Coming of the Prophets).To prophesy is to communicate the mind and heart of God to a person, a group of people or a territory; therefore, prophecy is linked with the promise of God over our lives. God’s promise is an announcement of His plan of salvation and blessing to His people. A promise embraces both declaration and deed. God’s promise begins with a declaration by God and covers His future plan. (Chuck Pierce - The Future War of the Church).Personal prophecy must be treated with caution. The gift of prophecy is not usually directive, so it is dangerous to make life changing decisions on the basis of a prophecy uttered by a person who has not been recognised as a prophet. Prophets will sometimes give direction, but generally this should come as a confirmation of something that God has already spoken to the person concerned. God wants to lead his people by his Spirit. He desires that every believer should learn to hear the Spirit’s voice. A message from a prophet should normally come as a confirmation of something that the Spirit has already spoken.Getting confirmation from a prophet before we act can be really encouraging, but we need to be very careful. A personal prophecy can be misleading if we have let our own plans and desires control our thinking. Ezekiel gives a surprising warning about this.When any Israelite sets up idols in his heart and puts a wicked stumbling block before his face and then goes to a prophet, I the Lord will answer him myself in keeping with his great idolatry (Ezek 14:4).If a person has let something that they want to do become an idol of their heart, God may prophesy to them what they want to hear. If the person acts on the prophecy, it will lead to disaster. God does this to reveal the idol and recapture the person’s heart. This means that we must be careful with personal prophecy. If a prophecy confirms what we want to do, it may just be a sign that we have made our own plans into an "idol in our hearts".Making important decisions on the basis of a word from another person is dangerous. It is wrong to be totally dependent on others for guidance. Many Christians have been led astray because they failed to get their own word from God. (John Bevere provides excellent advice on how to handle personal prophecy in his book Thus Saith the Lord.)The major thrust of these servants was to declare God’s heart to his people, pricking their hearts that they might return to His ways. The purpose of all of His prophets sent to Israel and Judah. In fulfilling this they may have spoken of things to come or given a personal word to an individual. However, these were minor components of their ministry, which helped to accomplish the major. Too often we are deceived or led astray by majoring on that on which God minors, while minoring on that on which God majors. It would seem that the emphasis of today’s prophetic ministries is focused on the minor, the giving of personal prophecy and foretelling of the future. We’ve drawn our definition of a prophet from limited and specific scriptures rather than stepping back to capture the overall picture. An erroneous view of a prophet has left the church vulnerable to deception (p.32).Christian prophets do not tell people what to do, they confirm what God is saying. To go to a Christian prophet for direction and guidance is to violate the New Covenant which gives us direct access and approach to God through Christ by the Spirit (Graham Cooke - Developing Your Prophetic Gifting p.199).Telling the people what they want to hear at the expense of what they need to hear weakens the church. It causes people to seek the gifts and manifestations to the neglect of pursuing the character of God (John Bevere - Thus Saith the Lord p.34).For far too long the prophetic has only been seen as a blessing ministry. Prophets come into the church, take a few meetings, bless people and then move on (Graham Cooke - Developing Your Prophetic Gifting p.272).

• Interpreting Dreams and Visions

An important aspect of the prophetic ministry is interpreting dreams and visions. God often speaks in dreams to people who are not listening. We must learn to interpret these to understand what he is saying. Prophets are sometimes skilled in interpreting dreams.This is that time in history in which God is raising His prophets for His end-time purposes. "If a prophet or a dreamer of dreams arises among you... (Deuteronomy 13:1)," makes it unequivocal that the Lord regards prophets and dreamers as one and the same. Unfortunately, the Body of Christ, for the most part, has not yet grasped that. It is imperative that at least His prophets, and hopefully the entire Body, come to comprehend how important this aspect of prophets' equipment actually is, and that all His prophets become adept both in having their own dreams and in interpreting theirs and those of others. (Joy Parrott Parables in the Night)Daniel was a prophet who was skilled in interpreting dreams (Daniel 2:1-28).During the night the mystery was revealed to Daniel in a vision. Then Daniel praised the God of heaven and said: "Praise be to the name of God for ever and ever; wisdom and power are his. He changes times and seasons; he sets up kings and deposes them. He gives wisdom to the wise and knowledge to the discerning. He reveals deep and hidden things; he knows what lies in darkness, and light dwells with him. I thank and praise you, O God of my fathers: you have given me wisdom and power, you have made known to me what we asked of you, you have made known to us the dream of the king" (Dan 2:19-23).Dreams often include people and objects with which we are familiar used in symbolic ways. We must not assume that they will be fulfilled literally. For example, Joseph saw the sun, moon and eleven stars bowing before him. This was not literally fulfilled, but he eventually saw his father and eleven brothers bowing before him. (Genesis 37:5-12; 40:5-22; 44:11-32). Dreams should be interpreted like parables.Kings and rulers will often hear God through dreams. Prophets can help them to understand what God is saying.It is the glory of God to conceal a matter; to search out a matter is the glory of Kings (Prov 25:2).Those particularly gifted with dreams, visions, prophecies and revelation need to be careful not to think of themselves too highly, as being the prophetic group. They serve only one dimension of the church’s greater calling as a prophetic community (Mike Bickle - Growing in the Prophetic p.195).(John Paul Jackson has good teaching on the interpretation of dreams).