Jeremiah Wright and Speaking for God

How do we know when a man or woman is really speaking on behalf of God, particularly in what is known as "prophetic preaching?"

At the height of the Jeremiah Wright controversy, I used one of my Sunday messages from the book of Hosea to develop a framework that we can use to determine whether a man or woman is really speaking for God.

I'm not making a judgement on Jeremiah Wright. I don't know him, I'm not anointed by God to make some grand pronouncement as to his veracity, and I haven't take the time to read through the entirety of his sermons, nor analyze his FULL career. Nor am I commenting on Barak Obama. The point of this post isn't to analyze Wright, but to use the controversy as a springboard for educating us a bit about what it means to speak for God.

We DO need to know whether a person is speaking for God. It's easy to understand that Paris Hilton or Madonna doesn't speak for God. Duh! But what about someone who claims to speak for God? What about other faiths that claim to have a message from God?

So, here are a few of the framework points I shared with Calvary, to help us prayerfully analyze when a person is speaking for God or not . . .

There is a tradition of prophetic preaching both in biblical (Old and New Testaments) and American histories. Prophetic preaching is real and has a valuable contribution to make.

When I refer to "prophetic preaching," I'm not refering to foretelling, but forthtelling. Forthelling means that a person claims to have received a message from God that is to be delivered to a certain audience: "Thus saith the Lord."

In my mind, prophetic preaching can also be derived from the Biblical text and applied in a strong way to a cultural phenomenon, but the speaker IS claiming that this message has been given to him/her by God. And so, by God, that had better be the case. If a person claims to have a message from God, he or she had better be 100% certain that it is in fact from God. Otherwise, preach it as biblical truth, your interpretation of it and your application of it (which can be valid preaching) but be careful what is claimed.

We probably need more prophetic preaching in America -- there's a lot that's ungodly in this nation. But since the source of a prophetic message is God Himself, and not our own creation, then isn't the frequency and timing of these messages really up to God? WE might think we need more of this today, but apparently God doesn't, or He would be prompting more of it.

Just because a message gets shouted down by the media or by our culture, doesn't mean it isn't from God.

If a man or woman hears from God and delivers an authentic prophetic message, he or she should stick with it. Don't back down. In the recent past, there have been people who purported to speak for God, then backed down when the fire got hot. Did they really hear from God? If so, press on. If not, then in the future, keep YOUR THOUGHTS to yourself.

Prophetic messages originate with God, not from our own fears, prejudices, experiences, anger, etc. Our emotions may be used by God to hone or refine the message, but again, the message originates from the heart of God, not from the person and his/her experiences.

God can be harsh. He's not always full of love and mush. He is a loving God, but (check out Hosea, for instance!) the Bible has many harsh prophecies. But here's the thing: harsh prophecies are reserved for really, really sinful people or hypocrites. I think that many preachers who are just being "brutally honest" enjoy the brutality too much.

Bringing a judgment prophetic message, from God, can actually be quite patriotic.

Be a Christian first and American second.

Not all claims of God inspiration really are God-inspired.

Listen to purported messages from God with humilty. God may really be speaking through that man or woman.

Don't allow pride to blind us to what God might actually be saying.

Check any and all messages against the absolute eternal standard of the Bible. A message that contradicts the Bible or that misapplies God's word, is not from God. That sounds simple, but it's true. God isn't going to inspire someone to speak on His behalf and contradict His word already published in the Bible. It's said that anything we have ever emailed or put on the internet is recorded forever. God originated that concept. He doesn't change and His word (only the Bible) is there for all to see and with which to compare.

No prophetic preaching or word of prophecy adds to what is already in the Bible. It will simply expound or explain what God has previously said.

There are, of course, many more considerations, but this post is already too long. I think it can be very difficult to determine whether a prophetic message is really from God. But the fact is, God DOES speak through people and we need to listen with ears and hearts both protected and enlightened by the Holy Spirit.

Unity

I'm part of a pastors prayer group that meets every Wednesday morning. It's growing and there are now about 14 of us, representing that many different churches and denominations. It's a refreshing breath of fresh air for me that I begin anticipating on Mondays. We're all in the ministry together and we feel that we complete one another, not compete with one another. I can share professional ministry needs as well as personal prayer requests. I mean, it's unfortunate, but there just hasn't been this kind of unity in the Body of Christ very often. We feel that God has really gifted us and we intend to follow Christ's lead. There seems to be a new wind that God is blowing across the church and we're hoping that the future in America, at least, is one of Christians reaching out from their own buildings and across denominational lines to love and serve.

This morning's gathering was particularly rewarding. A number of us had quite serious requests and we could sense the love, concern and active prayer of others in the group. I guess people don't think about pastors needing pastoring, but we do need pastoring at times and this group in Arlington is exceptional. What a God-send.

We can also sense the prayer group strengthening the church in Arlington (that is, the body of Christ that meets in various churches in Arlington). There have been several Sunday mornings when, with permission, our church has prayed for another church. In fact, it's a common practice in a number of our churches. What a beautiful act of unity to have our church praying for the benefit of another church, sometimes just down the street.

We sense that this coming together of church leaders will result, somehow, in the coming together of the Body of Christ. Our annual Good Friday services are love-fests of worship and power. People like it when their spiritual leaders are committed to the Kingdom of God. We like it too.

What's the point of all of this? Jesus said, "They (the world) will know you are Christians by your love." By the grace of God, the church in Arlington is beginning to come together at the foot of the cross to love one another and to love God. It's really exciting.