Is it possible to prophesy and not even know it?
I my last post, I summarized Brueggemann’s The Prophetic Imagination. The rhythm of prophetic ministry is mourning the present oppression and depression, and then building hope for God’s role in our future.
This is the same rhythm that Intentional Interim Ministers take a church through. I always pledge to a church that I will offer honesty and hope. I offer an honesty that talks openly about problems, conflict, grief and unfulfilled longings. I know that a church is ready for its future only after it has named and grieved evidences of past and current brokeness.
Once a church has been honest about it hurts, it is open to see God’s hope. That hope is rooted in God’s nature, the resurrection of Jesus Christ, and the reception of the Holy Spirit. However, God, Jesus & the Holy Spirit are just words while we live in denial. Once we have grieved our wounds, they become a dynamic force that transforms both individuals and congregations.