The GateKeeper

A Prophetic Bulletin Published by GateKeepers Prophetic Network of Arizona

 

Volume 1, No.2                                                                                                            April 2003

 

"Reconciling Pastors and Prophets"

 

by Rob Winters

 

Even as the birthing of a baby inflicts tremendous strain and pain on a mother's body, the birthing of prophetic ministry and the corporate restoration of the office of the prophet over the past 20 or so years, has left much of the Body of Christ worn and wounded.

          Although many have been strengthened and encouraged by gen­uine prophetic words that have hit the mark, others have suffered under prophetic ministries that have missed the mark.

          Probably the greatest repercus­sion of these prophetic miscues has been an ongoing mistrust of prophetic min­istries throughout the Body of Christ, particularly by pastors who are instinc­tively motivated to protect their sheep from further injury.  As a result, the pastoral and prophetic communities have in many cases remained alienated.

 

Elders and Watchmen

 

          It is beyond the scope of this arti­cle to teach on prophetic pitfalls.  However, it is my intention to lay a foundation from which pastoral and prophetic ministries can begin to func­tion together effectively.  One of the primary objectives for this end to be ac­complished is an understanding of pas­toral and prophetic roles and responsi­bilities.

          The Old Testament analogy of the "elders at the gate" and the "watchmen on the wall" clearly illustrates the coop­erative operation of pastors and prophets.  The watchmen were strategi­cally appointed to a position of vision.  There placement enabled them to rec­ognize and report to the elders not only what was on the horizon coming toward the city, but also what was stirring within the city.  It was the watchmen's role to quickly discern friends from foes and accurately report critical maneu­vers to the elders at the gate.

          Similarly, prophets are often "watchmen on the wall", divinely com­missioned to serve as guides to and guards over individual churches, denominations, cities, and nations.  It is unfortunate that many churches and city churches are functioning today without the assistance of prophetic ministers.  As a result, many churches are never fully aware of their divine purpose and calling, often blindsided by demonic attacks, and usually unprepared for divine visitations from King Jesus.

 

Amos 3:7     "Surely the Lord God does nothing, unless He reveals His secret to His servants the prophets."

 

          Watchmen's primary role and re­sponsibility was to observe, discern and deliver accurate messages to the elders at the gate.  It was then the elder's respon­sibility to act in behalf of the people of the city, either giving the command to open the gates of the city or sound the alarm.  Similarly, with the exception of a few prophets in the Old Testament, such as David and Moses, prophets seldom held positions of authority over people, but rather were called to serve those in au­thority.

 

 Prophetic Vision and Inspiration

 

          Another principal role of the prophet is to provide divine vision and inspiration to spiritual leadership.  One primary example of this truth is found in the Old Testament book of Ezra. 

          In 606 B.C., the people of Judah were taken into captivity by the Babylonians, who were overthrown by the Persians in 539 B.C.  Under the Persian leadership of Cyrus, the Jews were permitted to return to Jerusalem.  There were three separate exile returns to Jerusalem, the first being led by Zerubbabel, whose mission was to restore and rebuild Jerusalem's destroyed tem­ple.  Out of at least 2 million Jews that had the opportunity to return to Jerusalem, less than 3% did so.  Most re­fused to leave the comforts of Babylon to return to the city and God of their fa­thers.

          Under the leadership of Zerubbabel, the reconstruction of the temple began in 536 B.C.  After the foun­dation of the temple had been laid, work on the temple ceased two years later in 534 B.C. due to Samaritan opposition.  The temple was left untouched and uncom­pleted for fourteen years due to the self­ish ambition and spiritual indifference of the Jews in Jerusalem.

          However, in the year 520 B.C., the Lord sent His prophets, Haggai and Zechariah, to prophesy repentance and hope to the Jews that they might com­plete the temple of the Lord.

 

Ezra 5:1   "Then the prophet Haggai and Zechariah, the son of Iddo, prophets, prophesied to the Jews who were in Judah and Jerusalem, in the name of the God of Israel, who was over them." 

 

The prophetic word was the divine impe­tus needed to inspire Zerubbabel and Jeshua to resume rebuilding the temple.  Notice that Haggai and Zechariah did not lead the building of the temple, but in­stead provided the divine encourage­ment necessary for leadership to com­plete the temple.

 

Ezra 5:2   "So Zerubbabel, the son of Shealtiel, and Jeshua, the son of Jehozadak, rose up and began to build the house of God which is in Jerusalem; and the prophets of God were with them, helping them."

 

Rebuilding the Lord's Temple

 

          Haggai's prophetic word con­fronted the Jews about their spiritual lethargy and awakened them to realize that they were not prospering because they were too busy building their own houses and neglecting God's house (Haggai 1:1-11).

 

Haggai 1:2-5,9   "Thus speaks the Lord of hosts, saying: 'This people says, "The time has not come, the time that the Lord's house should be built."'  Then the word of the Lord came by Haggai the prophet, saying, 'Is it time for you your­selves to dwell in your paneled houses, and this temple to lie in ruins?' Now therefore, thus says the Lord of hosts: 'Consider your ways!  You looked for much, but indeed it came to little; and when you brought it home, I blew it away.  Why?' says the Lord of hosts.  'Because of My house that is in ruins, while every one of you runs to his own house.'"

 

          This prophetic scripture is a word in season to the Church in the Valley of the Sun.  Phoenix currently has approx­imately one third the number of churches of other U.S. cities having similar population.  With Greater Phoenix's population swelling to over 3 million people, it is sad to think that if all the churches in the area were to triple in size, we could only minister to only 17% of the entire population!  Presently, if more that 5% of Greater Phoenix's population attended church, our existing churches unfortunately could not accommodate the crowds.

          Many Christians throughout Greater Phoenix are not prospering be­cause they have forsaken the work of the Lord in favor of building their own kingdoms of pleasure.    Corporately, we are more interested in claiming houses and cars for ourselves than claiming lost souls for Jesus.  Therefore, the Lord is sending His prophets to confront com­placency and a spirit of covetousness that has captivated the hearts of many believers throughout the Valley of the Sun.  Our corporate response to these prophetic words will determine if we will be prepared in the natural and in the spirit for the multitudes that will flood the Valley of the Sun in the early part of the 21st century.

 

Prospering Through Prophecy

 

          The prophet Zechariah encour­aged Zerubbabel to resume rebuilding the temple by prophesying that the monumental endeavor that he was un­dertaking was inspired by the Holy Spirit, Who would also empower him to complete the task (Zechariah 1-8).

 

Zechariah 4:6,9,10   "This is the word of the Lord to Zerubbabel: 'Not by might, nor by power, but by My Spirit,' says the Lord of Hosts.  The hands of Zerubbabel have laid the foundation of this temple; his hands shall also finish it.  Then you will know that the Lord of Hosts has sent me to you.  For who has despised the day of small things?"

 

          In like manner, the Lord is send­ing forth His prophets to exhort the Greater Phoenician Church to prepare for a great harvest of souls in the Valley of the Sun.  As the Church is revived by the Spirit, a habitation in the Spirit will be built that will draw multitudes to the saving knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ.  To accommodate the growing hunger for the knowledge and presence of God, many new church facilities will have to be built.

 

Ezra 6:14     "So the elders of the Jews built, and they prospered through the prophesying of Haggai the prophet and Zechariah, the son of Iddo.  And they built and finished it (the temple), ac­cording to the commandment of the God of Israel."

 

          The temple in Jerusalem was completed in 516 B.C., only four years after the Jews resumed work on it.  Like Malachi and Zechariah, end times prophets are being divinely commis­sioned to the Valley of the Sun to cat­alyze the redemption of wasted years of inactivity and fruitlessness (Ephesians 5:16).  Like Zerubbabel, if we believe and respond to the word of the Lord through His prophets, we will prosper.

 

II Chronicles 20:20   "Believe in the Lord your God, and you shall be established; believe His prophets, and you shall pros­per."

 

          The Biblical meaning for the word "prosper" in this context means "to have a good journey".  A good journey is one in which we reach our destination safely.  For example, if one plans and embarks on a trip from San Diego to New York and only makes it as far as Philadelphia, the trip was not prosper­ous.  Similarly, if we do not complete the work that the Lord has destined for us, it not only adversely affects our lives but the lives of those around us.  If the Body of Christ in the Valley of the Sun heeds the prophetic word of the Lord, we cor­porately will safely reach our divine destination which is community trans­formation.

 

Building Bridges

 

          As the Lord begins to unfold His vision and strategic plans to transform cities, it will become increasingly criti­cal that pastors and prophets learn to ef­fectively communicate and collaborate.  Nevertheless, it has been very difficult for many pastors and spiritual leaders to trust prophetic ministers because they do not know them relationally.  Therefore, it is time for divinely ap­pointed prophets to descend from their mountains of seclusion and forsake their caves of rejection that they might dwell among the people of God. 

 

I Thessalonians 5:12   "And we beseech you, brethren, to know them which la­bor among you, and are over you in the Lord, and admonish you."

 

          It is the responsibility of prophets to make themselves known relationally among pastors and spiritual leadership. On the other hand, it is the responsibil­ity of pastors to not only tolerate prophets and prophetic ministry, but to embrace them.  Not only will we then begin to see pastors and prophets rec­onciled, but also the pastoral and prophetic working together to trans­form our churches and cities to the glory of God.