What is the gift of prophecy?

There seems to be a renewed interest in the more “supernatural” spiritual gifts among evangelicals. Mark Driscoll, who calls himself a “charismatic with a seat-belt”, is no doubt a contributing factor. I have recently posted about healing, miraculous gifts and speaking in tongues. What remains is prophecy.

Prophecy in the Old Testament

Deuteronomy 18:18 describes the role of a prophet like this: “will raise up for them a prophet like you from among their brothers. And I will put my words in his mouth, and he shall speak to them all that I command him.”

Good news is better than good advice

There is a VAST difference between good advice and good news.
When the company you’ve invested in goes bankrupt and their share price starts falling, it is good advice to sell your shares as soon as possible. When your mechanic phones you and says your car is starting to give up its ghost and things are starting to go horribly wrong, its good advice to sell your car. When the school phones you to say that your teenage son has been bunking again and been caught smoking at the local mall, its good advice for your son to mentally prepare himself for a good dose of discipline. Good advice, you see, is often the result of bad news.

Should every Christian speak in tongues? (Part 2)

I argued in my previous post that the speaking tongues in Acts was not the norm for all Christians, but the very specific and unique plan of God to demonstrate that there was to be only one church. Not a separate Gentile Church. Not a separate Samaritan church. One church made up of converted Jews, Samaritans and Gentiles. The pouring out of the Holy Spirit on all these groups demonstrated by the speaking of foreign languages (like at Pentecost, Acts 2) was evidence of this.