Does Prophecy Have to Be Weird to Be Real?

Ephesians 4 and gifts that help the church sound more like Jesus

By Pastor John Erickson

If you've ever been to an orchestra concert, you may have noticed something strange before the music begins.

Every musician is warming up. One person is playing a scale, someone else is adjusting an instrument, and for a few minutes it sounds like everybody is performing a completely different piece of music.

Then a single note rings out. The oboe gives the orchestra an A, and one by one the other instruments tune to it.

Suddenly, all those different sounds can become music together.

I love that picture for the prophetic gift in the church.

In a world full of competing voices, we need people who help us tune our hearts back to Jesus.

Prophecy is not a spiritual sideshow

When people hear the word prophet, some picture a person predicting the future, delivering mysterious announcements or saying something dramatic on a street corner.

But the New Testament gives us a practical way to think about prophecy. In 1 Corinthians 14:3, Paul says the one who prophesies speaks to people for strengthening, encouragement and comfort.

That's not very mysterious, is it?

Prophecy can involve Spirit-prompted words that help someone hear God's truth more clearly. It's not a way to add new books to Scripture or a shortcut around wisdom and discernment. It's a gift to be exercised with humility, tested in community and held accountable to the character of Jesus.

And Paul's invitation in 1 Corinthians 14 shows that the encouragement of the Spirit isn't something only one special person gets to offer.

But in Ephesians 4, Paul also names prophets among the gifts Christ gives his church for long-term equipping and maturity.

That's the part I want us to think about.

Who helps the church stay in tune?

Ephesians 4 describes apostles, prophets, evangelists, shepherds and teachers. These gifts are given to equip God's people for the work of ministry, not to create a small group of professional Christians who do everything while the rest watch.

A prophetic person helps the church remember what matters.

When we drift toward performance and forget prayer, someone needs to remind us that God's presence cannot be replaced by a good program.

When we become comfortable with compromise, someone needs to point us back toward Scripture.

When discouragement settles in, someone needs to speak hope. And when we're being swept away by the loudest voices around us, someone needs to give us the tuning note again.

Jesus. His word. His heart.

That's a beautiful calling.

Truth should sound like Jesus

Here's where things get complicated. Some people who are passionate about truth can become remarkably unkind while defending it.

They tell themselves, I'm just being prophetic. Somebody has to say the hard thing.

Maybe the hard thing does need to be said. But the way we say it matters.

Paul doesn't tell us the goal of prophecy is to make people feel small. He says strengthening, encouragement and comfort. A prophetic word may challenge us, but it should draw us toward the life of Christ, not just toward the personality of whoever delivered it.

And this is especially important when someone says, "God told me to tell you…"

Those words should never become a tool for controlling someone else's decisions or shutting down questions. We can share what we sense prayerfully and humbly while leaving room for discernment, Scripture and trusted community.

The Holy Spirit does not need us to bully people on his behalf.

I think the orchestra picture helps here. Imagine if the oboe decided the entire orchestra should only listen to the oboe, or if the violins decided the trumpets had no place in the music. We wouldn't call that harmony. The gift would be turned inward instead of serving the piece. In the same way, any spiritual gift can become distorted when we use it to establish our own importance. The prophet is not the center of the church. Jesus is, and every gift should help us hear him more clearly together.

The gift has strengths and weaknesses

Prophetic people can be courageous. They notice things others miss. They care deeply about God's holiness and are willing to challenge complacency.

Those are gifts to the church.

I recognize some of those instincts in myself. Gina gave me a ribbon for my office that says, Best at saying what we are all thinking. If a restaurant gets the food wrong, I am usually quite willing to speak up. I do not need someone else to volunteer first.

That can be useful. It does not automatically make everything I say prophetic, and it certainly does not give me permission to be unkind. Being comfortable speaking is different from speaking with the gentleness of Jesus.

But the same passions can go sideways. Courage can become harshness. Discernment can become suspicion. Urgency can become impatience. A desire for purity can become self-righteousness.

And when people feel misunderstood, it can be tempting to withdraw and announce that everyone else has lost their way.

But none of the gifts in Ephesians 4 were designed for isolation. We need one another.

A prophet needs shepherds who remember the person behind the problem. Shepherds need prophets who are willing to name what is unhealthy. Teachers help us test what we're hearing against Scripture. Evangelists remind us of the people outside our walls. Apostles help us see where Jesus is sending us next.

That's what a healthy body looks like.

Tuning our voices toward love

Maybe you have a strong instinct to speak truth. Maybe you notice spiritual drift or feel deeply moved to encourage someone with Scripture.

Wonderful. Don't bury that gift.

But before speaking, ask: Will this help the other person grow? Am I speaking with humility? Can this be tested? Am I willing to listen?

And if you're receiving a word from someone else, you don't need to be frightened or pressured. We can weigh it prayerfully, hold fast to what is good and seek wise counsel.

The goal isn't to make church more dramatic.

It's to make the church sound more like Jesus.