Pastors! Are you overworked? Do less! It's God's Way!
Are you bored in Church? Show the pastor this!
Two or three prophets should speak, and the others should weigh carefully what is said. And if a revelation comes to someone who is sitting down, the first speaker should stop. For you can all prophesy in turn so that everyone may be instructed and encouraged. The spirits of prophets are subject to the control of prophets. For God is not a God of disorder but of peace -- as in all the congregations of the Lord's people. (1 Corinthians 14:29-33)
See, when I read that, I see that Church gatherings should consist of panel discussions of prophets speaking, who might disagree, judge the content and validity of each other's interpretations, argue politely; try or succeed in refuting each other's views; or try or succeed in rebuking each other. I think it's supposed to be kind of exciting, actually!
But I don't see in scripture, not anywhere in the Bible, that Church meetings are supposed to consist of a pastor droning on and on for an hour, trying desperately to stretch a 20 minute presentation into an hour, putting people to sleep, or worse, chastising the flock for their sins of the day, or telling boring stories of his own personal life, as if he's at an Alcoholics Anonymous meeting and the only one allowed to do a share for the day!
I have heard pastors complain of being overworked, and that their greatest burden is to come up with an hour or more of content each week to present to the Church. Hey, I know. I'm a content provider. I write. Sometimes, I don't have much to say for a month. It happens. And on top of all of that, Pastors also have to work as marriage counselors, fund raisers, evangelists, administrators, special event coordinators, and a referee of disputes among Church members.
I have heard pastors complain that they just don't have time to study prophecy. They are right. It takes years of dedicated study. And those who are drawn to it, like myself, don't want to be pastors, counselors, fund raisers, evangelists, administrators, people net workers, and whatever else a pastor may do. And I don't know. I'm not one. We'd rather study the Word of God, alone. We actually don't like to get up and speak.
I think it's the job of the pastor to draw out the prophets, and encourage the people to prophesy. Who again? Prophets only? No. Everyone!
1 Corinthians 14:31 For ye may all prophesy one by one, that all may learn, and all may be comforted.
But perhaps many pastors are afraid to let go of their power? They may aspire to be like mega star preachers on TV. This is sad. This is not God's way. Read 1 Corinthians 14 again. Read chapters 11 to 15 actually!
God has provided help. A different way. THE WAY!
Panel discussions!
Panel discussions are exciting! Nobody knows what will be said! Nobody knows what disagreements there will be! It's like watching a "holy street fight"!
There may be conflict! There may be feelings getting hurt! There may be drama!
That's how it's supposed to be. Exciting! Better than TV! Better than movies!
Like live cage fighting on pay per view, but with holy words on holy topics about the future that no man can know for certain!
Some say there will be a rapture, some say not! Both can't be right! They will debate! Both must be saying the other is wrong! Oh my!
Perhaps pastors are afraid to let false prophecy be spoken in their Church. But it's impossible to stop. Because we all, at best, see through that glass darkly, and nobody is perfect. We are all sinners, and prone to mistakes. If you tried to pluck up the tares, you'd pluck up the wheat!
1 Corinthians 11:19 For there must be also heresies among you, that they which are approved may be made manifest among you.
The purpose of false prophecy is to let the truth shine brighter by way of contrast!
Even I cannot teach truth without refuting the error. Because if I just teach the truth, but neglect to show why the alternative view is in error, the reader may think I'm ignorant of the other view! Even I am forced to teach error, on purpose, to show why it's an error!
What am I doing in this article? I'm showing why it is wrong for one man to preach to the congregation for an hour.
That is wrong, not only because the Bible clearly says that is wrong, but I can show why it is wrong.
A pastor, alone, trying to do everything, is trying to be a King of Kings. See, the entire Church is called to be Kings and Priests!
Rev 5:10 And hast made us unto our God kings and priests: and we shall reign on the earth.
1 Peter 2:9 But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvelous light;
Even the least respected man in the church is more qualified to judge disputes between believers than an official judge in power outside the Church who is in spiritual darkness!
1 Corinthians 6:3 Know ye not that we shall judge angels? how much more things that pertain to this life? 4 If then ye have judgments of things pertaining to this life, set them to judge who are least esteemed in the church.
A pastor who alone speaks, and refuses to let the others speak and judge, is trying to be a king of kings, the single and sole speaker to a congregation, he is literally trying, no, is actually usurping the role of Jesus, who alone, is the king of kings.
A pastor who alone speaks, is like a Church that consists of one ear, just the pastor's, as if he alone can hear from the Lord, and as if the Church does not consist of a whole body of other parts, eyes, nose, mouth, hands, arms, feet, legs, body.
A pastor who speaks, alone, by himself, in Church, is denying the Lord, the Lord's opportunity to speak through the people of the Church.'
What? came the word of God out from you? or came it unto you only? (1 Corinthians 14:36)
1 Corinthians 14:37 If any man think himself to be a prophet, or spiritual, let him acknowledge that the things that I write unto you are the commandments of the Lord.
Oh, I can hear the protests now. Hey, you are taking that verse out of context, that was said after the verses about not letting the women speak!
Oh, so you, the objecting Pastor, are comparing yourself to a woman now? I agree.
See, a woman speaking is out of order, because God ordained the man to take the lead.
Likewise, a pastor who refuses to teach prophecy, for whatever reason, and who does not encourage prophets to speak, is out of order.
Prophets are the second highest in order, behind Apostles, who form the Churches.
1 Corinthians 12:28 And God hath set some in the church, first apostles, secondarily prophets, thirdly teachers, after that miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, governments, diversities of tongues.29 Are all apostles? are all prophets? are all teachers? are all workers of miracles?30 Have all the gifts of healing? do all speak with tongues? do all interpret?31 But covet earnestly the best gifts: and yet shew I unto you a more excellent way.
I didn't write that. If I had to place an order, I'd think that Apostles who create the Churches by way of evangelism would be first. Second miracles. Third gifts of healings. Fourth prophets. Fifth teachers.
I really don't know why miracles are not second. Personally, I'd like to see more miracles. But apparently, God would like to see more Churches founded, and then, after that, prophecy being spoken by everyone in the Church! So, there it is. Prophets are second, behind the men who found the Churches, the apostle types.
Paul confirms this order, apostles first, and prophets second, in another book, Ephesians!
Ephesians 4:11 And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; 12 to equip his people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up 13 until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ. 14 Then we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of people in their deceitful scheming.
And it's really sad, a pastor who does not think that God can speak through all of his people.
God can speak through a donkey, or stones, if necessary!
Luke 19:40 And he answered and said unto them, I tell you that, if these should hold their peace, the stones would immediately cry out.
So, how does a Pastor organize a panel discussion? It's not difficult. Invite two or three to speak! Be the panel moderator. Organize a list of prophecy topics, maybe topics, maybe verses. Give the topics to the volunteers a week in advance. Or maybe don't organize anything, let God do the leading! Remind them of time limits. Cut them off if they go over the allotted time. Organize. Help. Teach. Keep things in order. Let another speak if they need to refute something. Let others judge, just like the scriptures are saying. Encourage babblers to stop. Let others interpret. Ask others to interpret. Ask others to judge.
I know I have many pastors on my email list. This letter is not just for them.
It's also for the people who go to Church and are bored, and it's for the people who don't go to Church because they are bored when they go!
Here's how you fix things, if you are not the pastor, and if you'd like your Church to do things God's way and have panel discussions on prophecy. Here's how to kick out a Pastor who is acting like he alone can hear from Christ and is acting like an antichrist.
There is a Biblical process to bring correction to a man, it's a three step process.
First, you tell him alone.
Second, you tell him with another man or two, so that a matter can be established by two to three witnesses.
Third, you tell it to the entire congregation, to rebuke him in public.
Matthew 18:15 Moreover if thy brother shall trespass against thee, go and tell him his fault between thee and him alone: if he shall hear thee, thou hast gained thy brother.16 But if he will not hear thee, then take with thee one or two more, that in the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established.17 And if he shall neglect to hear them, tell it unto the church: but if he neglect to hear the church, let him be unto thee as an heathen man and a publican.
There are many reasons to rebuke in public; so that others may fear, and so that everyone may be sound in the faith.
1 Timothy 5:20 Them that sin rebuke before all, that others also may fear.
Titus 1:13 This witness is true. Wherefore rebuke them sharply, that they may be sound in the faith;
Besides, rebuking another in public can be fun. Try it sometime. What is there to lose? A boring Church?
And this is exactly why there need to be panel discussions. To rebuke false teachings on prophecy in public!
Now, some people might be thinking, "What in the world do panel discussions on prophecy vs. a single pastor preaching have to do with silver, or gold?"
It has everything to do with silver!
Silver and gold are God's provision for people to use as money! Their use creates a free market economy, and a free market economy leads to their use. The free market is all about decentralization of power; and no national government. The over centralization of power of our government today has eliminated the free market economy in America that used to be based on silver and gold.
What is the content of this article? It's that Church should be organized far more like the free market, with everyone contributing on the topic of prophecy, over time.
In essence, if a single pastor is doing the bulk of the preaching, he is acting like a totalitarian dictator of that Church, and it is likely that such a Church, no matter how good the preaching, will stagnate just as an economy stagnates under a totalitarian dictator. The reason why dictatorships fail is that it is impossible for one man to hear everything that God has to say, to know it all and to do it all, and because people do not flourish when they are slaves, they flourish and thrive under freedom.
I asked in this newsletter, last week, why the Churches are not teaching on prophecy, and not warning people about the fraud of the dollar, and telling people about God's provision of silver and gold.
Part of the answer is that most Churches have been entirely subverted by power mad dictators who have made the IRS their head, who submit to IRS rules on what can be said in Church, to keep their 501(c)3 status.
But identifying the problem is half the battle. The solution, I just presented here: Panel discussions on prophecy. The reason why this is such a great solution is that those few Churches who practice it, will likely flourish and grow, while those who do not, will likely lose members until they do.
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