Levitical Teacher \ Prophet \ Priestly Intercessor

There are differences between Pastors and Prophets. 

We’ve known people who had a definite calling to the 5 Fold Ministry, especially evangelists and prophets, who did more harm than good when trying to be pastors. This writing is an attempt to differentiate between the call of God to be a Shepherd and to be a Prophet. Both are called to teach and preach, but from different perspectives. It is also written in response to the question about what God has spoken to me personally with reference to His calling on my life.

 Just as in the days of the restoration of the Temple in Ezra's day, the church in the U,S. is in need of rebuilding. The forces of secular humanism and compromise have devastated the Church's positive influence on American society. As Ezra read the Word to the people, the Levites explained it, showing the practical application. The church is in desperate need of this Levitical and prophetic ministry. The Lord has sent many great teachers to our nation but we are living in the day when this role has shifted from “Big Name” preachers to the local churches. The local church pastors can neither carry the load alone, nor is this their calling. The Lord is raising up the 5 Fold Ministry to share the load of preparing the Saints for the work of the ministry. Pastors have been expected to do it all and the Lord is correcting this problem.

The term "Prophet" has become too popular over the past several years. The Lord is raising up this ministry but zeal and ego have a tendency to raise up flesh or thrust out those with the call before their time. Just having the gift of prophecy does not make one a prophet. Prophecy is not fortune-telling. The purpose of the gift is to edify, exhort and comfort God's people (1Cor. 14:3). Many foretell what people want to hear, or, gloom and doom to the itchy ears wanting to hear that. The church needs Prophets who just share God’s heart.

God has called me to the Prophetic Office and told me that if you think to be a prophet you must also be an intercessor. He has blessed me with communication skills, and a passion to communicate His Word, indeed His heart. The Teacher/Prophet is responsible to share God's heart with God's people, to communicate a word in season, a now Word, to edify, exhort and to comfort. That word may be with any audience: an individual, a small group, a church, a seminar, letter, a Facebook post, an online blog or whatever.

Numerical growth is not part of the equation. The great commission is not make converts, but to make disciples. Evangelism is part if the Christian's life because the love of God in our hearts motivates us to share His goodness. We may all lead people to Christ from time to time, but not all are Evangelists. Just as not everyone who prophecies is not a Prophet, Prophets are nor more Evangelists than anyone else not called to that office.

I can be a very successful Teacher/Prophet and not see numerical growth in a single church but:

• Did they hear from God?
• Is there appetite for God increased?
• Do they want to be a little more like Jesus?
• Were they edified, comforted and/or exhorted?
• Has some characteristic of God been revealed to their hearts.
• Is there a wake of "these signs" following?

The Prophetic office and the Pastor’s office are different. Many pastors feel a prophetic lure but that is because there is considerable overlap of these ministries. The difference is their primary focus. A pastor's heart focuses on his flock, his prayer life is centered on their care, he is looking for their feeding places and protecting them from harm. A pastor seeks God for sermons that feed. His eyes look horizontally. Understanding what makes a good pasture, he will see a place and want to lead his flock there. A pastor will see the horizon where Heaven and Earth meet and yearn to bring his flock to that meeting place. The prophet is focused upward, his eyes look up, his attention is on the heavens. The Prophet is not a shepherd nor has he a sheep like nature. Like a bird, he understands the winds and ever seeks to ride them upward. From that vantage point, he sees from a different perspective, he shares what he knows the Lord of Heaven and Earth wants to communicate to His people. The Prophet sees the horizon and has to find out what is beyond it.

The Prophet must always walk in the light of the scripture:

Heb 13:17      Obey those who rule over you, and be submissive, for they watch out for your souls, as those who must give account. Let them do so with joy and not with grief, for that would be unprofitable for you. (NKJ). He is not helping that pastor if causing grief instead of joy.

How desperately the church needs these 2 working in harmony, complimenting each other’s efforts. Both are parts of the 5 fold team the Lord uses to perfect His church and train His people to do the work of serving. The success of any ministry is defined by obedience to the leading of the Holy Ghost. Ministry, by definition is service. We serve the Lord by doing what He says, knowing He has His people’s best interest at heart. During a recent visit with the couple who parented me when I first came to Christ I shared that I am a prophet, not a pastor. Their response, based on over 50 years in pastoral ministry and helping churches in trouble, was that every church needs at lest one.

As we look at the horizon together, we will see God accomplish great things. My heart cries to be used of the Lord in greater capacities, to communicate His heart to many people in many places, to share the message of hope with the largest audience possible. May the Lord make a way to do this

   *** SEE ALSO "LIFE LESSONS FROM REVELATION" at www.andy-levine.blogspot.com