The prophet's handbook

appointment to the church’s prophetics. The most it should do is identify young prophets’ calls and inspire novices to become trained and seasoned. Awakening does not in itself guarantee anointing, nor does it guarantee the quality of the awakening prophet’s mantle or its compatibility with the church and its vision. Prolonged observation of the novice’s development is in order. For an exhaustive description of the traits and attributes that indicate the possible presence of a prophet’s spirit, review previous chapters that profile prophetic character, abilities, and the like. To confirm the one you suspect may be prophetic or a prophet, assign a few inconsequential ministry-related tasks. Observe the person’s handling of the tasks or resolution of assigned problems to be sure. This approach may be used by pastors to prove those who claim to be prophets and to sift the mature from the marginal, and to successfully weed out more aspirants to the office. Again, it will also distinguish the intercessor and prophesier from the office-qualified prophet. A critical factor to consider when dealing with an awakening prophet is the radical alteration it causes in the relationship between the prophet and the pastor. When this occurs, many dynamic factors come into play that did not exist before. Relations between pastor and the member-turned-prophet may become strained now in ways previously unknown. The mandate given them both may clash. This could signal the prophet’s call to another church when the reasons are not merely contention or resistance to change on both sides. All these considerations should be weighed carefully by the shepherd seeking to use a sheep-turned-prophet as the resident church prophet. When the office of prophet is installed in the church, the same safeguards and precautions used for other staff members should prevail with the church prophet. These precautionary measures should be clear before the ordination ceremony. I cannot stress this enough. Pastors do not have to submit their flocks to untrained, inexperienced, or unverified prophets, nor should they be hesitant about requiring a proven track record from them. It is responsible shepherding to release to the congregation well-trained and stable prophets. As a pastor, you should do all you can to ensure your church and its prophets are compatible. Another suggestion to foster this is to take time to acquaint your church with biblical prophetics while you ready your prophets to serve them. Teach your people how prophets think, minister, and handle the Lord’s word. Tell them why it is different from the pastorate. Explain and bring in seasoned prophets to explain how the prophets benefit them. Begin your process with your leaders so they can support your shift.