- The Prophet Is a Man Apart

THE CHURCH IS GOD’S WITNESS to each generation, and its ministers are its voice. Through them it becomes vocal. By them it has always spoken to the world, and by them God has spoken to the church itself. The testimony of the church’s godly laymen has ever been a mighty aid in the work it seeks to accomplish, but its laymen can never do, and assuredly are not called to do, the work of its ministers. By gift and calling, the minister is a man apart.
It is not enough, however, that the man of God preach the truth. He has no right to take up a man or woman’s time telling him or her what is merely true. It is a doubtful compliment to any preacher to nod the head and say, “That is true.” The same might properly be said if he were reciting the multiplication table—that is also true. A church can wither as surely under the ministry of soulless Bible exposition as it can where no Bible is given at all. To be effective, the preacher’s message must be alive—it must alarm, arouse challenge; it must be God’s present voice to a particular people. Then, and not until then, is it the prophetic word and the man himself, a prophet.
To perfectly fulfill his calling, the prophet must be under the constant sway of the Holy Spirit. Further, he must be alert to moral and spiritual conditions. All spiritual teaching should relate to life. It should intrude into the daily and private living of the hearers. Without being personal, the true prophet will nevertheless pierce the conscience of each listener as if the message had been directed to him alone.
To preach the truth it is often necessary that the man of God know the people’s hearts better than they themselves do. People are frequently confused inwardly—the anointed prophet must speak to this confusion with clarifying wisdom. He must surprise his hearers with his unsuspected knowledge of their secret thoughts.
The work of a minister is altogether too difficult for any man. We are driven to God for wisdom. We must seek the mind of Christ and throw ourselves on the Holy Spirit for spiritual and mental acumen equal to the task.