A Prophet

Yesterday, I wrote of how I need a Priest and a King to join me in our mission in Aldergrove (see here to make more sense of that). Today I will fill it out a little bit more for you, to show how the full triperspectible leadership qualities can be completed with such a team working together.

If Christ is the perfect prophet, priest and king, I can identify myself as an imperfect "prophet"-type leader for the following reasons:

1. My main passion is speaking. Public speaking, private speaking. Speaking when I really feel I have something to say. I don't think I'm one of those people who can't seem to shut up, but I do enjoy talking about something I feel I have some kind of insight on, which leads me to

2. I enjoy studying, gaining insight, research, finding out. I have an inquisitive mind and I like sharing the knowledge that I acquire with others, both publicly and one-on-one, for their benefit - which leads me to

3. Discipleship, or seeing someone grow as a Christian, really gets me excited. I like explaining concepts, leading Bible studies, seeing a person light up with understanding for the first time due to my influence on his life.

Now, I'm becomming unappologetic about these things. I've been told, and I have believed in the past, that it's bad for me to crave the limelight, that I should not brag about my knowledge and understanding, and that I should keep a low profile, refusing to accept credit when another person gains insight because of my ministry. It's true that these 'gifts', when turned inward, can become idols - but that's the same with any gift. I'm learning to become more confident as a speaker, a teacher, a discipler, a studier - a "prophet", for the glory of God.

In addition to all of that, or maybe I should say "secondarily," I care for people. I really do. I do have some "priestly" gifting, but it's not my primary gifting. I know guys who's caring for people really has put me to shame, but they might look at me and say that my comfortability in front of a crowd imparting understanding has put them to shame. Maybe instead of wishing I was more gifted in a different way (and being ashamed that I'm not), I need to develop the gifting that I do have, and pray that God will bring those types of people along to accomplish His mission in Aldergrove through somebody gifted as a prophet, somebody else as a priest, and somebody else as a king.

I'm excited. How about you?