I think anyone who knows God is able to lead in prophetic worship. We all have the ability to hear the voice of God and I think prophetic worship is just hearing what he's saying and singing/playing it out. I think it's often spontaneous, but it doesn't have to be. You may be preparing for a worship set and feel God speaking a phrase like "freedom to dance." You could turn that into a song and have it ready for the worship set that week. It's not spontaneous in that it was planned before service, but it is prophetic in that God wanted to speak that message in that time and place. Whereas, most of our songs on Sundays were written by someone we don't know, living far away--not specifically for our church/city.

A lot of times I think God speaks something during a service specifically for the people in attendance. Maybe there happens to be a lot of people in attendance that need to hear that their Father loves and accepts them as they are and so He speaks a lyric to your heart about that.

I think the more we learn to hear and recognize His voice while we're leading the more we can flow in the prophetic. If you've ever had a prophetic word spoken over you that was right on, you know how incredibly effective it is in communicated God's love. To know that God saw what was in your heart and chose to use someone else to express his love to you is powerful.

I've been involved in leading both charasmatic and traditional services over the years and it seems some of what is considered prophecy is just spontenaity in worship. That's all good and well, but I think one should be cautious when claiming to prophesy; it is an authoritative position that shouldn't be claimed lightly.

An example of this: durring a worship set someone said they saw an image of a rose, then the whole congregation (15-25 people) joined to "interpret" he rose image. End of the service the rose symbolized the city and that God cherrishes it. That was a great image, but it wasn't prophesy. For a while I thought I had a gift for seeing visions (others around me encouraged me in it), maybe I did, but some of the things people would ask, or that I'd try to interpret were odd and simply not beneficial. It wasn't prophesy...

I think prophesy is great! I'd just advise caution against forcing it through means of hype and circumstance. Someone with the gift of prophesy will exercise it regardless. I don't think we can make it happen by any means we posess. Encouragement, exortion, and praise are quite different.

Just my 0.02. :)

Hey Erik and Matt!

I’ll try to open up a bit more and still answer your questions, both quite valid. I think this will get long… sorry… :)

I've had some odd experiences in worship services, I’ve contributed to some of the oddness too, (“odd” isn’t as strange as you may presume, good Christian people who mean well sometimes do odd things) some of my views are surely colored by my personal experiences, and I'm open to being corrected if wrong. Prophecy is certainly a subject I'm no expert on, and beyond that something I have little theological training with.

I have no quibble with prophecy in church, nor any disregard for its value. I just have hesitations with its use (in the capacities I've run across. Again, what I have is personal experiences and some basic study)

BTW, thanks to this discussion... I'm probably going to get into some deeper study to become more solid with my understanding of Prophecy in modern times.

Like paulinel already said, its all in the definition of prophecy. My only hesitation with prophecy being so open in a worship service is you don't know how others define prophecy. So if someone "has a word" and shares it with another person, or the congregation some people may think the person is really acting as a mouthpiece for God when the intent is simply to encourage.

Good example… in a musical worship service I have none… I’d admit I may be limited there… but I was apart of a service where prophecy was used quite effectively, a older guy (I’ve done numerous searches for his name, but I cant for the life of me remember) who had been confirmed as having the prophetic gift by numerous church leaders came and spoke to a crowd. He prophesied over the congregation and gave specific words of encouragement about the future and such. It wasn’t confusing, it wasn’t hard to interpret, the words he gave were testable, and it was beneficial to the congregation. (BTW, he prophesied over my brother… that he wouldn’t have to ever worry about money… and… it’s been true)

As for the rose example, that was really cool, just fine… but it was hailed as being prophetic, which didn’t feel right by definition. Prophecy, by definition, seems to hold a high level of authority and thus accountability to God. What is being said/shared under the flag of prophecy can easily be interpreted as being the direct words from God… that’s heavy, that’s really heavy (Direct words from God are what, I’ve understood, is the definition of prophecy). Its not interpreting scripture as a pastor does (which IS important, but carries different spiritual weight), or orchestrating musical worship as a worship leader does, its directly communicating on behalf of God. I wouldn’t presume such a task unless God forced it upon me; it is far too “weighty” a task for me.

Yet I often find people (who mean well), claiming to prophecy with such light ambition. That is when I advise caution. Again, it is all in the definition… but to define prophecy broadly so as to include encouragement and exhortation risks putting too much (or the wrong kind of…) spiritual authority on something that may not deserve it.

I’d agree that we should ask for the gift and try to practice it… but I feel the gift of prophecy is one that can cause great harm and great good. There’s not much middle ground for error. Because of that I’d move ever so slowly when working with someone who claims to be a prophet, or who wants to be one. It’s something that I see being guarded and controlled because of its ability to ruin people if used poorly. Or, similar to speaking in tongues… it can have people thinking Christians are simply mad if used improperly. I wouldn’t want to push someone away from Christ simply because they came to a service and found the utterances so strange and open that it was confusing and odd to them.

So, to the point of having the worship team become more prophetic on stage… I’d say lots of prayer and patience; maybe practice with a very small group of mature Christians who can either confirm or deny the gift with objectivity. I’ve personally spent months asking God for the prophetic gift; I don’t know that it was given to me. Should I be sad that I’m not a mouth in the body or Christ, but an arm or a liver? I suppose not. I think there is dangerous water to be crossed when a group of individuals feels pressure to become prophetic, it becomes an issue where “Group Think” can cloud reason. I’ve seen it, I’ve done it. I’ve “prophesied” in groups where prophecy was a buzz word… I’ve had visions of x,y,z and maybe some were from God… but I’m sure some weren’t… and I think a church needs an established pattern that relies on methods other than simply “desiring prophecy” to encourage the gift. Methods that are similar to how we encourage the gifts of “hospitality” or “leading musical worship”…

In the States TBN (the Christian TV channel) has caused some great damage by openly promoting so called prophets on TV… I’ve been in church services that I’d be embarrassed to have someone who didn’t speak the “language” that often is associated with poorly executed prophecy. (“language” meaning the use of biblical symbolism or metaphors) I’d doubt the prophetic gift in someone who is unable to use plain English to give useful and testable messages.

It is something that could greatly benefit the church, and I’m all for it. Truly am. But those are my thoughts… Feel free to hash and cut them to bits! I’m not defensive of where I am, I have a lot of room for growth in this area.

Very interesting stuff, and I'll try to keep my contribution here as brief as I can!

Erik, I think your question "if only people with the gift of prophecy could do it" kinda answers itself. And that answer is yes! But with the strong caveat that I believe God can give the gift of prophecy to anyone. I'm not sure what the comment "someone with the gift of prophesy will exercise it regardless" actually means. Regardless of what? Those who feel they have a word from the Lord in a public meeting should still have that word checked and weighed by senior leadership before it is given - there still needs to be proper order in church. And I don't for one minute believe that God minds that we weigh up what He has said. In fact, I think he positively encourages this!

Marc. If I may be so bold, I think you have quite a narrow view of what prophecy is! Prophecy is surely simply speaking out truth from the Lord. To define it purely as 'foretelling the future' is (in my view) unbiblical and far too restricted.

I liken it thus: there are some who are called to be evangelists, but we should all be evangelising. Equally, some are prophets, but I believe God can give the gift of prophecy to anyone. I am earnestly and constantly seeking prophecy because I think it can really build up and edify people and the church. And that doesn't necessarily mean on a huge "God sayeth thus!" scale on a stage at church. We can be prophesying over one another in home groups and individually.

To your encouragement/prophecy example. I think it's usually pretty clear (if a meeting is led well) in what context public contributions are given in a service. If someone contributes something as an encouragement (verbally, or through scripture, etc), then that's different to someone coming "with a word' from the Lord. It may be a simple picture, a scripture or a word, but that is prophecy in my view. It doesn't elevate that person to "MOUTHPIECE FOR GOD", it just means they are listening to God and obeying his prompting.

I don't see why 'prophecy' should be deemed to be "heavy". God speaks when we call on His Name. Why wouldn't He? I think we are limiting ourselves in our relationship with God quite a bit if we assume that only PROPHETS can hear directly from God. What sort of relationship is it we have if we aren't constantly communing with Him? And as for your assertion that prophecy is not "orchestrating musical worship as a worship leader does, its directly communicating on behalf of God" I'd respectfully disagree! Surely a worship leader's responsibilities and tasks are precisely to hear from God, discern what He's saying and lead people into His presence through that? Worship leading is very prophetic in my view!

I'll think on this some more...