The Black Church Has A Problem With Prophecy

Black Church, we have a BIG prophecy problem! Today, with a press of a button, anyone can go live and claim to speak on behalf of the Lord. Some “prophets” with greater name recognition are being treated as if their speech is infallible and binding on the consciences of believers. Many of them are treated like this, because their rhetoric implies their infallibility rather than a potential for human error. Some professing prophets are making BIG BANK by requiring payment before a “prophecy” can be exchanged. This exploitation is happening at the expense of many socioeconomically challenged Black and brown people.

All this is being done as the world watches. Not only does predatory “prophecy” hurt its victim, it also sullies the witness of the church. Lives are destroyed and credibility erodes when rogue “prophets” ignorantly, or knowingly mislead the sheep.

Some of these “prophets” KNOW they’re charlatans. They’ve consciously decided to make a career out of deceiving people. Some mean well, yet they lack a fully fleshed out Biblical theology; a Biblical theology which understands Scripture’s meta-narrative, and views the gift of prophecy through the lens of the finished work of Christ.

Full disclosure, I believe ALL of the gifts continue until Christ returns. However, there’s an epidemic of the abuse of some gifts in the Black Church; particularly the gift of prophecy.

Check out my podcast on this topic here.