Episode 224: Spiritual Gifts, Part 5--Prophecy and Discernment

Say the word "prophet," and a lot of folks assume you're talking about Nostrodamus-type soothsayers or the oracles of ancient Greek mythology who would utter esoteric predictions about the future.  But honestly, the people we call "prophets" in the biblical witness were more often people called by God to speak to their present times and situations, to speak truth to power, to call whole societies to be reoriented around the justice and mercy of God, to warn people about the consequences of the trajectories their actions and choices were putting them on, and then to speak a word of hope as well.  We need the gift of those voices who can both afflict the comfortable and comfort the afflicted, and that's why the Spirit continues to raise up voices we call "prophetic"--people who have the courage and clarity to speak to their times and situations, even when it is an uncomfortable word to speak. We also need peopel with the gift of discerment, who can sift through competing messages and find what is good and true.  In a time where social media is rife with disinformation, misleading claims, and outright falsehoods, the gift of discernment is vitally important.  In our conversation today, pastors Sarah, Erica, and Steve explore these gifts of the Spirit, and what they mean for our this moment and our situations.