AFM Pastoral Letter 3rd Quarter 2023_

Dear AFM Family,

I am very thankful that our National Conference (7-9 September 2023) was indeed not just another meeting, but a time of refreshment, fellowship and real upliftment. We have been reminded that we are the light of the world. That this light should never be hidden but must be like a lamp on a lamp stand, and a city on a hill – a light visible to everybody.

“We have been reminded that we are the light of the world. “

Our light must shine in such a way that people will see our good deeds and glorify the true God in heaven. Our light must so shine so that it will have a generational impact, passing on our faith and our DNA as Pentecostal believers to our young people and children. We, like many others, used to be in the darkness, but since we became the Lord’s people, we are people of the Light and must live purposefully like people who belong to the Light. Our light must never reflect the changing cultures and circumstances around us, instead, just like the moon, which has no light of itself but only reflects the sun, we must always reflect Jesus.

Several people described the conference as “powerful and memorable”, “a supernatural encounter” and “full of the power of the Holy Spirit.” I especially noted the comment of someone who said: “Our identity has been reaffirmed.” My prayer is that we will not just move on to the next, or another conference and experience, but that we will take the time to reflect on what God through His Holy Spirit shared with us during this conference. May we then not be like the person who sees him/herself in a mirror, go away and forget but may we really do in practice what we have heard.

During the PCD (Pastors Continuous Development) sessions which were well attended, two very relevant subjects were presented. One was on mental health and how we can proactively address it, and the other on a Pentecostal perspective on the phenomenon of “fake” prophets. For this Pastoral Letter, I have requested our PCD speakers at the conference – Hermann du Plessis and Dr Daniel Andrew – to each write an article that will further develop our understanding of these two topics. I trust that it will be a blessing to you.

Ten years ago, “The Institute for the Future” made a statement that the biggest challenge for leaders in the next decade will be to stay healthy. Many frowned, but today the reality is that we are facing a challenge to keep leaders in businesses and churches from derailing. The facts have stacked up and are screaming at us to pay attention to the current mental health of our leaders. The World Health Organisation (WHO) has conducted recent studies to figure out how to deal with the current mental health pandemic, because quite frankly it could have a catastrophic impact on the global workforce and economy – especially leaders who deal with high levels of stress.

Since 2016 we have seen the rise of “diseases of despair” as coined by Princeton academics. In the United States (US) the life expectancy has declined for 6 straight years due to the rise in suicide, drug and alcohol related illnesses. People have lost meaning and hope in the US. People have lost their ability to cope with high levels of stress and anxiety and as some would acknowledge – the American dream has become the American nightmare. Placing the individual at the centre of life and personal fulfilment leads to Narcissism and eventually high levels of competition and selfishness. But not only in the US, across the world levels of anxiety have risen consistently. Commentary on the latest anxiety statistics is concerning and the reality is that 17-year-old kids in high school have the same level of anxiety than people admitted to mental institutions during the 1960’s.

“People have lost their ability to cope with high levels of stress and anxiety…”

In South Africa, one-third of our workforce suffers from severe anxiety and/or depression. That also means that one-third of leaders struggle with mental health. The impact of this one-third on the other two-thirds of your leaders and workforce could be severe. They (the healthy two-thirds) will usually pick up the additional work not performed by the one-third suffering from mental illness. Over the long term, this will lead to burnout and the mental deterioration of the two-thirds of your workforce doing additional work to help your business succeed. This is a vicious cycle that needs to be managed proactively.

How do you go about doing this? Here are some practical steps for local congregations:

Break the stigma. Talk about mental health. Inform people about it. Give them the facts. Understand that there are various causes and that we need to be open about it.

Preach about it. What does the Bible teach about our mental health? If we look at Elijah in 1 Kings 19, what do we see and what do we learn? How do we offer Biblical wisdom and assistance to people on how to develop their mental strength? Talk about lifestyle issues that severely impact mental health.

“How do we offer Biblical wisdom and assistance to people on how to develop their mental strength?”

Learn with your people. Speak to people in your congregation who struggle with mental health and try to learn and understand how they feel. Listen to them!

Deliver courses. Get wise, pastoral psychologists to teach your congregation how to build their mental strength. Help people to pro-actively take care of their mental health.

Invite people to get assistance. Encourage people to seek counselling. Pastors should guide people to find good therapy if needed.

Build a network of professional people. Work hard to meet therapists and counsellors and find out what their methodology is to assist people in sessions. Find good counsellors that you can refer to, who will make sure your people get the right and appropriate help they need.

“May God use us to be a light that drives away the darkness of all these mental health challenges.”

As a church, we can reach out to people in this challenging time. May God use us to be a light that drives away the darkness of all these mental health challenges. In addition to this article, also make sure to access the following resources as presented and live-streamed from the ABLAZE AFM National Conference:

A PowerPoint Presentation:
http://www.events.afm-ags.org/

A Live Stream Recording: 
https://www.youtube.com/live/Yx5SNK7CGEw?si=YrMUMHXjTNBJU95M

Fake Prophets Phenomenon and Other Related Issues

The Apostolic Faith Mission of South Africa forms part of the Classical Pentecostal Movement that originated at the beginning of the 20th Century and includes several Pentecostal churches that trace their roots to this group. Prophecy and prophetic ministry were never difficult or strange to this group of believers, because they believed the church is built on the foundations laid by the apostles and prophets. Some of the so-called Neo-Pentecostal prophet movements in independent Pentecostal Churches embraced certain elements of the “prosperity gospel” or “wealth and health gospel” which led to profiteering – meaning that the “prophet” has now become a “profiteer”.

Madzokere (2018: 281) divides the pastor as profiteer into five major categories: (1) as empire builder and not builders of the kingdom; (2) as profiteers based on anointing gimmicks – whereby items like oil, clothes, pencils, etc. are anointed; (3) the disguise of religious tourism – whereby people travel as individuals or groups for pilgrimage, missionary or leisure purposes; (4) the nepotism argument – whereby relatives and friends are employed without regard for merit in the ministry; (5) the blind nationalistic personalities of pastors that preach peace while there is unrest – becoming catalysts to the impoverishment of the people.

In some cases, these beliefs led to harmful practices that were criticized and led to proposals by the government to regulate churches in South Africa. Most church groupings resisted this because freedom of religion is enshrined in our Constitution. Some of these practices included but were not limited to what Dube (2019:25) call “the modern-day flamboyant prophets” that propagate a kind of gospel that departs from basic Christian teachings, enriching themselves, using unorthodox means to “heal” people and conduct their businesses. The various kinds of abuses committed to followers are public knowledge – some of them included spraying insecticide on people; eating of rats, grass and drinking petrol; touching females inappropriately and even abusing and raping them; and profiteering (Dube, 2019:29).

Fake Prophets Depart from The Biblical Meaning of Prophetic Ministry

They are departing from the traditional Christian values in ministry like humility, compassion, selfless service and servant leadership. Instead, these values are replaced with a pre-occupation with image consciousness, self-aggrandizement, and the enlargement of personal ministry at any cost. It is damaging to the image of the church in the public square in Africa and although the phenomenon is not peculiar to Africa, it has become prevalent here (Owojaiye, 2019).

The English word prophet is from the Greek word “prophetes” – taking on a mediating role between the people and God. Another meaning is the Greek word “nabi” which means someone who can speak of the future or speak before things happen. “Someone who proclaims” to the people, priests and kings, “thus says the Lord” (Exodus 4:22; Isaiah 48:10; Jeremiah 12:14) Prophets were persons called by God; who acted under divine compulsion; were having personal integrity; gave prophecies that included both “forth-telling” and “fore-telling”; exposing false ideologies; truth-telling; and function alongside kings and priests.

In the New Testament, the prophetic tradition of proclamation and prediction continued in the early church (John 1:29; Acts 13:1-10). Later in the New Testament, followers are encouraged not to despise the words of the prophets (1 Thessalonians 5:20-22) and still to test the spirits to see if they are from God or false prophets (1 Peter 2:1-3; Revelations 19:20-21).

The testing of prophets and discernment of prophecy was not something new as it is often quoted in both the Old Testament (Deuteronomy 13: 1-10; Jeremiah 23:1-4, 10-14, 16-17, 25-32) and in the New Testament (Matthew 7:15-20). True prophets turn the people back from their evil ways to God (Deuteronomy 13:22), speak the truth, glorify God, benefit the community (John 16:13-15, 17:13-26; 1 Corinthians 14:3-5) and be validated by others (1 Corinthians 14:29-33). Paul encourages the believers to prophesy (1 Corinthians 14:1; Romans 12:4-7; Ephesians 4:11-16).

Guidelines to Discern Prophets Today
The criteria for distinguishing between false and true prophets in biblical prophecy are as follows:

The call of the prophet. 
The call narrative of the prophet plays a definite role in the bible and normally follows a certain structural form which includes theophany, resistance from the prophet/ess, pressure from the deity, acceptance by the prophet/ess and commissioning of the prophet/ess by the deity (Madzokere and Machingura, 2015:57-58).

Ecstasy.
Called the hallmark of prophecy with some having a pro-ecstasy and others an anti-ecstasy stance. Pro-ecstasy means that the mental condition of an individual occurs in a way that consciousness is wholly or partially suspended, thought and volition cease, and the person is controlled and subjected to the Spirit of God. Anti- ecstasy on the other hand is against the suspension of your mental faculties during prophecy, seeing it as a sign of false prophecy, as seen in the clash between the Baal prophets and Elijah (1 Kings 18:2).

Professionalism.
The criterion for true prophets is that they view their call as a vocation and not a profession associated with payments or rewards. The criterion of remuneration is based on the assumption that if the prophet is paid, he/she will seek to please the client as seen in Micah 3:5.

Performance of miracles.
Contemporary prophets are associated with the performance of miracles and the title carries a sense of power with it – giving publicity, recognition, status and financial proceeds.

Prediction and fulfilment.
True prophets are distinguished from the false ones because their predictions have come to pass. Historically as understood in Deuteronomy 13:1-5; 18:21-22 the prophet should be stoned to death if it is not fulfilled. In some cases, like in Elijah’s prophecy over the house of Ahab (1 Kings 21-29) it was fulfilled after his death (2 Kings 9:14-10:36).

Morality and teaching obedience to God.
Morality is a virtue expected from prophets and religious believers, so when a prophet leads an immoral life such a prophet is branded as a false prophet.

As Pentecostals, we believe that we should strive to prophesy, that the prophetic ministry is part of the five-fold ministry that can give guidance and direction to the people of God and that a church that walks in the fire of the Holy Spirit is the best antidote against fake prophets and their “miracle gimmicks”. Let us test the spirits and see whether it is from God but let us be careful not to quench the Spirit in easily denouncing prophecy and prophetic ministry. In addition to this article, also make sure to access the following resources as presented and live-streamed from the ABLAZE AFM National Conference:

A PowerPoint Presentation:
http://www.events.afm-ags.org/

A Live Stream Recording:
https://www.youtube.com/live/p5703lIiOwg?si=N6Nk87P-f33PDHTS

References:

Madzokere, N. 2018. Prophets or Profiteers? An interrogative study of the selected contemporary Pentecostal prophets in Zimbabwe in the context of Development. Journal of Sustainable Development in Africa 20 (1): 276-289.

Dube, E.E.N, 2019. Desperation in an attempt to curb modern-day prophets: Pentecostalisation and the Church in South Africa and Zimbabwe. Conspectus: The Journal of the South African Theological Seminary volume 27: 25-34.

Owojaiye, M. 2019. The problem of false prophets in Africa: Strengthening the church in the face of a troublesome trend, Lausanne Global Analysis 8(6).

Madzokere, N., Machingura, F. 2015. True and False Prophets/esses in the light of Prophets/esses and Wonders in Zimbabwe, Journal of Critical Southern Studies volume 3, Winter (2015).

During the conference, and as part of the church’s 115th Birthday Anniversary, “The Story of John G. Lake – the first General of the AFM of South Africa” was launched. Authored by Past. Linda Marx, Prof Marius Nel and Past. Johan Klopper, this book is now available from the Amazon platform in a Kindle format: https://a.co/d/gVDvqdW. The story of John G. Lake will inspire, encourage and remind people that the Promise of the Father and the indwelling presence of the Holy Spirit, is available to every believer. I encourage you to read it and trust that you will be blessed by it!

I thank everybody who were part of the organization to make the conference possible, as well as all who were part of the daily program and every individual who made the effort to attend. Some people travelled far – and for more than one day – to be present. We experienced the diversity of our church in worship, in the program and in attendance. Many people testified about the spirit of unity and peace amongst all present.

Friendly Regards
Henri Weideman

AGS Pastorale Brief 3de Kwartaal 2023_

Liewe AGS Familie,

Ek is baie dankbaar dat ons Nasionale Konferensie (7-9 September 2023) inderdaad nie net nog ‘n byeenkoms was nie, maar ‘n tyd van verfrissing, onderlinge gemeenskap en werklike opheffing. Ons is daaraan herinner dat óns die lig van die wêreld is. Dat hierdie lig nooit weggesteek moet word nie, maar soos ‘n lamp op ‘n kandelaar moet wees, en ‘n stad op ‘n heuwel – ‘n lig wat vir almal sigbaar is.

“Ons is daaraan herinner dat óns die lig van die wêreld is.”

Ons lig moet só skyn dat mense ons goeie dade sal sien en die ware God in die hemel sal verheerlik. Ons lig moet só skyn dat dit ‘n impak op die volgende generasies sal hê en ons geloof en DNS as Pinkstergelowiges aan ons jongmense en kinders oordra. Ons was soos baie ander, vroeër in die duisternis, maar sedert ons die Here se volk geword het, is ons mense van die Lig en moet ons doelgerig lewe soos mense wat aan die Lig behoort. Ons lig mag nooit die veranderende kulture en omstandighede rondom ons weerkaats nie. Net soos die maan wat geen lig van sy eie het nie, maar net die son weerkaats – so moet ons Jesus altyd weerkaats.

Verskeie mense het die konferensie beskryf as “kragtig en onvergeetlik”, as “’n bonatuurlike ontmoeting” en “vol van die krag van die Heilige Gees”. Ek het veral kennis geneem van die opmerking van iemand wat gesê het: “Ons identiteit is herbevestig.” My gebed is dat ons nie net sal aanbeweeg na die volgende of ‘n ander konferensie en ervaring nie, maar dat ons die tyd sal neem om na te dink oor wat God deur sy Heilige Gees tydens hierdie konferensie met ons gedeel het. Mag ons dan nie soos die persoon wees wat hom/haarself in ‘n spieël sien, weggaan en vergeet nie – maar laat ons regtig in die praktyk dóen wat ons gehoor het.

Tydens die PCD-sessies – wat goed bygewoon is – is twee baie relevante onderwerpe aangebied. Die een was oor geestesgesondheid en hoe ons dit proaktief kan aanspreek, en die ander oor ‘n Pinksterperspektief op die verskynsel van “valse” profete. Vir hierdie Pastorale Brief het ek die twee ​​PCD-sprekers by die konferensie – Hermann du Plessis en Dr Daniel Andrew – versoek om elk ‘n artikel te skryf wat ons begrip van hierdie twee onderwerpe verder sal ontwikkel. Ek vertrou dat dit vir jou ‘n seën sal wees.

Tien jaar gelede het “The Institute for the Future” ’n stelling gemaak dat in die volgende dekade die grootste uitdaging vir leiers sal wees om gesond te bly. Baie het gefrons…maar vandag is dit ‘n realiteit dat ons hierdie uitdaging in die gesig staar – ‘n uitdaging om te keer dat Kerk- en besigheidsleiers ontspoor. Die feite het vermeerder en vereis ons om aandag te gee aan die huidige geestesgesondheid van ons leiers. Die Wêreldgesondheidsorganisasie (WGO) het onlangse studies gedoen om uit te vind hoe om die huidige geestesgesondheids pandemie te hanteer, want eerlikwaar kan dit ‘n katastrofiese impak op die wêreldwye arbeidsmag en ekonomie hê – veral leiers wat hoë vlakke van stres hanteer.

“Mense het hul vermoë verloor om hoë vlakke van stres en angs te hanteer…”

Sedert 2016, sien ons die ontstaan van kondisies wat beskryf word as “diseases of despair” – soos beskryf deur die Princeton-akademici. In die Verenigde State (VSA) het die lewensverwagting vir 6 agtereenvolgende jare afgeneem as gevolg van die toename in selfmoord-, dwelm- en alkoholverwante siektes. In die VSA sukkel mense om die betekenis van die lewe te verstaan en het hulle hoop verloor. Mense het hul vermoë verloor om hoë vlakke van stres en angs te hanteer en soos sommiges sal erken…die Amerikaanse droom het die Amerikaanse nagmerrie geword. Wanneer die individu sentraal staan tot ‘n persoon se lewe en persoonlike vervulling, lei dit tot narsisme (of selfliefde) en uiteindelik hoë vlakke van mededinging en selfsug. Oor die hele wêreld, nie net in die VSA nie, het vlakke van angs konsekwent gestyg. Die jongste angsstatistieke is kommerwekkend. Die realiteit is dat 17-jarige kinders op hoërskool dieselfde vlak van angs het as mense wat gedurende die 1960’s in geestesinrigtings opgeneem is.

In Suid-Afrika, ly een derde van ons arbeidsmag aan erge angs en/of depressie. Dit beteken ook dat een derde van leiers met geestesgesondheid sukkel. Die impak van hierdie een derde op die ander twee derdes van leiers en die arbeidsmag kan ernstig wees. Hulle (die gesonde twee derdes) sal gewoonlik bykomende werks verantwoordelikhede aanpak wat nie verrig word deur die een derde wat aan geestesongesteldheid ly nie. Oor die lang termyn sal dit lei tot uitbranding en die geestelike agteruitgang van die twee derdes van die arbeidsmag wat bykomende werk doen om besighede te help slaag. Dit is ‘n bose kringloop wat proaktief bestuur moet word.

Hoe gaan jy te werk om dit te doen? Hier is ‘n paar praktiese stappe vir plaaslike gemeentes:

Breek die stigma. Praat oor geestesgesondheid. Lig mense daaroor in. Gee vir hulle die feite. Verstaan ​​dat daar verskeie oorsake is en dat ons openlik daaroor moet wees.

Preek daaroor. Wat leer die Bybel ons oor geestesgesondheid? As ons na Elia kyk in 1 Konings 19, wat sien ons en wat leer ons? Hoe bied ons Bybelse wysheid en bystand aan mense oor hoe om hul geestelike krag te ontwikkel? Praat oor lewenstylkwessies wat geestesgesondheid ernstig beïnvloed.

“Hoe bied ons Bybelse wysheid en bystand aan mense oor hoe om hul geestelike krag te ontwikkel?”

Leer saam met jou mense. Praat met mense in jou gemeente wat sukkel met geestesgesondheid en probeer om te leer en te verstaan ​​hoe hulle voel. Luister na hulle!

Bied kursusse aan. Kry wyse, pastorale sielkundiges om jou gemeente te leer hoe om hul geestelike krag op te bou. Help mense om pro-aktief na hul geestesgesondheid om te sien.

Nooi mense om hulp te kry. Moedig mense aan om berading te soek. Pastore moet mense lei om goeie terapie te vind indien nodig.

Bou ‘n netwerk van professionele mense. Werk hard om terapeute en beraders te ontmoet en uit te vind wat hul metodologie is om mense in sessies by te staan. Kry goeie beraders na wie jy kan verwys, en wat sal seker maak dat jou mense die regte en toepaslike hulp kry wat hulle nodig het.

As kerk kan ons uitreik na mense in hierdie uitdagende tyd. Mag God ons gebruik om ‘n lig te wees wat die duisternis van al hierdie geestesgesondheidsuitdagings verdryf. Benewens hierdie artikel, maak ook seker dat jy toegang tot die volgende hulpbronne het soos aangebied en regstreeks gestroom vanaf die ABLAZE AGS Nasionale Konferensie:

‘n PowerPoint-aanbieding:
http://www.events.afm-ags.org/

‘n Regstreekse stroomopname:
https://www.youtube.com/live/Yx5SNK7CGEw?si=YrMUMHXjTNBJU95M

Die Verskynsel van Valse Profete en ander Verwante Kwessies

Die Apostoliese Geloofsending van Suid-Afrika vorm deel van die Klassieke Pinksterbeweging wat in die begin van die 20ste eeu ontstaan het en sluit verskeie Pinksterkerke in wat hul wortels na hierdie groep herlei. Profesie en profetiese bediening was nooit vir hierdie groep gelowiges moeilik of vreemd nie, omdat hulle glo dat die kerk gebou is op die fondamente wat deur die Bybelse apostels en profete gelê is. Sommige van die sogenaamde Neo-Pinkster “profeetbewegings” in onafhanklike Pinksterkerke het sekere elemente van die “voorspoedevangelie” of “rykdom en gesondheidsevangelie” omhels wat tot winsbejag gelei het – wat beteken dat die “profeet” in baie gevalle ‘n “winsbejagter” geword het.

Madzokere (2018:281) verdeel hierdie winsbejag aspek in vyf hoofkategorieë: (1) as ryksbouers en nie bouers van die Koninkryk nie; (2) as winsbejag gebaseer op salwingsfoefies – waardeur items soos olie, klere, potlode, ens. “gesalf” word; (3) die vermomming van godsdienstige toerisme – waardeur mense as individue of groepe reis vir pelgrimstogte-, sending- of ontspanningsdoeleindes met ‘n winsmotief; (4) die element van nepotisme – waardeur familielede en vriende in diens geneem word sonder inagneming van meriete of bedieningsvaardighede; (5) die blinde nasionalisties gefokusde persoonlikhede van “profete” wat vrede verkondig terwyl daar onrus is – en dan eintlik katalisators word vir die verarming van die mense.

In sommige gevalle het hierdie oortuigings gelei tot skadelike praktyke wat gekritiseer is en gelei het tot voorstelle van die regering om kerke in Suid-Afrika te reguleer. Die meeste kerkgroeperings het hulle hierteen verset omdat godsdiensvryheid in ons Grondwet verskans is. Sommige van hierdie praktyke sluit in, maar is nie beperk tot wat Dube (2019:25) noem “die hedendaagse flambojante profete” nie wat ‘n soort evangelie propageer wat afwyk van die basiese Christelike leerstellings, wat hulself verryk deur onortodokse middele te gebruik om mense te “genees” en hul besighede te bedryf. Die verskillende soorte vergrype wat gepleeg word, is openbare kennis – dit sluit in die spuit van insekdoder op mense; die eet van rotte, gras en die drink van petrol; vroue wat onvanpas aangeraak en selfs mishandel en verkrag word; en winsbejag (Dube, 2019:29).

Valse Profete Wyk af van die Bybelse Betekenis van die Profetiese Bediening

Hulle wyk af van die tradisionele Christelike waardes van die bediening soos nederigheid, deernis, onbaatsugtige diens en dienskneg-leierskap. In plaas daarvan word hierdie waardes vervang met ‘n beheptheid oor publiekebeeld, selfverheerliking, grootheidswaan en ‘n fokus op die persoon in bediening. Dit is skadelik vir die beeld van die kerk in die publiekeoog in Afrika en hoewel die verskynsel nie eie aan Afrika is nie, het dit hier redelik algemeen geword (Owojaiye, 2019).

Die Engelse woord “prophet” is van die Griekse woord “prophetes” – wat ‘n bemiddelende rol tussen die volk en God daarstel. Nog ‘n betekenis is die Griekse woord “nabi” wat iemand beteken wat van die toekoms kan praat of kan praat voordat dinge gebeur. Iemand wat aan die volk, priesters en konings verkondig, “so sê die Here” (Eksodus 4:22; Jesaja 48:10; Jeremia 12:14). Profete was persone wat deur God geroep is; wat onder goddelike dwang opgetree het; persoonlike integriteit gehad het; profesieë gegee het wat beide “vooruitwysing” en “voorverteling” ingesluit het; valse ideologieë blootgelê het; die waarheid oor kwessies geopenbaar het; en saam met konings en priesters gefunksioneer het.

In die Nuwe Testament het die profetiese tradisie van verkondiging en voorspelling in die vroeë kerk voortgeduur (Johannes 1:29; Handelinge 13:1-10). Later in die Nuwe Testament word volgelinge aangemoedig om nie die woorde van die profete te verag nie (1 Tessalonisense 5:20-22) en steeds die geeste op die proef te stel om te sien of hulle van God of valse profete afkomstig is (1 Petrus 2:1-3; Openbaring 19:20-21).

Die toetsing van profete en onderskeiding van profesie, soos dit dikwels in beide die Ou en Nuwe Testamente aangehaal word, was nie iets nuuts nie (Ou Testament: Deuteronomium 13: 1-10; Jeremia 23:1-4, 10-14, 16-17, 25-32) (Nuwe Testament: Matteus 7:15-20). Ware profete poog om die volk van God terug te draai van hulle bose weë na God toe (Deuteronomium 13:22). Ware profete praat die waarheid, verheerlik God, bevoordeel die gemeenskap (Johannes 16:13-15, 17:13-26; 1 Korintiërs 14:3-5) en hulle woord word deur ander bekragtig (1 Korintiërs 14:29-33). Paulus moedig die gelowiges aan om te profeteer (1 Korintiërs 14:1; Romeine 12:4-7; Efesiërs 4:11-16).

Riglyne om Vandag Tussen Ware en Valse Profete te Onderskei
Die kriteria om in Bybelse profesieë tussen valse en ware profete te onderskei, is soos volg:

Die roeping van die profeet.
Die roepingsverhaal van ‘n profeet speel ‘n definitiewe rol in die Bybel en volg gewoonlik ‘n sekere strukturele vorm wat teofanie (‘n roepingsmanifestasie van God), weerstand van die profeet/es, druk van die Here, aanvaarding deur die profeet/es en ‘n ingebruikneming van die profeet/es deur die Here (Madzokere en Machingura, 2015:57-58).

Ekstase.
Word soms ‘n kenmerk van profesie genoem, met sommige mense wat ‘n pro-ekstase benadering het, en ander ‘n anti-ekstase standpunt. Pro-ekstase beteken dat in die geestelike toestand van ‘n individu wat profeteer, sy/haar bewussyn op ‘n manier geheel of gedeeltelik opgeskort word. Eie denke en wil hou op, en die persoon word beheer en is onderworpe aan die Gees van God. Anti-ekstase aan die ander kant is gekant teen die opskorting van die verstandelike fakulteite tydens profesie, en sien dit as ‘n teken van valse profesie, soos gesien in die botsing tussen die Baälprofete en Elia (1 Konings 18: 2).

Professionaliteit.
Die maatstaf vir ware profete is dat hulle hul taak as ‘n roeping beskou en nie ‘n beroep wat verband hou met betalings of belonings nie. Die kriterium van vergoeding is gebaseer op die aanname dat indien die profeet betaal word, hy/sy sal poog om die kliënt tevrede te stel soos gesien in Miga 3:5.

Uitvoering van wonderwerke.
Hedendaagse profete word geassosieer met die uitvoering van wonderwerke en die titel dra ‘n gevoel van mag daarmee saam – wat publisiteit, erkenning, status en finansiële opbrengs tot gevolg het.

Voorspelling en vervulling.
Ware profete word onderskei van die valses omdat hulle voorspellings waar geword het. Histories soos verstaan in Deuteronomium 13:1-5; 18:21-22, moet die profeet met klippe doodgegooi word as die profesie nie vervul word nie. In sommige gevalle, soos in Elia se profesie oor die huis van Agab (1 Konings 21-29), is dit eers na sy dood vervul (2 Konings 9:14-10:36).

Moraliteit en onderrig van gehoorsaamheid aan God.
Moraliteit is ‘n deug wat van profete en godsdienstige gelowiges verwag word, dus wanneer ‘n profeet ‘n immorele lewe lei, word so ‘n profeet as ‘n valse profeet gebrandmerk.

As Pinkstergelowiges, glo ons dat ons daarna moet streef om te profeteer, dat die profetiese bediening deel is van die vyfvoudige bediening wat leiding aan die volk van God kan gee en dat ‘n kerk wat in die vuur van die Heilige Gees wandel, die beste teenmiddel teen valse profete en hulle “wonderfoefies” is. Kom ons toets die geeste en kyk of dit van God af kom, maar laat ons versigtig wees om nie die Heilige Gees te blus deur profesie en profetiese bediening maklik as vals af te maak nie.

Benewens hierdie artikel, maak ook seker dat jy toegang het tot die volgende bronne soos aangebied en regstreeks gestroom vanaf die ABLAZE AGS Nasionale Konferensie:

‘n PowerPoint-aanbieding:
http://www.events.afm-ags.org/

‘n Regstreekse stroomopname:
https://www.youtube.com/live/p5703lIiOwg?si=N6Nk87P-f33PDHTS

Verwysings:

Madzokere, N. 2018. Prophets or Profiteers? An interrogative study of the selected contemporary Pentecostal prophets in Zimbabwe in the context of Development. Journal of Sustainable Development in Africa 20 (1): 276-289.

Dube, E.E.N, 2019. Desperation in an attempt to curb modern-day prophets: Pentecostalisation and the Church in South Africa and Zimbabwe. Conspectus: The Journal of the South African Theological Seminary volume 27: 25-34.

Owojaiye, M. 2019. The problem of false prophets in Africa: Strengthening the church in the face of a troublesome trend, Lausanne Global Analysis 8(6).

Madzokere, N., Machingura, F. 2015. True and False Prophets/esses in the light of Prophets/esses and Wonders in Zimbabwe, Journal of Critical Southern Studies volume 3, Winter (2015).

Tydens die konferensie, en as deel van die kerk se 115de Verjaarsdagherdenking, is “The Story of John G. Lake – the first General of the AFM of South Africa” bekendgestel. Geskryf deur Past. Linda Marx, prof. Marius Nel en Past. Johan Klopper, is hierdie boek nou beskikbaar vanaf die Amazon-platform in ‘n Kindle-formaat: https://a.co/d/gVDvqdW. Die verhaal van John G. Lake sal mense inspireer, bemoedig en herinner dat die belofte van die Vader en die inwonende teenwoordigheid van die Heilige Gees vir elke gelowige beskikbaar is. Ek moedig jou aan om dit te lees en vertrou dat jy daardeur geseën sal word!

Ek bedank almal wat deel was van die organisasie om die konferensie moontlik te maak, sowel as almal wat deel was van die daaglikse program en elke individu wat die moeite gedoen het om dit by te woon. Sommige mense het ver gereis – selfs vir meer as een dag – om teenwoordig te wees. Ons het die diversiteit van ons kerk ervaar in aanbidding, in die program en in die bywoning. Baie mense het getuig oor die gees van eenheid en vrede onder almal wat teenwoordig was.

Vriendelike Groete
Henri Weideman