A visitor to our church recently asked this in an email:
Please explain to me the “Prophecy Mic”. Are the people that speak told what scripture to read or do they ask to read a scripture that the Lord has been showing them?
This was my response to her:
I’m glad for your careful interest in our church. It sounds like you are wisely not wanting to jump into a situation until you are as sure as you can be about it.
Our “prophecy mike” doesn’t have the best title, but we haven’t been able to come up with a better one! We do believe in the ongoing gift of prophecy as outlined in 1 Cor 14, and this can come in a variety of ways.
Most often, it comes through a specific Scripture being read, followed by a prayer or comment or encouragement/exhortation. God’s word is inspired and inerrant from Genesis to Revelation, but we also understand that certain Scriptures can hit a person in a particular situation with unusual power.
At times people simply prayer from the prophecy mike; at times they communicate what they believe the Lord is wanting to communicate to his gathered church. In all of these contributions we are looking for a prophetic element, something about it that says this isn’t a generic good thing to say, but it is what God specifically wants communicated at this time and in this place. We know that our efforts are mixed because of our sin and our imperfection, but that is our desire and intention.
The microphone and the leader who stands next to the mike allow us to evaluate what someone wants to share before they share it. We feel this is the best way to ensure that what is offered will be edifying, and evaluated in the manner also outlined in 1 Cor 14.
Let me know if you have a follow-up question on this.
Talk to you later,
Daniel
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I do have a question abut this. While I have not been attending Sovereign Grace long, I can not remember something called the “Prophecy Mic” being used. While I do have a some short term memory issues from a condition that has happened to me, this is something I think I would of remember or my wife would of said something about it. When is it used during church?
Thank you, I was just curious about this as I can’t remember it.
John
John, some Sundays we set it up and time doesn’t allow for it to be used (Sundays with baptisms lately, sometimes with the Lord’s Supper, etc.). Most Sundays someone will make a contribution from that mike (it’s on the floor, on the right as you look at the stage). One of our home group leaders sits near there to help evaluate contributions before we allow them to be made to the whole congregation.
Daniel