The Making Of A Prophet: Practical Advice For Developing Your Prophetic Voice, by Jennifer LeClaire

[Note: This book was provided by Chosen Books in exchange for an honest review.]

Every once in a while I read and review books that touch on delicate and personal subject matters [1]. This book is one of those. Coming from a religious tradition where there are a lot of self-appointed prophets, as well as a lot of interest in speculative prophecy (both of which this book takes a dim view of), I have always reacted with concern, horror, and alarm when people who were of the self-appointed prophet variety sought to gratify my ego by calling me a prophet as well. As this book considers prophetic voice to include everything from singing and writing to teaching to public speaking to intercessory prayer, a great deal of my own activities would be considered ‘prophetic’ in the eyes of the author, and that of many of the people I know as well. This broad definition of prophecy appears to come from the religious traditions that the author is from, and this would apparently make prophetic ministries more widespread than they are considered to be for most readers.

This book basically lives up to its title, giving practical advice for those who are involved in some sort of ministry. The book is full of biblical references, albeit usually surface ones. Most of the advice is similarly basic, although occasionally full of tension. For example, the book disparages critical spirits, but the author shows a criticism of certain types of prophets and leaders (especially those who are part of authoritarian traditions). The book takes a dim view of highly organized ministries but also a dim view of self-appointed prophecies, condemning prophecy that appeals to man but also recommending being open to constructive criticism from others and receiving advice from more mature prophets. Likewise, there is a reminder of the emotional rollercoaster that results from Satan’s attacks, but all the same there is a reliance on subjective feelings in order to discern the voice of God from the voice of Satan. While this book deals with very sensible issues (the need to avoid deception and sexual immorality, the reality of persecution and character assassination) that anyone who is a Christian in the public eye has to deal with, there is something missing in this book.

At its heart, this book gets a lot right, especially the way in which prophets are viewed and in which they are to show the love of God towards those they deal with, an identification with their people, rather than a haughty condemnation of those who risk God’s judgment through their sins. Likewise, the book is full of personal examples that make the lessons in a very approachable way. The lessons that those who are called by God need to be patient, to focus on serving God and fellow man rather than themselves, and to avoid such sins as envy, are all very sound ones. Nevertheless, I have something against this book because it fails to ground the legitimacy of any sort of prophetic ministry in the two tests of a prophet in the Torah, namely speaking accurately as well as speaking in support of God’s laws and God’s ways. The book’s knee-jerk antonomian resistance to God’s laws prevents it from having a solidly grounded biblical view of what a genuine godly prophet is all about, and though this book has a lot of sound advice and is an easy read (so long as you are familiar with all of the jargon of “rhema” words and the like), ultimately the book fails to ground prophecy in the law of God, where it properly belongs, and that makes it less powerful of a book than it could have been. It can still be appreciated for its virtues, though, and for the sound advice it gives to those who serve God in any fashion to avoid those sins and deceptions that so easily trip us up and that threaten both our reputation as well as the God we serve.

[1] See, for example:

https://edgeinducedcohesion.wordpress.com/2014/02/22/book-review-daughters-in-danger/

https://edgeinducedcohesion.wordpress.com/2014/02/13/book-review-forgiving-our-fathers-and-mothers/

https://edgeinducedcohesion.wordpress.com/2013/05/20/book-review-so-many-reasons-why/

https://edgeinducedcohesion.wordpress.com/2013/05/13/book-review-when-a-man-you-love-was-abused/

https://edgeinducedcohesion.wordpress.com/2013/10/24/book-review-when-victims-marry/