D & C 163  | |
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Doctrine and Covenants 163 Commentary Series
God Is Calling for a Prophetic People
by Stephen M. Veazey
God is calling for a prophetic people to emerge, drawn from the
nations of the world, that is characterized by uncommon devotion to the
compassion and peace of God revealed in Jesus Christ. Through divine
grace and wisdom, this faith community has been given abundant gifts,
resources, and opportunities to equip it to become such a people. Chief
among these is the power of community in Christ expressed locally in
distinctive fashions while upholding a unity of vision, foundational
beliefs, and mission throughout the world.—Doctrine and Covenants
163:11a
Characteristics of Prophetic Community Paragraph 11a begins the
conclusion of Section 163. It brings the reader back to consider the primary
calling of the church to be a “prophetic community.” What does that term mean?
In the minds of many, being prophetic is about charismatic
utterances or predicting the future, often with a sense of warning. Confining
the meaning of “prophetic” to these expressions misses the greater purpose God
has in mind when calling for a “prophetic community to emerge.”
Prophetic ministry, in its truest scriptural sense, means to
speak and act in accordance with God’s will for creation. It involves seeing
beyond current realities to lift up a vision for an alternative future in
harmony with God’s will. It also involves choosing to live in the future that
God wills despite the resistance of popular culture. A prophetic community is a
“countercultural” community that gives tangible witness to what God is doing to
redeem creation.
Forming prophetic community for divine purposes is one primary way God acts to
redeem creation. The Old Testament is a remarkable story of how God molded a
group of wandering nomads into a distinct people of faith known for devotion to
the one, true, living God. Through their history, God’s desire to establish and
maintain a covenant of peace with creation was demonstrated. That prophetic
community also provided the rich faith heritage from which Jesus Christ, the
Prince of Peace, was born and molded for his prophetic ministry.
What is the nature of the prophetic community God is calling for
through paragraph 11a? This paragraph lists several important characteristics.
First, this prophetic community will be “drawn from the nations of the world.”
It will represent fulfillment of the great commission found in Matthew 28:19–20
NRSV:
Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing
them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and
teaching them to obey everything that I have commanded you.
Obviously, one prophetic role of this community is to show that
unity and peace among people of various cultures and nationalities is possible
through the Spirit of God and the message of Christ. This community will stress
that the kingdom of God is not the exclusive domain of any one nation. The
insights, gifts, and participation of all cultures are needed for God’s reign of
peace to be established on earth. Given the current political polarity and
conflict between nations and cultures, such a community would stand in sharp
contrast to the experience of most.
Another primary characteristic of this prophetic community is
its formation through “uncommon devotion to the compassion and peace of God
revealed in Jesus Christ.” This community embodies the vision, passion, and
prophetic spirit of Christ. It becomes, in essence, Christ living as community
in the world. People can better see who Jesus Christ is because they can
experience his nature in the relationships, words, and caring ministry of the
community.
I recently visited a congregation that was well on its way to
becoming a prophetic community devoted to witness of Christ. Situated in a town
defined by economic and racial boundaries created by humans, the congregation
provides caring ministry, invitation, and welcoming hospitality that reach
across social barriers. A distinct compassionate, peaceable spirit has become
the common personality of the congregation. Members do not just teach and preach
about Jesus Christ; they are a living expression of the character and ministry
of Christ. People can see and experience Jesus in the compassionate, reconciling
quality of their relationships with each other and the larger community.
Equipped to be Prophetic Community
The prospect of becoming a prophetic community that fits this description can be
daunting. How does the church respond to such a vision in today’s world?
The second half of paragraph 11a reminds us of a spiritual
principle that is evident throughout the scriptures. God does not call
individuals or groups of people to engage in bringing forth divine purposes
unless God already has placed in their lives the capacity to respond. This
principle is an expression of divine grace. God generously gives us the
resources we need to become who God wants us to become. While we may not be
fully aware of our capacity to respond, God is fully aware of the blessings
already present in our lives.
Paragraph 11a does not leave us guessing how God already has
equipped the church to respond to the call to be a prophetic community. From its
inception, a primary focus of church life has been on demonstrating the
principles of the gospel in community life. The call to “Keep my commandments,
and seek to bring forth and establish the cause of Zion” (Doctrine and Covenants
6:3a) is a call to promote prophetic community that shows the world what it
means to corporately live the life of Christ.
The early church understood the call to Zionic community as
living the life of Christ together in a particular place. However, over the
years God enlarged our vision and understanding of prophetic community to
include any setting where the mission of Christ “is embodied in communities of
generosity, justice, and peacefulness” (D. and C. 163:3a).
The chief gift God has given Community of Christ is the “power
of community.” This gift is seen not only in the close fellowship of many local
congregations; it is experienced in the strong spiritual bonds we sense with our
brothers and sisters throughout the world.
When working on the We Share:
Identity, Mission, Message, and Beliefs document just released to the
church, members from throughout the world emphasized “blessings of community” as
an Enduring Principle or core value of the church. When asked to describe what
they meant by “blessings of community,” they stressed that true community:
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is where people become vulnerable to God’s grace and each
other;
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includes compassion for and solidarity with the poor,
marginalized, and oppressed;
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upholds the worth of persons while providing healthy
alternatives to self-centeredness, isolation, and conformity;
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provides nurture and growth opportunities for all people,
especially those who cannot care fully for themselves;
and
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shares a strong sense of trust in and belonging with one
another—even if we have never met.
Obviously, we cannot become a community that evidences these
traits just through our well-intentioned efforts. The capacity to live as a
prophetic community that expresses the compassionate life of Christ comes
through spiritual transformation that opens our lives and relationships to the
indwelling of Christ’s love and peace.
Above all clothe yourselves with love, which binds
everything together in perfect harmony. And let the peace of Christ rule in
your hearts, to which indeed you were called in the one body.
—Colossians 3:14–15 NRSV
Prophetic Imagination
In his book The Prophetic Imagination, Walter Brueggemann describes
prophetic ministry as “hope and yearning” that calls into question the “reading
of reality which is the majority opinion” (p. 65). He goes on to add that the
“task of prophetic ministry is to evoke an alternative community that knows it
is about different things in different ways” (p. 117).
The prophetic ministry of Jesus birthed an alternative community that disrupted
the status quo of oppressive religion and forced rule by the Roman Empire. The
first communities of Christ were prophetic signs of what life could be like if
people and nations turned their hearts to God. People were
drawn to them because their love, compassion, and peacefulness—expressed in the
name and spirit of Christ—stood in stark contrast to what was considered typical
in the larger society.
Doctrine and Covenants 163:11a seeks to awaken a vision of what Community of
Christ can be if it dares to fulfill its calling to be a modern-day prophetic
community. The first step is to stop accepting current realities in the
world—such as greed, conflict, and poverty—as unavoidable. At the same time,
guided by the Spirit, we must envisage alternatives to the status quo and begin
to live as if what can be already is.
Some congregations already are skilled in prophetic imagination. We need to
learn from them. Rooted in prayerfulness and discernment of needs, they see
opportunities for ministries of compassion and peacemaking in their
neighborhoods. Drawing on their gifts and resources, they respond with creative
ministries and the “power of community.” They create relational sanctuaries for
people to experience the healing love and peace of Christ. Numerous examples of
existing models of ministry can be found on the Web site of the Peace Support Network ( (www.peacesupportnetwork.org).
Conclusion
Doctrine and Covenants 163:11a paints a picture of the church as a “called out”
prophetic community that reveals and lives the vision and mission of Christ in
the world. It assures us Community of Christ has the capacity and potential to
respond. The primary challenge before us is to break free of the paralyzing grip
of the status quo and dare to see new possibilities.
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