A Prophet at the Rally
Three weeks before local elections, a self-styled prophet visits a 700-member church in Lilongwe. He says God has revealed that a particular council candidate will win, and asks the pastor to host a rally in the church yard, put the pastor's photograph on posters, and receive a 'seed offering' of 150,000 Malawi kwacha. He has already predicted rain that did not fall, but explains that the people's unbelief delayed it. Some elders support him because he prayed for a sick child who recovered. The pastor is under pressure: the candidate's supporters have promised to repair the church roof if the rally goes ahead. The pastor asks for a biblical judgement on the prophet's claim, the use of the pulpit, and the money, before the church board meets on Friday.
1. Apply Deuteronomy 18:20-22 and Jeremiah 28 to the prophet's prediction. What tests are relevant, and what is the limit of the 'failed prophecy' test?
Read the worked answer
Deuteronomy 18:20-22 gives a test: if a prophet speaks in the Lord's name and the word does not happen, that is not a word the Lord has spoken. But the test is not a mechanical fortune-telling formula. Deuteronomy 13:1-5 says a prophet who performs signs and leads people away from the Lord is still false; Jeremiah 28 gives the classic case: Hananiah predicted peace within two years, contradicted Jeremiah's yoke of exile, and died. Jeremiah 29:8-9 warns against prophets who promise quick peace and dreams. Here the rain prediction failed, and the prophet blames unbelief-an explanation that cannot be tested. The candidate prediction is political and self-serving; it lacks the covenant shape of true prophecy, which calls people to faithfulness rather than guaranteeing a win. The limit of the failed-prophecy test is that a lucky guess does not prove inspiration, and a delay does not always disprove a true prophet, as Jeremiah's own unpopular message shows. The church should therefore test the prophet's teaching and fruit, not just the election result.
2. Should the pastor allow the church yard and pulpit to be used for the rally, and should the pastor's photograph appear on posters? Give reasons.
Read the worked answer
No. The church yard and pulpit are for the worship and witness of the whole congregation, not for a candidate's campaign. A pastor's photograph on political posters would imply the church's endorsement and would divide the 700 members, some of whom support other candidates. Romans 14:13-19 and 1 Corinthians 10:31-33 urge believers to avoid causing stumbling and to do all for God's glory; a rally in the church yard would make the gospel seem tied to a party. The pastor may encourage members to vote as citizens and may pray for all candidates, but he should not give the pulpit to a prophetic endorsement. If the board wants a policy, it should say: no partisan rallies on church property, no pastor's image in campaign material, and equal opportunity for members to attend political events as individuals. The promised roof repair must not buy access.
3. What should be done about the 150,000 kwacha 'seed offering' and the promised roof repair?
Read the worked answer
Refuse the 150,000 kwacha 'seed offering' if it is tied to hosting the rally. 2 Corinthians 8-9 teaches generous giving without manipulation; 1 Timothy 6:5-10 warns about godliness as a means of gain. A gift that purchases the pulpit is not a seed; it is patronage, and accepting it would bind the church to the prophet's claim. The roof repair should be considered only if it is offered without political conditions, through the normal church board, with transparent records. If money has already been received, return it with a clear, kind explanation; if anonymous and unconditional, the board may decide, but the timing makes that unlikely. The pastor should also address the sick child's recovery: gratitude is right, but it does not authenticate every later claim. The board's decision should be recorded so the same pressure does not recur.