Date
8-29-2024
Department
Rawlings School of Divinity
Degree
Doctor of Ministry (DMin)
Chair
Seth Bible
Keywords
Prophetic Theology, Essence of Prophecy, cessation of prophecy, Continuationism, cessationism, false prophecy, Prophetic discernment, Prophetic Interpretation
Disciplines
Religious Thought, Theology and Philosophy of Religion
Recommended Citation
Jarrett, Charmain M., "Prophetic Theology: The Essence of Prophecy" (2024). Doctoral Dissertations and Projects. 5980.
https://digitalcommons.liberty.edu/doctoral/5980
Abstract
The purpose of this action research project is to equip the members of Jesus Strong Ministries to discern the authenticity of contemporary prophetic messages. This research project aimed to measure the effectiveness of teaching the members of Jesus Strong Ministries the purpose or essence of true prophecy, focusing on discerning and interpreting prophetic messages. To accomplish this, the researcher developed and taught thirty-two participants an eight-week virtual prophetic training course via Zoom. The course examined eight vital elements of prophecy: the definition of prophecy, types of prophets, history of prophecy, relevance or purpose of prophecy, dimensions of prophecy, Spirit of prophecy, and discerning or testing the spirit behind prophecy. The literature review establishes the fundamentals for a theological and theoretical framework, systematically exploring the purpose of prophetic ministry and discerning or testing the spirit. A pre and post-survey was conducted to measure the study's effectiveness and the participants' growth. The results yield significant changes in participants' responses, indicating that the intervention was effective and that it is possible to discern true and false prophecies. This research is foundational in filling a theological gap in systematic prophetic theology because not enough discussion exists surrounding the concept of discerning and interpreting contemporary prophetic messages. Overall, this research contributed to educational religious studies, providing insights for religious organizations seeking to understand the challenges and benefits of prophetic ministry training, enhancing and supporting the prophetic ministry within the local church.
