Prophecy Course Review

Prophecy Wrap…

by Julia Dundas

"I’ll have a Prophecy wrap please…yep, go easy on the cheese, thanks…"

Barry Kissell leads this excellent four-week course, in which he first of all grounds the prophetic in Scripture - clearly, succinctly, and always with a smile. He then leads those attending into a time of “stepping out” – having a go at listening to God and speaking out prophetically, which in many ways is no easy feat, especially for us Brits who tend to shudder at the thought of unstructured spontaneity. Barry, perhaps aware of this, treads gently and aptly combines the comfort of theological exegesis and learning with the challenge of actually “doing it”. As a result he allows the prophetic to become both accessible and real, and shows it to be rooted in how we are to pray and seek the Lord. It’s a course not to be missed, and yet it can so easily be missed, perhaps because many of us don’t tend to think of the prophetic as something relevant to who we think we are…and yet it clearly is; it’s absolutely central to how we listen and respond to God at every level.

“Some are gifted specifically in the prophetic. BUT, we are all prophetic no matter what else we are – teacher, pastor etc. Whatever your gifting may be, bring a prophetic edge to it.” Barry, week 1.

Why did I do the course? God graciously forced me to actually. I gave a word at St Mary’s a few months ago. At the end of the service Barry came up and asked me to come along to the course, which was starting that Thursday. I was hesitant because I love my evenings (I think I’m just generally not a fan of courses; I get fidgety if I have to sit for too long). Plus I was busy! I said quite firmly to God that I’d only do the course if He freed up my evening for me (cunning). However, He took me at my word, and my plans were cancelled. So with no other excuses available I went along, thinking “It’s just four weeks, just four evenings offering the potential to help me discern God’s voice for the rest of my life.” And thanks to our gracious Father I came away from each session feeling encouraged and more deeply connected with the Bible, God’s Spirit and, if I am honest, with St. Mary’s. The small, intimate nature of the group meant I actually saw people properly, away from the context of the larger church. That was crucial for me; we cannot underestimate the significance of building community “in the hood” of church.

How can I sum up the course…really it is like a fajita wrap(!) – filling, delicious, a bit messy (but that’s ok), and there’s enough cheese to keep everyone well humoured.

Barry is a wise teacher and hugely gifted in the prophetic, and it has been a privilege to be able to learn from what he has to say and the way he chooses to live his life.

I am reminded of Ferris Bueller’s wise words at the end of his day off. He says this:

"Life moves pretty fast. If you don’t stop and look around once in a while, you might miss it." Ferris Bueller’s Day Off.

This is one fajita wrap not to miss. Eat it while you can.