There are specific reasons that I don’t lay out my personal understanding of Scripture with detailed exegesis here on my blog or in my writing. As I’ve stated numerous times, I also have my characters do and believe things that I disagree with. I do it because I have brothers and sisters in the Lord who think and believe things I don’t.
And I want to understand them.
When it boils down to it, the blood of Jesus poured out for and covering our sins is the sticking point. Salvation. Period. We can argue when/how/where that happens, and that’s fine with me. But salvation through anything but the shed blood of Jesus on the cross and His resurrection from the dead I will defend. Always.
This will probably come as a complete shock to everyone, but I am not a charismatic or a Pentecostal. It may also come as a shock to some that I have spent much time in Pentecostal circles. I know and understand that theology well. I just don’t happen to agree with parts of it. Still, I love my Pentecostal and charismatic friends with a heart that wants to support and understand.
Because of my love for many reformed theologians and because of my reticence to insert God’s name into things that He has not clearly stated are directly caused by Him in His Word, people often assume I’m reformed, Calvinistic, or both.
I’m neither. And for what it’s worth, I love my Calvinistic and reformed friends as well. Just sayin’.
Note: links may be affiliate links that provide me with a small commission at no extra expense to you. I also requested a review copy of this book… with no strings attached from the publisher who freely gave it.
So, What Made Me Decide to Read a Book Like This?
Why did I request a review copy of a book that I knew I’d probably disagree with?
Three reasons, actually.
First, I never want to assume that I am right about things.
I knew that in reading this book, I’d dig deep, study the Word, research what other theologians teach—all of it. If I am wrong, I want to know.
In fact, when people come to me with things they think are wrong in my life (homeschooling, having my babies at home, reading fiction… those are a few I can think of from the past), I have something I say. And I mean it. I say:
[click_to_tweet tweet=”‘If you think that I am in sin by { insert issue here }, please pray that the Lord would show me through His Word where I am in error.”” quote=”If you think that I am in sin by { insert issue here }, please pray that the Lord would show me through His Word where I am in error.””]
So, yes. I chose to read this book because if the author can show me that my understanding of Scripture is wrong, I want to know it.
Second, I think it’s important to know what is being taught in the church at large.
Being ignorant of doctrines out there puts you in a place of vulnerability. Knowing what a doctrine is and why people believe it, what their Scriptural support for it is, and why you do or do not agree with that understanding of Scripture helps prevent you from being “swayed by every wind of doctrine.”
And finally, because I have friends who believe this and live this way of “prophetic encouragement.”
While it may be an unfair generalization, it seems to me that everyone has a “word” for everyone else. The Lord is always telling someone something.
I want to understand that. Even more, I want to assure that I am not hindering someone else’s walk with Jesus in how I respond to something.
I think this is the first time I’ve listened to a sermon before reading a book.
No, really. I knew John Piper leaned a little more closely to the charismatic side of things, but I do usually appreciate his “dividing the Word of Truth,” so I started there with THIS sermon.
He makes a reasonable defense in favor of modern prophetic utterances, and I wanted that kind of positive and sound reasoning going into reading this book.
Here’s what I thought:
Debbie Kitterman writes in an engaging, warm style. Her passion for her subject leaps off the pages and wraps itself around you in an encouraging hug. She digs deep into the Word to show support for everything she teaches, and only a couple of times did I feel like the verses chosen were “proof-texting” rather than reasonable examples from the Word (and one of them is just a verse that I see taken out of context in nearly every instance that it’s used, so I wasn’t surprised there).
Each chapter is well-developed and shows careful attention to aiding the reader in embracing the “gift of prophetic encouragement,” including actionable tasks and prayers.
The anecdotes shared didn’t feel stretched to make a point in most places like books so often do. I really appreciated that.
And one of the best things about The Gift of Prophetic Encouragement was that for the first half or so, I found it easy to apply what she taught by simply using the Word of God as “God’s revelation” for another.
Look, I didn’t change my understanding of prophecy in today’s time.
Although I was willing to if the book and the Word convinced me it was so, I still define it for us today as I always have. But for the first half of the book, it didn’t matter. I could learn from Ms. Kitterman fresh and important ways of encouraging others through God’s Prophetic Word—The Bible.
And at that point, I’d decided I would give this book four stars. I liked it. Used how I’d chosen to take it when my understanding of Scripture didn’t change, it was a good book that I liked.
Unfortunately, the second half I found to be harder to get through. It felt like it was dragging and more repeating as if to drive home the points a little harder. To be fair, I think that was me rather than her. The second half leans more to the practice of it rather than why.
And that’s actually where my biggest objection came.
In the second half of the book, it felt like “Prophetic Encouragement” was an end in itself rather than a means of building up the body of Christ.
Perhaps this is because the author feels that it’s been so neglected that she swung a little too far on the other end of the pendulum. Or, perhaps it’s just my perception. I don’t know.
This has left me with between three and four stars for it in my mind. If I could do dead middle, I would. Because to be fair, I am not her target market. I think people looking for this teaching would enjoy The Gift of Prophetic Encouragement. As I also said, I was able to apply her teaching to the Word of God as a prophetic encouragement. This is a good thing. She should receive credit for that.
However, for those who are not a part of the charismatic “word of faith” understanding of Scripture and those who find a “sinner’s prayer” style of conversion to be concerning, this isn’t the book I would choose to read to understand it better. I also still struggle with the “release God’s heart” line in the synopsis. That seriously bothers me.
I’m not sorry I read it, but I’ve donated my copy to our local prayer house and will wait on the Lord to show me, through His Word, if and where I am wrong
About the Book
Book Title: The Gift of Prophetic Encouragement
Author: Debbie Kitterman
Genre: Non-fiction, spiritual growth, charismatic
Release date: August 21, 2018
Deepen your relationship with God and embrace a life of encouragement by sharing God’s words with others.
When people think of prophecy, they often think of individuals in the Old Testament or certain personality-driven ministries today. They may think more about the prophet than the message.
But Jesus showed us God’s intention for prophecy by living in two-way communication with the Father and by embracing a lifestyle of encouraging others, changing lives in the process. We can do the same.
Clearing away the confusion about the prophetic gift today, pastor and ministry leader Debbie Kitterman reveals the good news about the gift of prophecy in this practical, powerful book: We are all prophetic because we all have direct access to God. Prophecy is an ordinary part of the Christian life. In fact, it is God’s way for us to encourage and strengthen the Body of Christ.
Chautona, Thank you for being transparent! This book sounds like a good resource.
Thank you for your honest review, I enjoyed reading your thoughts on this book.
Chautona, thank you for taking the time to read my book and give an honest review. I appreciate your willingness to read something that you were not necessarily in agreement with. Blessings.
Thank you for being gracious and understanding. It makes being willing to step out into an uncomfortable zone easier the next time. 🙂
I’ve found it interesting to read the reviews of this book. In the setting in which I grew up, no one would have dreamed of getting a “word” for someone else–in fact, other than my parents, I really didn’t know anyone who even believed God could speak directly to a person today! Most of my life, we’ve been in groups that believed more or less similarly, some people hearing more from God for themselves and some less. The last couple of months, however, we’ve come to know a new group of people (our young people love the weekly Bible study these people have in a home group), and several of them often get “words” for someone else! I appreciate your viewpoint here.
This is a large part of the culture of the Lighthouse, so I really wanted to read this book and be sure she couldn’t show me something that I’d missed in Scripture. It’s why I began with Piper–someone I already know and trust to “divide” the Word. But I wasn’t convinced. I was willing to be, but I wasn’t.
NZ – thank you for taking the time to read the reviews of what others had to say 🙂 Blessings
I always want to know what Emma thinks of something. She gives it a good, balanced perspective.