On February 1, a Saturday, The Jack Crum Conference on Prophetic Ministry took place at University United Methodist Church in Chapel Hill. Entitled "A Cry in the Wilderness," the conference was sponsored by the Methodist Federation for Social Action of North Carolina (MFSA-NC). MFSA has been around American Methodism for just over 100 years. Throughout its history, MFSA raised questions and advanced positions considered controversial by the larger denomination, and it has been left-of-center on most theological, moral, cultural, political, and economic matters.

Though this pastor is orthodox in Christian doctrine and conservative in political economy, I found the MFSA-NC-sponsored conference to be interestingly helpful for three (3) reasons.

First, the keynote address, which was delivered by Bishop Kenneth L. Carder and which was entitled "Prophetic Witness in a Conflicted Church," was a solid piece of work. Bp. Carder did an excellent job of laying down the Biblical foundations for prophetic witness. He spoke faithfully and wisely about creation and redemption and consummation, Church and Kingdom, the Already and the Not Yet. He pictured how the prophet stands between the times (that is, between the present and the future) and attempts to serve God's Word for the sake of the world and the Church. He made many references to vision: God sees His people in captivity; the baptized see the world more clearly; the Church helps the world see its own problems; and the prophet sees the future God will bring and how the future changes the present.

Again, Bp. Carder's address was solid. From this pastor's viewpoint, it was faithful to the witness of the Bible. It was not a theological speech that was tacked together just to advance certain moral, political, and economic claims. Instead, it established a sure foundation for prophetic witness faithful to the Gospel. Its content could inform, and inspire, all Christians -- not just Methodists, and not just left-of-center Methodists.

Second, the conference's two (2) panel discussions posed probing questions to several people engaged in what could be called prophetic ministries. Is prophetic witness costly? How do I know that I have a divine call to be a prophet? What prophetic word does the Church need to hear today? The panelists were sufficiently informed, experienced, and diverse to provide engaging and interesting responses. There were lots of parish-ministry stories and crisis-in-life recollections.

Third, the concluding Service of Worship contained the best sermon illustration I have ever heard. (And I have heard more than a few.) Dr. Gayle Felton, preaching the sermon, spoke about William Wilberforce (1759-1833). Mr. Wilberforce, the anti-slavery reformer in England, toiled for years at a desk in his study. At that desk, he wrote legislation, petitions, pronouncements, speeches, and many other kinds of anti-slavery documents. In our time, that same desk is located in an Anglican church in London. It is used as the Lord's Table in the church's sanctuary. Therefore, that particular Lord's Table stands as a reminder not only that the crucified and risen Lord is met in the Bread and the Cup, but also that William Wilberforce -- as a prophetic, anti-slavery reformer -- was truly doing some of the same Lord's work.

This conference on the prophetic had much to offer. It served as a good teacher to all who attended.

However, a challenging problem should be noted. All Christians can, or should, give assent to the basic Biblical truths about God, God's work for the world, and God's work in the world. However, the next step (making moral claims) and the next step (stating political and economic principles) and the next step (proposing specific political and economic policies) involve increasingly diverse perspectives and positions.

Regarding the moral step and the social-principles step, the Church through the ages helps the Church today. We are wise to read what the Church, through history, has left for us to read about Christian morals and political-economic principles. We are unwise, perhaps adolescent, to set such teachings aside.

And regarding the specific-policies step, there will be disagreements in the Church and among Christians, until the Kingdom comes in glory, about political and economic proposals. That is why those disagreements need to be conducted in the most civil, respectful way. Even so, the Church has been blessed by God with teachers who have had wise things to propose about politics and economics. Their writings should be consulted, not neglected, by the contemporary church.

As "A Cry in the Wilderness" made abundantly clear, the Church and the world need prophetic ministry. After all, truly prophetic ministry keeps the Church open to reformation and the world open to reform. After all, truly prophetic ministry comes from God.