As we start in the

new year, we're rediscovering together our identity as a church family.  Family is a group of people who genuinely

love, trust, care for, and look out for each other.

Our initial series

of the year is beginning in an unexpected place.  When we think of families in the Bible, we

might think about Adam and Eve, Jacob and his twelve kiddos, Naomi and Ruth, or

even spiritually think of the church at it's beginning in the book of Acts or

even a close group like David and his mighty men. 

Instead, God is taking us to a family not often thought about.  We find these family groups in the books of Kings.  They are the family of prophets.

As we start in the

new year, we're rediscovering together our identity as a church family.  Family is a group of people who genuinely

love, trust, care for, and look out for each other.

Our initial series

of the year is beginning in an unexpected place.  When we think of families in the Bible, we

might think about Adam and Eve, Jacob and his twelve kiddos, Naomi and Ruth, or

even spiritually think of the church at it's beginning in the book of Acts or

even a close group like David and his mighty men. 

Instead, God is

taking us to a family not often thought about. 

We find these family groups in the books of Kings.  They are the family of prophets.

Now, depending on

the translation that you read, you may find them called:

Company of prophets

Sons of prophets

School of prophets

Group of prophets

Guild of prophets

The Hebrew word used

here is the word Ben.  It is a word that

it used for literal children as well as generally speaking as in members of a

group.  Therefore, all of these English

translations are accurate.

A family of

prophets.  So far as we can tell, this

family of prophets began with Samuel and continued under the leadership of

Elijah and then Elisha.  We know that

there were at least three groups of these families, one in Naioth, Bethel, and

Jericho and that they travelled around. 

Although we don't

know a whole lot more about where they each came from or how these individuals

became part of these groups, the Bible reveals what we need to know about them.

They are a group of

individuals who sought after God together. 

They weren't perfect, they made mistakes, but their passion for seeking

after God brought them together to accomplish incredible things.  God met them where they were and powerfully

anointed them so much that whenever they got around other people, they also

began to prophesy!  It had to be a fun

group of people to hang out with!

Before we are

encouraged by some of their adventures, we're first going to learn a little bit

about prophecy.

Merriam-Webster

defines prophecy as the inspired declaration of divine will and purpose.  To prophesy is to declare the will and

purpose of God.  Prophecy speaks God's

potential about people, circumstances, and places.

Biblical prophecy

isn't the opinions, will, nor ideas of man, but of God.  Though this is true, God chooses to speak

through man maintaining their uniqueness. 

He speaks to the prophet or prophetess in a way that they understand and

communicates the prophecy through them and their personality.

2 Peter 1:19-21