An important concept to explore and implement in the ministry of the local church is the reflection of the Offices of Christ: Prophet, Priest, and King. This is known as Tri-Perspectivalism or Multi-Perspectivalism. I have written and spoken a little about this, but I am still far more a student than an expert when it comes to the implications.
Richard Lovelace, author of Dynamics of Spiritual Life – a MUST READ for those charges with ministry leadership – offers this insight:
“Our union with the Messiah and his desire to continue his earthly ministry by living his life through us are so strong that we may be said to share his three offices of leadership. We are priests as we pray for those near us and draw them into the sphere of God’s mercy and blessing. We are prophets as we hold a biblical straightedge against whatever is crooked around us. And we are kings as we use whatever powers we have to straighten what is crooked, reshaping whatever falls within the scope of our responsibility until it reflects the order of heaven.”
GRACE & PEACE 
Good post Dennis. However I don’t see a lot of this being lived out at all, let alone in our community by the people who are to be the Prophets, Kings, and Priests….
Not sure the lable fits if there is no evidence in the community or in the lives of the people.
Don’t want to sound harsh at all here. But there is something very wrong when a discriptive doesn’t reflect reality.
Talk is just that. Probably why many young become disenchanted with the people of the Church today. Now I’m on dangerous ground, but I wonder where the Power is, where is the Spirit of God moving, where are the people being transformed and where are the sinners being set free, and where are communities being made different because Christians live and Worship in them?
I think there is evidence in our community – probably most communities – of these, but it is rare to see all three valued and practiced together in one church. The consequence, which I suspect is what you are getting at, is that almost all churches are unbalanced and therefore hindered in effective ministry.
Using a sports anaolgy: If a football team had an offensive line with all 5 guys having various strenghts but all were clearly unbalanced, we would say that the line was manned by a bunch of clutz’s, and not very good..
I’m not sure thats what I mean. I think and unblanced line could be a good thing…It’s worked a lot !
I think I mean putting into practice our faith. What James talks about in Chapter two. As we get invloved with people and the community then our gifts come out.
It’s one thing to come to church and it’s another to be the church. Maybe that phrase is being used too much these days, but I think it points to what I’m trying to say.
What difference is resulting from my relationship to Jesus among my neighbors, my community, my friends, and my Church?