I have often heard people today call their spiritual leaders "prophets." I don't completely understand the role of prophets in the New Testament. However, in the Old Testament, I thought that a prophet was one who God spoke to through visions and dreams (Numbers 12:6). It also appears that they proclaimed things about the future, and also had to speak with 100% accuracy (Deuteronomy 18:20-22). All of these seem impossible for people today. Can you help me understand how this term should be used?
A true preacher of the word needs to speak "prophetically," boldly engaging the truth of the text and the reality of the situation he is addressing himself to. But this does not mean he is a prophet. Prophet, biblically, seems quite a bit more than a synonym for preacher. The same would be true for the word apostle. He would need to be an eyewitness of the resurrection and have been personally spoken to by the Lord Jesus.
New Testament apostles and prophets formed the foundation of the church (Ephesians 2:20), but now we are building on that foundation. We are left with "evangelists, shepherds and teachers" (Ephesians 4:11), to name a few of the leadership roles present today. I do not believe there have been any true prophets since the apostolic age. Peter, Paul and John warn of the influence of false prophets (2 Peter 2, 2 Corinthians 11, 1 John 4).
Furthermore, with the completed revelation of the written word, there is no need for prophecy today. See also Jude 3.
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