Become New with John Ortberg What is a PROPHET? (And why do we need them?)
Jan 12, 2026
This reflection challenges the notion that faith should comfort us, instead proposing it often disturbs. Prophets throughout history, like Margery Kempe, use their sensitivity to expose injustice and suffering. Kempe’s tears became a powerful form of truth-telling, illustrating how prophets feel the world's pain deeply. Listeners are prompted to examine their own conscience, recognize small prophetic moments in daily life, and embrace the unsettling yet vital role of prophets in our spiritual journey.
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Margery Kempe’s Provocative Prophecy
- John Ortberg tells the story of Margery Kempe, a 14th-century prophetic woman known for public weeping and shocking street performance.
- Her autobiography, dictated because she couldn't read or write, records tears as truth-telling amid poverty and social scandal.
Prophecy Confronts Religious Hypocrisy
- Prophetic voices often appear grotesque or scandalous because they expose hypocrisies within religious institutions.
- Margery’s public weeping and street theatre aimed to wake a complacent community to injustice.
Prophets Are Intensely Sensitive
- Prophets feel injustice intensely, treating minor wrongs as existential crises rather than mere annoyances.
- Abraham Joshua Heschel describes prophets as people whose voices register an octave higher than society's tolerance.
