The Presiding Bishop of The Methodist Church Ghana, The Most Rev. Prof. Johnson Asamoah-Gyadu, has issued a stern and timely warning to Christians over what he describes as the growing crisis of prophetic abuse and deception within contemporary Christianity.
In a post shared on his personal Facebook page, the respected theologian and church leader described the scale of recent prophetic failures as tragic, raising serious theological, pastoral, and moral concerns that require urgent reflection within the Christian community.
The Presiding Bishop’s caution comes amid recent events in the United States involving a self-styled prophet, Shawn Bolz, who was exposed and subsequently dismissed by his church after it emerged that he had been mining personal information about church members from the internet and presenting it as divine revelation.
According to Prof. Asamoah-Gyadu, these developments highlight an urgent need for discernment in prophetic ministry, stressing that prophetic utterances must be grounded in sound theology, integrity, and accountability.
“This disturbing phenomenon is not limited to foreign contexts,” the Presiding Bishop warned, noting that similar practices are occurring in Ghana. He described the situation as deeply unsettling and called on genuine ministers of the Gospel to take the matter seriously.
His comments have sparked renewed conversations within Christian circles about the misuse of prophetic authority, the vulnerability of believers, and the need for stronger ethical standards in modern Christian ministry.
Read his full post below
The extent of catastrophic prophetic failures in Christianity today is tragic. In the USA, Shawn Bolz, a so-called prophet has recently been exposed and dismissed by his church for mining information on church members from the internet and using them as prophetic insights! It is happening in our country too!
I pray no minister of the Methodist Church Ghana is tempted to travel this path of prophetic vainglory. How did we come to this as men/women called to preach the Gospel of Jesus Christ for the salvation of souls?
Here is my academic and pastoral concern: this whole deceptive prophetic phenomenon blatantly flouts a particular commandment: “Thou shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain…”
Prophecy is when the Lord speaks to his people through human vessels. Do not fake the voice of the Lord our God!
