The Presiding Bishop of the Methodist Church Ghana, Professor Kwabena Asamoah-Gyadu, has cautioned against what he describes as a growing culture of deceptive prophetic practices in contemporary Christianity, following public controversy surrounding failed prophecies linked to recent New Patriotic Party (NPP) presidential primaries.
The warning follows a prophecy by the General Overseer of Spirit Life Revival Ministries, Prophet Elbernard Nelson-Eshun, who, ahead of the January 31, 2026 primaries, predicted that former Assin Central Member of Parliament, Kennedy Agyapong, would win the contest, claiming the outcome had been revealed to him by an angel of God. However, the prediction did not materialise.
In a Facebook post on Saturday, January 31, Professor Asamoah-Gyadu emphasised that prophecy in Christian theology is not about public performance or prediction, but divine communication.
“Prophecy is when the Lord speaks to his people through human vessels,” he said, concluding with the admonition: “Do not fake the voice of the Lord our God.”
He said the extent of prophetic failures in both global and local Christian spaces was deeply troubling.
“The extent of catastrophic prophetic failures in Christianity today is tragic,” he wrote, describing the situation as part of a broader crisis of credibility facing prophetic ministries worldwide.
He cited a recent case in the United States involving Shawn Bolz, a well-known charismatic figure who was dismissed by his church after being exposed for allegedly sourcing personal information about congregants from the internet and presenting it as prophetic revelation.
“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,” he noted, adding, “It is happening in our country too!”
The Methodist Church leader also issued a warning to clergy, particularly within his own denomination, against what he termed “prophetic vainglory.”
“I pray no minister of the Methodist Church in Ghana is tempted to travel this path of prophetic vainglory,” he stated.
Professor Asamoah-Gyadu said the issue represents not only an ethical concern but a serious theological and moral failure within Christian ministry.
“How did we come to this as men and women called to preach the Gospel of Jesus Christ for the salvation of souls?” he asked.
At the core of his criticism, he said, was a violation of the Third Commandment, cautioning ministers against attributing false claims to God.
“This whole deceptive prophetic phenomenon blatantly flouts a particular commandment: ‘Thou shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain…’” he wrote.
His remarks have renewed debate within Christian circles over accountability, discernment and public trust in prophetic declarations, particularly those connected to electoral politics.
